Scott nailed it! How many auto company execs and engineers know what expediting is, let alone the van segment of expediting, even though it was the needs ofrd their industry that gave birth to our industry.
Even within the transportation industry, expedite barely rates a footnote on annual reports of companies like FedEx. At Con-Way, Con-Way Now was listed under "other", grouped with truckload and brokerage contributing a fraction of a percent revenue-wise. I have yet to see an annual report from ABF, but would assume that their acquisition of Panther doesn't do much to their revenue/profit columns.
I'm proud of what I do and when I explain expedite to others, I use Terry O'Connel's analogy of expedite being an ambulance service for critical freight. I also note that I am an owner/operator. It seems to add a little more cachet to my lowly status in the industry. It also makes me feel more important among the senators, congresspersons and other bigsnots in my social circle.
So yeah, what Scott said. Not
only in the grand scheme of things, but also in the minor scheme of things, we, as expediters, especially vanners are mere micro-miniscule peons. As such, we will never appear on an auto maker's radar. Some day maybe the DOT's radar, but never on auto maker's radar.
........lol
