The BRT Differentiator: Our 5 Core Services Defined

With a focus in the Food and Beverage Industry, BRT contracts with strictly qualified providers that focus on keeping product safe and ensuring high service logistics. Modes include: Temperature Controlled, Dry, and Flatbed.

As a 4PL BRT is able to provide a state of the art managed TMS system. Real time updates, customer access, and consolidated invoicing are just a few of the many services that BRT can offer.

Forward Distribution-
The BRT Network allows clients to utilize our nationwide SQF certified distribution centers for cross dock and storage solutions to reach customers they don’t currently or wouldn’t be able to service.

Dedicated Fleet-
With dedicated fleets BRT can provide a customer with assets that are flexible and reliable. With the fluctuation of product availability and the market. BRT can adjust the client’s expense on assets periodically, therefore saving our clients tran spend. BRT also can offer a coast-to-coast backhaul program to clients.

Integrated Services-
Team up with our Supply Chain Advantage (SCA) Team for customized solutions to your needs. SCA offers: Business Intelligence, Network Rationalization, Design, and Implementation, Food and Beverage Co-Packing and Manufacturing and much more.

Contact us today!

How BRT uses Real Time Technology to Optimize Frequent, Smart Delivery



“Blue Ribbon Transport (BRT) offers Optimization Solutions utilizing the power of MercuryGate’s Mojo Optimizer. Combine this software with BRTs FSMA compliant network, and customers can now benefit from our combined Optimization Tools and High Service Perishable Commodity mindset”.
-Trish Monroe, Senior Assessment & Implementation Consultant

While networking within the logistics industry, I consistently hear buzz words like “LTL shipments”, “optimization”, “competitive line haul rates”, and, the one that blows my mind, “more frequent deliveries to end customers”.

Why the need for these “buzz words”?  Are we not satisfied with how transportation works today?

Over the last decade, vendors and customers have worked tirelessly to reduce transportation cost by minimizing the frequency of deliveries to end destinations. So why are we going backward? The answer is: We aren’t!

By increasing deliveries you are giving your end customers the ability to order more frequently in reduced quantities. This reduces their storage expenses and allows them to operate on a leaner level.  On the other hand, this may be advantageous for ‘Smart’ vendors as well.  If consolidation can be had of smaller shipments a vendor can utilize a multi-stop truckload solution, or potentially dedicated routes. With this evolution of optimization within the industry, 3PLs as well as shippers are now able to meet your needs while also keeping costs down. This is done by consolidation, what if scenarios, as well as network overlapping. Manual paper and pen approach is the way of the past.

I’d like to reference a White Paper, MercuryGate and Mojo.  In this paper you will read of all the positive ways that Mojo can help change a shipper, 3PL, and even a consultant’s role. Touching every part of a supply chain from Shipper to 3PL to end customer.

“Optimization can be deployed in a wide range of scenarios. It can be used during the procurement process to make sourcing decisions, during the actual planning process when you’re identifying capacity requirements, and during the execution process when you’re building actual loads. Last but not least, it can also be used in strategic network design when making decisions like adding pool points to reduce network cost.”


Why is beneficial? When looking for a 3PL or an outsource solution it is imperative to know the product and have solutions. BRT works with everything from dry product to produce and even ice cream. With a nationwide network of head hauls and back hauls as well as consolidation warehouses, we are focused to run the best solutions for our clients.

Utilizing Mojo for consolidation and pooling points BRT can take your 2 pallet deliveries 4 times a week and consolidate routes to ensure you’re getting the best “bang for your buck”.   Erich Hofmann, Senior Supply Chain Analyst (BRT), states “If you can think it, you can try it with this software.  Sometimes you look like a Genius and sometimes a Dud but you can always find the answer to that ‘what if’ question.”

Cross customer consolidation, network overlying, backhaul programs, and even procuring partnerships are all the way of the future. Utilizing tools to continually improve service and networks is BRT’s expertise. Here at Blue Ribbon, we strive to partner with our clients not just a transportation provider but to be a supply chain partner.  If you need more information on the direction the industry is going or what BRT has to offer please contact me or my team of Supply Chain Advantage Specialists!

The Difference Between 3PL & 4PL and Why Blue Ribbon is Unique
Mark C.

Mark Clark – Director of Supply Chain Advantage

The term 3PL is commonly known and understood in our industry but many may not know the differences between 3PL and 4PL.

Blue Ribbon Transport provides 3PL and 4PL services for those customers who want to outsource their logistics processes so let us explain the differences.

What is a 3PL?

“Third-party logistics” companies specialize in transporting, warehousing and scheduling the delivery of goods owned by others.

A customer who prefers flexibility and would like to maintain control over the transportation processes would most likely choose to work with a 3PL provider.  The customer manages their own logistics providers and there are no contracts requiring he/she to work with any certain providers.

The 3PL provider takes physical possession of goods to be delivered, arranges the appropriate delivery method or mode of transportation, arranges schedules and handles all operational tasks associated with the delivery process. These services may be provided on a one-time or ongoing basis.

What is a 4PL?

If a customer is looking for a “hands-off” approach to logistics and would prefer someone to coordinate the entire process from start to finish, he/she would most likely choose to contract with a 4PL provider.

A 4PL manages a network of 3PLs on behalf of their customer (the shipper), in addition to providing the technology needed by the customer.  If working with Blue Ribbon Transport, the customer still holds the contract with the carrier (including potentially with BRT as well) but uses BRT to tender freight, provide TMS and audit/pay the carrier.  The customer chooses the carriers and negotiates pricing (with BRT’s help) and provides BRT with a routing guide to load in TMS that tenders based on customer’s selected carriers.  Typically customers pay for this service in a per shipment fee.

What Makes BRT Unique as a 4PL provider?

What makes BRT unique versus other 4PL providers is our approach.  Highly relationship based, transparent and customized, we approach 4PL design based on what the customer needs vs. us telling them our rules and making them fit the rules.  Also unique is that we can provide not just for traditional Over the Road asset players and 3PL’s, but we also can provide for private fleets for customers that don’t want to put the time, people and resources into running the fleets.

All of this is coordinated in MercuryGate TMS with Mojo Software providing optimization.

To learn more about how Blue Ribbon Transport can help you and your business’ logistics needs, Contact Us.

Welcome to BRT Supply Chain Advantage (SCA)!

We are BRT’s new 4PL, Outsourcing and Consultative Service which is a fancy way of saying, if a customer needs someone to be their Logistics Department, SCA can help them do that!

SCA came to be because several of our customers had approached BRT about bringing our High Service Logistics mentality to their entire supply chain rather than specific pieces of their transportation needs.

There are 3 benefits that differentiate us from our competition: (more…)