While traditional forward logistics gets most of the attention, reverse logistics (in essence, returns) is a significant part of business as well. And our guest on this episode of The Intermodal Logistics Podcast explains how doing it right means a circular approach.

Rich Bulger is the Founder of All Things Circular and author of "Going Circular: The Evolution of Reverse Logistics Into a Competitive Weapon." Rich explains how an early job at Verizon involving used phones got him into the reverse approach, and how experiences with Cisco and other companies - along with others in the industry - helped him triangulate the circular approach.

Rich tells us what goes into reverse logistics and how businesses can win with an approach that looks not only at the first, but the second customer. He also goes over how younger generations make purchases expecting to return or resell, how sustainability factors in, and how the Trump Administration's tariff policy actually encourages resale over new product purchases.

Find Rich on Linkedin at linkedin.com/in/rich-bulger-43b02112 and visit All Things Circular at allthingscircular.com, where you can find more about the company, Rich's podcast of the same name, and his book.

As for our podcast, subscribe or follow now to catch new episodes as soon as they're out, and please do rate and review us. Have a question? Contact us at podcast@inteklogistics.com. And visit our website, www.inteklogistics.com to learn more.

On this edition of The Intermodal Logistics Podcast, we cover a variety of bases with Port X Logistics Founder and CEO Brian Kempisty - joining us from his home in Montana.

We start by learning about his background and the founding of Port X in 2017, then we get into the company itself - the areas it covers and services it provides.

Next, we bounce around a few key issues, as Brian explains the situation with drayage (and trucking in general) in California - why regulatory enforcement has led to drivers leaving the profession (and how cargo theft ties in). He also points out how market conditions have forced out a number of smaller carriers.

Brian then takes us through his thoughts on the market this year and next, port activity, a surprisingly strong product of late, the housing market, and the advantages of transloading.

Learn more about Port X Logistics at www.portxlogistics.com.

As for our podcast, subscribe or follow now to catch new episodes as soon as they're out, and please do rate and review us. Have a question? Contact us at podcast@inteklogistics.com. And visit our website, www.inteklogistics.com to learn more.

Almost all the way through year one of the second Trump administration, it's possible to assess the effects of some major policies on freight. On this edition of The Intermodal Logistics Podcast, we welcome Arizona State University Professor Dr. Dale Rogers to discuss three key initiatives that relate to supply chains:

• The English language requirement for truck drivers
• Ramped up immigration enforcement
• Tariffs

Dr. Rogers talks about how, particularly in areas like California and other states that border Mexico, a number of drivers may not be English-proficient. He tells us how the combination of the English policy - as well as worries about being targeted by immigration enforcement - are causing many to leave the field.

But he points out that the industry is already dealing with a shortage of new truck drivers (without a lot of signs that younger Americans are interested in trucking- much like other jobs immigrants traditionally take on), so such an exodus will slow freight activity in these areas.

We also pivot to tariff policy, and how this year's decisions on trade have reshaped global supply chains. Dr. Rogers and co-host, InTek Logistics CEO Rick LaGore, go over how this year and next year could shape up like 2018-19, when the previous Trump administration levied more targeted tariffs (they even go further back to Smoot-Hawley around 1930). But they share optimism that trade policy could evolve and lead to brighter days ahead for freight.

See the paper Dr. Rogers co-authored on tariffs just last year, providing valuable historical context: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1478409224000037. And find out more about ASU's Supply Chain program: https://wpcarey.asu.edu/supply-chain-management-degrees.

As for our podcast, subscribe or follow now to catch new episodes as soon as they're out, and please do rate and review us. Have a question? Contact us at podcast@inteklogistics.com. And visit our website, www.inteklogistics.com to learn more.

With an undoubtedly changed international trade environment along with differing priorities on sustainability, two key freight factors went from somewhat predictable to up in the air this year. On the latest edition of The Intermodal Logistics Podcast, we explore two surveys commissioned by Sphera that take the pulse of those logistics decision-makers: one on the effects of new trade policy and the other on how much sustainability still matters to them when government incentives are pulled back.

Sphera VP of Product Development Scott Lehmann takes us through both surveys, laying out the background on each issue and what those polled said. A key finding from the trade survey was that nearly three quarters of businesses experienced supplier disruptions leading to revenue loss this year - and one quarter characterized those disruptions as "significant." Scott tells us how companies are adjusting, and how AI is coming into play as both a reactive and proactive tool.

On the sustainability front, Scott explains how respondents fall into three categories today: leaders still fully committed, compliant actors who prioritize it based on outside factors, and re-assessors who are using the period of lighter pressure to reconsider and align their strategies with business goals. In that case, he discusses how sustainability, service and cost-savings can all align when planned properly - especially in transportation.

Get the survey on trade: https://sphera.com/company/news/sphera-survey-nearly-three-quarters-of-companies-suffered-revenue-losses-from-supplier-disruptions-in-the-last-12-months, the survey on sustainability: https://sphera.com/resources/blog/sustainability-in-flux-why-regulatory-shifts-demand-smarter-strategy, and find out more about Sphera: https://sphera.com.

As for our podcast, subscribe or follow now to catch new episodes as soon as they're out, and please do rate and review us. Have a question? Contact us at podcast@inteklogistics.com. And visit our website, www.inteklogistics.com to learn more.

As with any industry, transportation requires standards to operate at maximum efficiency. And the organization behind setting those standards for LTL, truckload and more, is the National Motor Freight Traffic Association or NMFTA. NMFTA VP of Operations Keith Peterson joins us on The Intermodal Logistics Podcast to discuss not only those standards, but an initiative that combines them with digitization known as the Digital Standards Development Council (DSDC).

Keith explains why the push for digitization alongside standardization is so important in freight, with positive side effects including streamlined operations and protection against fraud/theft. Plus, he discusses why NMFTA has focused on involving industry stakeholders including carriers, shippers, 3PLs and more in setting these processes to ensure broader adoption.

Speaking of adoption, we discuss how the use of a current transportation management system (TMS) helps make integrating with these standards through APIs simpler, even for non-tech savvy (or small-staffed) companies. And bouncing off the digitization conversation, we talk about cybersecurity, and why it's also a focus for NMFTA - Keith specifically emphasizes educating everyone in your organization to look for suspicious communications.

To learn more about NMFTA, visit www.nmfta.org. For information on the DSDC and how to get involved, go to dsdc.nmfta.org.

As for our podcast, subscribe or follow now to catch new episodes as soon as they're out, and please do rate and review us. Have a question? Contact us at podcast@inteklogistics.com. And visit our website, www.inteklogistics.com to learn more.

With cargo theft taking a step further into the forefront of consciousness after the recent story on Guy Fieri and Sammy Hagar's disappearing loads of Santo Tequila, the spotlight also goes on solutions to prevent it in the future. That's where Curtis Spencer, CEO of Bloodhound Tracking Device, comes in, as he joins us on The Intermodal Logistics Podcast.

Curtis tells us how the origins of Bloodhound date to 9/11 as federal officials looked for better ways to track cargo throughout supply chains. He discusses developing the technology with former NASA engineers, and how addressing theft has become an even greater focus than looking for suspicious freight. Curtis outlines how Bloodhound tracks location, temperature, tampering and more, all with a super-long lasting battery - and without being easily detected.

And he goes over how one of his devices would've made the tequila theft a lot tougher. Plus, Curtis takes us through his other company, IMS Worldwide, and how setting up FTZs (or Foreign Trade Zones) has become an especially busy business during this year of tariffs and inventory pull-forward.

Learn more about Bloodhound at btdtracker.com, and find out more about IMS Worldwide at imsw.com.

As for our podcast, subscribe or follow now to catch new episodes as soon as they're out, and please do rate and review us. Have a question? Contact us at podcast@inteklogistics.com. And visit our website, www.inteklogistics.com to learn more.

Railroad is likely the first form of transportation that comes to mind when considering intermodal, but trucks play a vital role in getting freight delivered door-to-door. Drayage trucking takes the spotlight on the last of our episodes of The Intermodal Logistics Podcast recorded at IANA's Intermodal EXPO, as we welcome Kevin Lhotak, President of Reliable Transportation Specialists (RTSI).

Kevin tells us about his company's lengthy dray history, the areas of the country it covers and the key role of drayage in the intermodal journey to connect origin and destination - as well as points in between - to long-haul rail. He explains the importance of independent contractors to drive dray providers like his, how his company has adjusted to a shifting marketplace, and how valuable in-person interactions from events like EXPO are to doing business.

Learn more about RTSI at www.reliabletrans.com. And for more on the Intermodal Association of North America's EXPO event (and IANA itself), visit www.intermodal.org/intermodalexpo.

As for our podcast, subscribe or follow now to catch new episodes as soon as they're out, and please do rate and review us. Have a question? Contact us at podcast@inteklogistics.com. And visit our website, www.inteklogistics.com to learn more.

While there are only a select few Class 1 Railroads in the U.S., there are hundreds of so-called short-line railroads. And our guest on this edition of The Intermodal Logistics Podcast from IANA's Intermodal EXPO in Long Beach, California has worked with both.

Iowa Interstate Railroad Director of Intermodal Andy Bradfield explains the differences between smaller and larger railroads. He also outlines how his landlocked railroad is connected to ocean cargo and the East Coast in particular via intermodal and Chicago. Andy continues discussing IAIS's efforts to grow its intermodal footprint beyond international to domestic 53-foot containers as well.

He also offers his thoughts on creative solutions to convert truckload to intermodal and his perspective as a former Union Pacific employee about the implications of UP's planned merger with Norfolk Southern.

Learn more about Iowa Interstate Railroad at iaisrr.com or email Andy at abradfield@iaisrr.com. And for more on the Intermodal Association of North America's EXPO and IANA, visit www.intermodal.org/intermodalexpo.

As for our podcast, subscribe or follow now to catch new episodes as soon as they're out, and please do rate and review us. Have a question? Contact us at podcast@inteklogistics.com. And visit our website, www.inteklogistics.com to learn more.