In the last post, I covered the first three steps to cash management for a motor carrier. In this post, I’ll finish with the final four. Success in any business comes from taking specific steps in each area of business management. Cash flow management is, by far, one area which defines how well your business thrives. You can have a warehouse full of great paying loads, but if you’re not receiving payment for those loads on a timely basis, it can make for some very stressful times when attempting to make your payroll or cover a fuel bill.

Trucking professionals worrying who will be the next generation of drivers to keep the trucking industry’s momentum moving are not alone.

According to a recent report issued by The Council of Supply Chain Management (CSCMP), an epic driver shortage is indeed on the horizon. By 2011, there will be an estimated 400,000 unfilled trucking jobs — a fact recently echoed in a CNNMoney.com article that stated, “Can’t find a job? Maybe it’s time to take your search to the road.”

So, what’s causing the concern, and what will a shortage mean for transportation professionals?

The deadline for CSA 2010 implementation may have already been pushed back once from July to November 30, but don’t count on another extension.

The FMCSA announced that the program is on track to have the new Carrier Safety Measurement System (CSMS), and its corresponding BASICs, replace SafeStat this fall. Upon rollout, carriers with deficient BASICs will receive notification from FMCSA, and the CSMS results will be used to determine which carriers will receive extensive roadside inspections.

At Getloaded, we are focused on creating ease and opportunities for our members — and this commitment extends into our community involvement, as well.

On Saturday, June 12, a team of Getloaded employees volunteered at the Special Olympics Virginia Summer Games for the fourth straight year.

We last heard from our favorite gloomy practitioner of the dismal art, the American Trucking Association’s chief economist, Bob Costello, back in September of ’09, when  he was—for an economist—rationally exuberant. “Most indicators,” Costello mumbled grudgingly, “indicate freight tonnage will exhibit moderate but inconsistent growth in the months ahead.”