In my time at Commodity Transportation Services, I have been exposed to a wealth of knowledge about the transportation business, a field that I honestly knew little about going into my internship.So far, much of my role at CTS has been updatingand entering carriers(freightliners)into a freight carrier software that the company uses to keep track of the truck companies they have used, are using, or plan to use.It has been interesting to learn what exactly what it is that the company I work for does. CTS is a freight brokering company, which means that they arrange and broker deals for different commodities to be transported at the most profitable margin possible. First, they bid on a load of produce or a commodity that needs to be transported to different locations across the country. If they come in with the lowest bid, they are given the produce to transport, and they have to find the carrier that is willing to transport the load for the lowest amount possible, thus increasing our profit margin.
Another role that I have taken on or assisted with is that of accounting. It is a small aspect of what I do, but somewhat important in making sure that CTS has received an invoice and proof of delivery for every load they book.Moving into the latterhalf of my internship, I am now beginning to be tasked withmore brokerage duties. Taking baby steps, I am beginning to learn how to book loads myself. Determining rates for carriers is a complex process that involves many factors, such as miles being driven, the commodity being transported, and whether a team is being used to transport the load. I will not have enough time to develop this skill throughout the duration of my internship, as it seems to be something that takes a fairamount of experience and knowledge. So, that information is provided for me and I do what I can to book the load with the best rate based on the information I am given. It is a fast-paced businessthat is certainly stressful at times but interesting nonetheless.
