A LONGITUDINAL ASSESSMENT OF MOTOR CARRIER-SHIPPER RELATIONSHIP TRENDS, 1990 VS. 1996

In 1990 the authors conducted a survey of the U.S. motor carrier industry that addressed key management activities and the relationship between trucking firms and their shippers. At that time there had been little empirical research on the extent of partnering relationships between shippers and carriers. More specifically, the 1990 study assessed motor carrier dependence upon the primary shipper account and the extent and nature of motor carrier use of contracting, electronic data interchange (EDI), and transportation third-party services. The focus of the study was on the implications that evolving interfirm relationships between motor carriage service providers and their customers might have on the structure and behavior of the trucking industry.