Sustainability is a hot topic these days, ranging from environmental policies to business and economic practices. On Monday, Sept. 21, David Wangler discussed ways that carriers can achieve sustainability during an unusually challenging economy.

Wangler, president and chief executive officer of TMW Systems, delivered the keynote address at the TransForum user conference and exhibition held at the Opryland Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn.

Setting aside concerns about new environmental and regulatory changes, the economy has forced carriers to worry more about the sustainability of their “triple bottom line”: increase profits, improve shareholder value and provide better opportunity for employees.

“In order to sustain our businesses in this new environment, we’ll have to become more cost-effective, more nimble, and more competitive to make a profit moving the freight that is available. Growth may no longer mean doing more of the same things that we did before; it’s more likely to mean reconfiguring our businesses to do new things in new ways,” he said.

As an example of a carrier that has developed a sustainable business model in the harshest of environments, Wangler cited TMW customer Carlile Transportation Systems, one of Alaska’s largest trucking companies. The fleet recently has found new success in the commercial salmon industry by operating team drivers and offering better systems than its major competitors, the airlines, by offering better service for temperature controls and visibility of freight.

During the conference, TMW Systems — the largest developer and integrator of transportation management software for the trucking industry — also announced several new products and services for its diversified software business.

A new data platform, Data Warehouse, will make it easier for users at transportation, logistics and trucking companies to perform and increase accessibility to robust reporting, data mining and statistical analysis.