Let's start with speed: Next-day service is available on 95 percent of our lanes in the Northeast. With direct loading, step-saver dock planning and our linehaul planning system, we usually deliver early in the morning so you can work your shipments sooner.

When it comes to reliability, shippers in the Northeast and Puerto Rico know that New Penn delivers consistently in the 98 percent range and even higher for expedited and guaranteed services. They also appreciate our low claim ratio--just 0.51 percent for regional and interregional shipments moving through the New Penn system.
 
Tell us what you need.

Responsiveness starts with our guaranteed delivery times, freeze protection service, expedited next-day delivery to the Greater Toronto area, and vendor consolidation and pool distribution.

New Penn employees also pick up late in the evening, deliver early in the morning, and craft flexible solutions for complex shipping situations.
 
For online scheduling, tracking and reporting tools, the New Penn website is fast, easy and always available.

We've been named a Quest for Quality carrier in Logistics Management magazine's annual reader survey for 17 of the last 18 years. With this award, readers have told the transportation marketplace that New Penn responds best to their needs for on-time performance, value, customer service, information technology and equipment/operations.

With the new year, New Penn employees resolve to add even more value to your regional transportation.
 
See for yourself. Schedule your next shipment with the next-day experts by going online or calling 1-800-285-5000.

However, Cass did show that overall freight volumes were slower than the third quarter of 2011, falling 12 percent in the quarter.

With this was an increase in expenditures on freight services--up more than 18 percent over the same period in 2010. The full Cass report including readings on shipments and expenditures on transportation is available online.

The Ceridian index measures diesel expenditures by trucking firms through a point-of-sale capture system. Given that many of these companies are independent and small truckload providers, we believe that it shows a heavier leaning on the truckload sector.

Therefore, truckload volumes were up in December--a surprise based on historical trends in the sector (typically, retailers will load smaller loads going into the final month of the year). This could be a bigger representation of growth in the automotive and heavy machinery sectors. Find out more.

The need to invest in capital equipment will happen in phases, with an initial phase coming if fuel costs continue to rise (specifically in the truckload segment).

LTL companies are expected to keep capacity tight to improve margins in the near term. Get additional details.

New Penn offers freeze protection service on next-day shipments destined to direct points, including direct points in Ontario and Quebec. We make freezable-shipment pickups Monday through Thursday.

When booking, simply identify the freezable product and its destination. Write "Protect from Freezing" on the bill of lading. We'll take it from there.

--From the time you call for a freeze protection shipment pickup, your shipment is identified in our computerized dispatch system. That means immediate planning and constant monitoring to ensure your shipments receive the proper protection while in our system.
--Weather monitoring alerts our service centers of pending severe weather in the area and includes specific instructions for the care of your freeze protection shipments.
--A fleet of heated, insulated trailers keeps hot air contained and circulating in the cargo area.
--Technically-engineered and environmentally safe CargoQuilt® covers provide an additional blanket of protection to maintain the temperature of your shipment while in transit.
--Warming rooms at each of our service centers are available for shipments not immediately being moved.

These well-defined processes and equipment mean you can predict a safe delivery for shipments requiring freeze protection.

Last year we moved more than 99 percent of cold-sensitive shipments claim-free!

Learn more about New Penn's freeze protection service or talk to your account executive for more information.

For more information or to schedule a pickup, visit newpenn.com or call New Penn at 1-800-285-5000.

When inclement weather impacts our ability to provide service in your region, it's important that you know right away. That's why New Penn has recently upgraded its weather alert system. Once you sign up, the system delivers detailed, proactive, timely alerts directly to your email inbox.

With specific information about severe weather and potential service challenges in your area, you can better manage your supply-chain and keep your business moving.

New Penn prides itself on on-time, claim-free service--but sometimes Mother Nature intervenes. With our new email alert system, you will know right away when that snowstorm is headed your way.

Visit http://yrcregional.com/newpenn/about/weather.shtml to sign up for email alerts today.

When it comes to weather, it's always best to prepare for the worst. When it comes to service, it's only reasonable to expect the best--that's New Penn.

• Average crossing time--just 3 minutes/shipment
• 98 percent of our shipments are pre-approved for customs clearance before arriving at the border

Government approval and security certifications in C-TPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) and FAST (Free and Secure Trade) provide a more secure supply chain and faster customs processing, resulting in:

• Minimized loss and damage of your goods
• Expedited flow of goods due to a reduced number of inspections

Our 24/7 Customs Processing Center simplifies customs processes for you and facilitates our on-time service. As with all shipments New Penn handles, our low claim ratio ensures your cross-border shipment arrives intact.

To find out more about our cross-border service, complete our customer interest form.

Schedule your pickup today at newpenn.com or call 1-800-285-5000.

The NP Connex delivery status update system uses a combination of bar-code scanning equipment plus mobile wireless data communications along with our website to provide you information transparency.

Tracking updates within 10 seconds at nine key points allow you to become proactive in your shipping concerns rather than reactive. Receiving accurate and timely information will help you relax, plan accordingly, and, ultimately, be more competitive in the marketplace.

"Business moves quickly. You need to have answers. We're able to provide that," says Steve Kerbis, vice president of technology and engineering. "Our statuses are real-time, which help our customers in their jobs every day and enable them to provide additional value to their customers."

Real-time, online status updates--accessible on the Shipment Tracking page and by optional automatic delivery notification via email–include: pickup completed; at origin; in transit; at destination terminal; delivery appointment scheduled; out for delivery; en route to be delivered; now being delivered; delivery completed.

To better manage your shipping processes, schedule your next shipment with New Penn. Go to newpenn.com or call 1-800-285-5000.

According to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, 70 percent of winter weather deaths in the United States are caused by icy road accidents. As we all know, driving in the winter months can be very dangerous, and for every fatal accident there are many other less severe ones.

That's why we at New Penn have enlisted our resident Safety Expert, Mike Smucker, to equip you with the knowledge needed to safely navigate the winter months. Mike has spent 28 years driving commercial vehicles, and has racked up over three million miles of accident-free driving in the process. Over the recent years he has translated that experience into a successful career as a Smith System driving instructor, and of course, our very own Safety Expert.

When Mike Smucker is behind the wheel, he always keeps in mind a fundamental mantra that isn't quite as common sense as it seems--"If I'm too afraid to glance away from something in the roadway in front of me, then I'm without a doubt too close to it. If I'm so worried that I can't take account of my peripheral, then I need to back off."

Low visibility and slick road surfaces mean that you require more time to react and stop when a collision is imminent. It can take a vehicle up to four times longer to come to a stop on packed snow. On black ice, it can be up to nine.

That's why keeping a safe distance is essential to good winter driving.

According to Mike, "you must always leave yourself an 'out.' You always need a 'Plan B' if things get bad."

That could be a vacant lane beside you or the shoulder of the road, but with snowy conditions those might not always be options. The left highway lane might not be as clear as the right when snow is falling, and the shoulder might well be packed with snow. What that leaves is the space in front of you. And as Mike puts it--"Treat it like gold."

So maintain a safe following distance, a reasonable speed, and stay alert. If another vehicle merges into your golden zone, back off!

Drive safe, and check back next month for more "Winter Driving Wisdom with Mike Smucker."

When shipments reach the terminal before the specific date/time, Kim is monitoring it: "I make sure that shipment doesn't go out until the proper time, which can be challenging." 

Kim is all about managing the variables. Each customer has different requirements, but Kim expects New Penn to exceed those specific needs. In effect, New Penn becomes a natural extension for the shipper--linking those shipments to the shipper's customer.

A number of customers call Kim before they make a shipment. "Usually they need something delivered by a certain date," she explains. "Or, there are specific delivery instructions that need to be followed. I can then be proactive and enter the pickup, keying in the information that's needed, even before we get the shipment."

The next morning when she has a PRO number, Kim takes her attention to detail one step further. "I follow the shipment all the way through until the minute it delivers," she says. New Penn's technology and culture is designed for perfect deliveries like these.

Every morning Kim's finger is on the pulse line. She pulls a report showing all shipments scheduled for time-definite and guaranteed services delivery as well as "hot committed services." These shipments require an extra watchful eye. "These gotta go. No 'if, ands, or butts.'"

"I work to make sure the freight is getting to its destination--and that it gets delivered on time," she says. Kim works with members of all levels of the company from division vice presidents, regional managers, terminal managers to supervisors.

What's Kim's favorite truism? "Be the best you can be--for every customer, every shipment, every day."

How does she feel about working at New Penn? "I have the great opportunity to work for a company that truly puts the customer first."

Kim is just one example of the people and service that keep customers coming back to New Penn.

Experience New Penn service for yourself. Schedule your next shipment at newpenn.com or by calling 1-800-285-5000.

• To ensure delivery, please add messaging@messaging.yrcw.com to your address book.
• The email addresses provided to subscribe to New Penn email updates are not shared with any third-parties. For more information, please view our Notice and Legal Disclaimer and Privacy Policy.
• Remember, if you change your internet service provider, you will need to unsubscribe and resubscribe in order to continue receiving New Penn email updates.