Posts Tagged “webinar”
There have been an amazing advances in trucking equipment and other 
technology since I first started covering the transportation of fresh fruits and vegetables in 1974. However, some things never change. The human element remains. In order for both the driver and the other parties involved in the successful loading, transit and delivery of the produce, honesty, fairness, and respect must be at the center of the business deal.
A webinar was held July 18 where a set of “best practices” have been developed by the North American Transportation Working Group (NATWG), which consists of members of the produce industry seeking improvements between their trade and the trucking industry. Among those participating were individuals from Australia, Mexico, Canada and the USA.
For decades it has been realized that some things never change. The need for communication and documentation are vital when hauling fresh produce, and those was emphasized once again at the webinar.
The advancements in technology was discussed at the webinar. For example there is becoming more use of temperature recording devices in transit that are combined with GPS systems so real time temperatures can be monitored. However, without good documentation of the load, all the technology around may not be able to protect thosed involved in the load, whether it be shipper, carrier, or driver. That documentation can be anything from photos, to bill of ladings, videos, e-mails, or a combination of these.
The NATWG has developed abest practices and checklists are on the group’s website at http://naptwg.org. It is a one-page checklist for shippers, truckers and receivers to provide important infomation to those involved in the load .
Jim Gordon, operations manager for Ippolito Fruit & Produce Ltd. of Toronto has been in the produce industry for 40 years. He observed that early in his carerr he realized the importance of respectful treatment of truck drivers, plus the need for fast turnaround times to get them back on the road. This is a key to maintaining good relationships with carriers.
This becomes even more critical with the new hours-of-service regulations because loading and unloading time now counts toward their driving time, Gordon said.
Top transportation tips
- Inspect produce with the truck driver present before loading and unloading.
- Check pulp temperatures at loading and unloading and note them on the bill of lading.
- Pre-cool produce before loading.
- Don’t put temperature recorders where vents will blow on them in the trailer to ensure accurate readings.
- Require carriers to provide constant temperatures rather than relying on cycling patterns of refer units.
- Make sure all documents are completely filled out to avoid delays at border crossings.
NATWG is to be commended for their efforts in improving working relationships between the produce and trucking industries. Unfortunately, there are those in the produce and trucking industries who are not as noble as the NATWG appears to be. Thus, recommendations and guidelines on a piece of paper will only go so far.
Something with more “teeth” in it is ultimately needed.
The produce industry has enjoyed protections from the federal government through the USDA by a vehicle known as the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act. For over 80 years PACA has provided mediation and arbitration when there are business disputes between parties in the produce industry.
Since at least the 1960s or 70s there have been occasional efforts to bring produce trucking into the PACA to provide these same protections where there is a claim that cannot be resolved. Unfortunately, some in the produce industry have successfully fought these efforts.
By the United Fresh Produce Association
The North American Produce Transportation Working Group (NAPTWG) will 
host a webinar on produce transportation best practices on Wednesday, July 18 at 11:00 am PT/2:00 pm ET. The session will give an overview of the best practices and delve into the roles and responsibilities of the shipper, carrier and receiver in facilitating a seamless, safe, and sustainable global supply-chain. Speakers include industry veterans with varied perspectives: Dan Vaché, vice president of supply chain management, United Fresh; Doug Stoiber, vice president, L&M Transportation Services, Inc.; Jim Gordon, operations manager, Ippolito Fruit & Produce LTD.; and Doug Nelson, special services manager, Blue Book Services, Inc. A question and answer period will follow the presentation and the session will be posted on the website as a resource.
“As summer quickly approaches, the webinar will be especially valuable to anyone involved in the movement of perishables and refrigerated cargo via truck,” said Dan Vaché, vice president of supply chain management for United Fresh. “It’s vital that the entire industry be on the same page when dealing with the movement of fresh fruits and vegetables. We need to ensure the cold chain remains intact and to prevent complications in the distribution and delivery of our fresh and wholesome products.”
Registration is complimentary to all interested parties. Register now!
This is the first in a series of educational webinars the NAPTWG will hold. For more information, please visit the NAPTWG website, or contact Dan Vaché, vice president of supply chain management, at 425-629-6271.
The North American Produce Transportation Working Group (NAPTWG) is comprised of more than 25 national and regional produce industry associations, transportation service providers, grower/shippers and perishable receivers. In cooperation with United Fresh Produce Association, NAPTWG works to provide best practice resources to those involved in the fresh produce supply chain.