The average Super Bowl halftime show only lasts around 13 minutes, but the multi-million dollar production takes months of extreme planning and coordination with thousands of people working behind the scenes. As one of the world’s most viewed performances, the show can’t afford a single mistake or disruption. What’s the main challenge? Setting up a fully-functional stage in a matter of 6 to 7 minutes without damaging the field.
Planning, Coordination, and Execution
The biggest logistical challenge behind the Super Bowl halftime show is setting up the stage the minute the first half of the game ends. The stage itself is wheeled onto the field using about 40 separate carts, which each require about 10-12 people to move. On top of the stage, an additional 15 to 20 carts carrying audio equipment get transported to the field. In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, hundreds of trucks arrive to the venue with deliveries of stage materials, props, electrical equipment, generators, and much more. Every minor detail including delivery windows, returns and item replacements, and storage locations are taken into consideration. Just one small hiccup in this process can change the outlook on one of the biggest days of the year.
Frank Supovitz, former Senior Vice President of Events for the National Football League (NFL) commented on the logistics of the Super Bowl. “The Super Bowl is a living, breathing organism,” Frank said. “It’s subject to surprises at any corner and any level.”
Planning and coordination have been, and always will be, a major part of logistics. The Super Bowl is no different, as military-like precision is required to successfully pull off the single biggest sporting event on Earth. Although most people believe that logistics only involves moving something from point A to point B, it’s the planning and execution behind each delivery and setup that makes all the difference.
As freight rates become increasingly complex due to changing fuel surcharges, accessorials and discounts, it’s easy for freight carriers to make mistakes on their invoices. To solve this problem, freight bill auditing is used to capture lost revenue from errors or inaccuracies with freight invoicing. Although it may seem like a cumbersome task to shippers, there are many cost-saving benefits to implementing a freight bill auditing program.
The Most Common Freight Bill Errors
Shipper Inaccuracy: When the staff processing the shipment makes a mistake, it causes the carrier to obtain inaccurate information for the shipment (e.g., giving the wrong dimensions or freight class).
Detention Fees: Inaccurate detention fees are common on freight bills. A detention fee is charged when the shipper exceeds the allotted time frame allowed for a pickup or delivery.
Accessorial Charges: Because there are so many different accessorial services and fees, it’s easy for a carrier to charge the shipper for an extra accessorial that they didn’t ask for (e.g., lift-gate or notify before delivery).
Ways To Keep Freight Auditing Under Control
Prior to tendering a shipment, always reweigh it to ensure your freight carrier or transportation management system (TMS) has the proper information it needs to give you an accurate quote.
Stay up-to-date with the individual carrier processes for submitting invoice corrections. Methods by each carrier vary and it is best to have each process documented and understood.
Review each invoice to make sure that all data matches the original shipment details. This includes the pickup date, delivery confirmation, weight, dimensions, freight class, etc.
Outsource your freight bill auditing to a third-party logistics (3PL) company. Logistics Plus Freight Audit Solutions (LPFAS) incorporates a comprehensive 3-point check to ensure that your small pack, parcel, LTL, truckload, and international invoices are accurate, disputed when necessary, and adjustments are made when needed (including “claw-back” refunds on small package shipments for missed guarantees, non-tendered shipments, etc.).
Shippers that don’t have a freight audit program in place are losing money every day. If you’re tired of fighting invoice discrepancies and mistakes that are costing you money, contact us today.
Bahadir Erdil, Global Projects Director for Logistics Plus, was interviewed for a recent article that appeared in the American Journal of Transportation (AJOT). The AJOT is a media source dedicated to providing shippers, carriers, transportation intermediaries, and logistics professionals with coverage of news and events that shape the world of international trade and transportation.
The article is titled “Contingency planning key to any project move” and was written by journalist Matt Miller for the 700th issue of the AJOT. The article discusses the importance of contingency planning for project cargo moves, the heavy lift SPOT team at Logistics Plus, and the multinational nature of project moves. Here are a few highlights from each section of the article.
Contingency Planning
Two years ago, Logistics Plus executed the transport of 13 brewery tanks from Germany to Turkey, each weighing between 24 and 31 metric tons. Bahadir discusses the challenges and planning it took for this complicated operation.
The SPOT Team
The Special Project Operations & Tactics (SPOT) team is just one of the strengths at Logistics Plus. Heavy lift cargo is becoming heavier and more difficult to transport, and it requires lots of engineering and planning.
The Multinational Nature of Project Cargo It is becoming common for heavy lift items to be built in one country and then transported to another. In order to do so, logistics providers must work with multiple shipyards and regional experts that are capable of handling this oversize cargo.
Less-than-truckload (LTL) freight consolidation is a freight strategy that involves combining multiple LTL shipments – all with a common destination – into a full truckload and then shipping it to its final destination. Simply put, rather than shipping direct from the origin to destination with multiple LTL shipments and/or carriers, the shipper is sending all of its freight at once to the final destination. Here are some benefits that LTL freight consolidation offers:
Pricing simplicity: Receive one quote for a full truckload rather than multiple LTL quotes.
Improved transit times: Dedicated truckloads mean that all your freight will arrive to the same place at the same time.
Better shipment transparency: Rather than tracking multiple LTL shipments, focus on one single load.
Fewer carrier interactions: Fewer carriers means less hassle and interaction.
Reduced accessorial charges: Rather than paying for the same accessorial on each LTL shipment, only pay them once.
Increased service levels: A single point of contact and lowered risks due to less handling of the goods.
Sustainable shipping practices: The carbon footprint is reduced with consolidations since fewer trucks are being used.
Consolidation involves more than just keeping your number of shipments down; LTL freight consolidation represents an opportunity for shippers to find more efficient and cost-effective solutions. However, to freight consolidation does require a higher-level of planning and forecasting within your supply chain. If you are an emerging brand or a small to mid-sized business, a third-party logistics provider can potentially help you combine your LTL shipments that are moving to common destinations.
If you find yourself frequently sending LTL shipments to the same location, contact us today to find out whether freight consolidation is possible for you. If you’d simply like a quote on your next shipment, click the button below.
The United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, or USMCA, was officially passed by the Senate today. This new agreement replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and is a major overhaul of the trade rules pertaining to the countries of North America. The biggest changes in the agreement were centered around agriculture, manufacturing, and services.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel said, “Farmers, growers, cattlemen, manufacturers, small businesses, big businesses. This is a major step for our whole country.” The pact is now being sent to President Trump’s desk for final approval.
Logistics Plus is well-known for being an industry-leading freight broker, international freight forwarder, warehousing partner, and third-party logistics (3PL) provider. What you might not know is that, in addition to our traditional 3PL service offerings, we also offer a variety of unique supply chain solutions based on the needs of our clients. Here are 12 services that you may not know about:
Freight Claims Management and Resolution
Freight Bill Audit, Payment, and Recovery
Product Launches and Rollouts
Dedicated Truckloads with our own NTL Trucks
Customs Brokerage and Clearance
Global Trade Compliance and Training
Over Dimensional and Heavy-Lift Cargo Logistics
Global Sourcing and Procurement Support
Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment Inventory Management
Business Intelligence and Technology Solutions
Cargo Insurance and Financing Solutions
Linguistics and Translation Services
Visit the Logistics Plus services menu on our website to learn more about our various solutions. You can also request a risk-free supply chain analysis or contact us today for more information.
The average Super Bowl halftime show only lasts around 13 minutes, but the multi-million dollar production takes months of extreme planning and coordination with thousands of people working behind the scenes. As one of the world’s most viewed performances, the show can’t afford a single mistake or disruption. What’s the main challenge? Setting up a fully-functional stage in a matter of 6 to 7 minutes without damaging the field.
As freight rates become increasingly complex due to changing fuel surcharges, accessorials and discounts, it’s easy for 
Less-than-truckload (LTL) freight consolidation is a freight strategy that involves combining multiple 
Logistics Plus is well-known for being an industry-leading freight broker, international freight forwarder, warehousing partner, and third-party logistics (3PL) provider. What you might not know is that, in addition to our traditional 3PL service offerings, we also offer a variety of unique 