14/Nov/19 / 13:33
Rising Transportation Costs Force Changes in our Delivery Service

 

Like many other organizations, Connecticut Food Bank is struggling to keep up with increasing costs for transportation, fuel, staff costs, and equipment maintenance and repairs. We can no longer absorb these costs without changing our delivery system.

 

In 2018, logistics costs rose 14.8% nationally and transportation costs rose 10.4%. Compounding this struggle is a national shortage of CDL drivers predicted to double in a decade. In Connecticut, we face the same trends, as well as the possibility of highway tolls. We need to share the burden of transportation cost with our member agencies by asking those of you closest to our distribution centers to pick up orders and for all other agencies receiving deliveries to pay a delivery fee. We have studied food banks across the Feeding America network, including Foodshare, our sister food bank in Connecticut, which has charged a delivery fee since its inception more than 30 years ago.

 

Based on our research of national standards, below is our new delivery fee structure effective July 1, 2020. Fees are per delivery; pick up will remain free, but all orders are subject to the posted Shared Maintenance Fee (SMF).

 

Below is our new delivery fee structure:

Poundage per delivery Cost per delivery
500*-1,000 lbs. $50.00
1,000-2,000 lbs. $75.00
2,000+ lbs. $100.00

* A 500-pound delivery minimum allows us to avoid exceeding the maximum cost per pound set by Feeding America.

 

If an agency coordinates a pallet drop, or we coordinate it for them, for example in Litchfield or Windham county, we will charge only $25/agency.

 

See these links for articles that will help explain the transportation challenges many businesses face today.

Bloomberg News: Truck Driver Shortage Expected to Double in a Decade

 

Transit Topics: US Logistics Costs Rise 11.4% in 2018