Shipping clients are willing to pay for faster, more reliable deliveries with expanded tracking capabilities. Consequently, road freight firms that offer expedited, guaranteed deliveries and other premium services will have a key advantage in the marketplace.

So says a new analysis by transportation consulting company Frost & Sullivan, San Jose, Calif.
The company's "North American Road Freight Market" report reveals this market reached $119 billion in 2000 and is projected to reach $225 billion by 2007.
"Technology is an important competitive weapon for companies in the freight industry," says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Alfonso Corredor. "Competition is increasing as premium services attract new customers and boost revenues in this market."
Some of the latest technological implementations include Web sites that offer easy points of contact, information about services, online price quotes, booking and billing services. The most advanced firms have also incorporated transit time estimators, claims services and cargo-tracking services.
"The potential development of online services is huge," says Corredor. "The more flexible and easy to use the sites are, the more successful they will be in attracting clients and garnering new sources of revenue."
Frost & Sullivan also presents 2001 Market Engineering Awards to companies that have worked diligently to make a positive contribution to the road freight industry. These market specific awards are presented to Knight Transportation, Old Dominion Freight Lines, U.S. Freightways, U.S.A. Truck and Werner Enterprises.