Vanguard Logistics Services, a member of the OTS Logistics Group, announced that it is partnering with RoadLink to launch a new national inland intermodal service that combines neutral ocean services with a neutral drayage product and a state-of-the-art technology platform. “DrayMate,” the name of the new service, is also the name of the underlying software, and is the result of a strategic alliance between Vanguard and RoadLink. It will, for the first time, provide the U.S. and international NVOCC community with access to a transparent end-to-end service offering, the companies say.
“RoadLink’s approach is to identify and develop strategic business relationships with the recognized leaders within markets we service,” says Chris Munro, president and chief executive officer of Atlanta-based RoadLink. “We are particularly thrilled to become partners with Vanguard in ushering in a whole new dimension of intermodal transportation which will now be available to the U.S. domestic customs broker and freight forwarding community. This new partnership with Vanguard is RoadLink’s first major initiative within the NVOCC community, and it clearly demonstrates our commitment to Vanguard and the forwarding and customs brokerage markets which they serve.”
By aligning with RoadLink, Vanguard says it has created a national drayage footprint with a common information technology system; this innovation will enable all of its domestic and international offices and agents to immediately access a reliable and competitive drayage product that they can offer to their customers while simultaneously quoting core ocean services. “If you look at this industry today, there are about 5,500 companies that classify themselves as local drayage operators,” Munro says. “The majority, by far, are small owner-operator companies with an average of 10 to 12 vehicles who have historically been the principal service providers to the NVOCC markets. The RoadLink-Vanguard alliance will drastically consolidate this effort.”
By offering complete intermodal logistics services, Vanguard and RoadLink say they will provide a seamless moving network for more than 170 global partners in Canada, Mexico, Asia-Pacific, Europe and South America who are seeking a U.S. drayage product. “We were particularly attracted to RoadLink’s neutral profile in building this product,” says Charlie Brennan, global CEO of Vanguard. “Our customers worldwide are going to benefit through this alliance. They will now have the ability to extend the U.S. origin or U.S. destination ocean leg with a cohesive and seamless drayage component, and all through one portal. With DrayMate, Vanguard customer service staff worldwide can quote a reliable competitive drayage product instantly and provide a complete ‘door move’ product. The new product will offer Vanguard customers and staff around the world online instant visibility to the first mile or the last mile in a full-containerload movement.”
