Paragon Software Systems, Inc., Dallas, Texas, revealed the top priorities of logistics leaders for their 2017 transportation operations.

According to the firm’s recent survey of customers, respondents confirmed that their first priority in 2017 will be focusing on savings in their transportation departments, followed by improving route planning accuracy (30%) and improving managing information/reporting (17%). However, businesses face a number of barriers, including lack of data about their business, not enough planning time available and a shortage of drivers. 

“The findings of our customer survey highlight the ongoing pressures facing the logistics sector in terms of growing transport costs, business profitability and operational resourcing. These organizations increasingly recognize the importance of transport optimization, and are using our routing and scheduling software to reassess their strategies, achieve operational savings, improve service levels and make the best use of their assets,” says William Salter, president and CEO. 

Top findings from the survey include:

• Top 3 transportation/logistics objectives for U.S. logistics operators in 2017 entail reducing overall transportation costs (74%), improving route planning accuracy (over one-third) and improving management information/reporting (22%).
• Insufficient data about transport operations, lack of planning time available and the driver shortage will hold back U.S. companies from achieving these goals.

•         The driver shortage is the biggest challenge facing U.S. businesses in 2017, according to the survey, followed by rising transport costs (23%) and increasing customer demands (23%). 

•          68% of U.S. participants think that road congestion has worsened over the past year, resulting in longer journey times and making it harder to plan accurate transport schedules. 

•          Almost 70% of U.S. respondents believe that the U.S. Presidential Election results will have a positive impact on the logistics industry.