As part of your development of a revised transportation strategy, Ms. Powell has asked that you “review the freight payment data”, “transform the data into useful information”, and use that information to address her concerns about the BlueStar transportation group. You have a large amount of data to work with in this case, making it possible for you to make very specific recommendations regarding how they can improve their transportation operations. In particular, use the data to answer the following questions:
What are the top origin-destination pairs (i.e., the most frequently used routes) for LTL shipments?
What is the average shipment size and length of haul for LTL shipments?
Calculate statistics for the cost per pound for LTL shipments, based on $ freight paid. Comment on average, standard deviation, and general variation among LTL carriers.
What are your criteria for LTL load consolidation?
Identify the top TL carriers and which might be candidates to haul freight for the most frequently traveled LTL routes.
Based on the information gathered (above), make your recommendations regarding carrier choice and potential load consolidation in order to lower transportation costs. Use data to provide specific recommendations.