• Inland Distribution
  • September 25- 27, 2023 | The Westin Chicago River North

William B. Cassidy

Journal of Commerce by S&P Global

Senior Editor, Trucking, and Domestic Transportation

Bill Cassidy is senior editor of trucking for the JOC, where he leads coverage and analysis of trucking and North American transportation. He joined the publication in 2009, after 13 years at Traffic World magazine where he served as executive editor, managing editor, and associate editor. Based in Washington, DC, Cassidy has been reporting on trucking since 1984, when he joined Fleet Owner magazine in New York. He also has covered logistics management and supply chain technology, the rail and maritime industries, Congress, and federal agencies. Cassidy speaks regularly to industry groups, is a regular participant on SiriusXM radio's "Road Dog Trucking" program, and co-chairs the programming committee for the annual JOC Inland Distribution Conference.

Sessions With William B. Cassidy

Monday, 25 September

Tuesday, 26 September

  • 08:30am - 08:45am (CST) / 26/sep/2023 01:30 pm - 26/sep/2023 01:45 pm

    Welcome Remarks
  • 09:30am - 10:00am (CST) / 26/sep/2023 02:30 pm - 26/sep/2023 03:00 pm

    Bridging the International Domestic Gap: A Conversation with DHL Supply Chain's Jim Monkmeyer
    The need to connect international and domestic components of supply chains has never been clearer, but global and North American logistics networks still sometimes operate as if in different worlds. DHL Supply Chain, a subsidiary of DHL Deutsche Post, operates at the crossroads where one of the largest international distribution networks intersects with US and North American transportation needs. Near-shoring, sustainability and e-commerce all are reshaping how freight gets here and how it moves inland once it arrives. In this fireside chat, Jim Monkmeyer, president of transportation in North America for the supply chain services company, will discuss what it takes to bridge the international-domestic gap, how freight flows are changing and being redirected, and what shipper customers want.
  • 11:45am - 12:30pm (CST) / 26/sep/2023 04:45 pm - 26/sep/2023 05:30 pm

    Inland Market Report: Redrawing the Map

    The inland distribution map changed dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic and is evolving even more rapidly as shippers shift freight among US ports. New distribution points, inland ports, and transportation hubs are emerging, but warehousing and distribution space is still hard to come by, even as inventories are drawn down. The costs of construction have increased alongside interest rates, and zoning restrictions create road (or rail) blocks for companies. How are distribution networks being redrawn in 2023? Where is demand strongest, and where will the hot markets be in 2024?

  • 01:45pm - 02:15pm (CST) / 26/sep/2023 06:45 pm - 26/sep/2023 07:15 pm

    Trucking's Route to a Rebound

    A rebound in freight demand lies ahead, though it’s not clear when that rebound will arrive or how big it will be. Even so, trucking companies, their shipper customers and freight brokers need to prepare before the next market turn. Shippers are enjoying lower rates now, but they’re also selling less product. What will happen when freight demand rises again? What are LTL and truckload carriers and brokers doing to prepare for that eventuality? How will that impact truck capacity? What should shippers do, and how can shippers best use contract and spot markets, and trucking’s different sectors, and regional and national carriers? Will we ever see a market like 2021 again? This panel entertains these questions and more as we look toward 2024. 
  • 03:15pm - 03:45pm (CST) / 26/sep/2023 08:15 pm - 26/sep/2023 08:45 pm

    Managing Cross-Border Trucking Amid Rising Demand

    2022’s economic slowdown barely dented US trade with Mexico, which is growing and promises to grow faster as so-called nearshoring of production in Mexico becomes more a reality than a concept. Rising truck traffic is putting more pressure on border crossings such as Laredo, the largest US land border crossing and a rival entry point to Los Angeles for US imports. How will the pressure to move more goods north through existing border crossings affect supply chains? Is the current infrastructure sufficient to handle what is to come? This panel will discuss how shippers and their partners can best navigate rising demand for cross-border trucking. 

  • 03:45pm - 04:15pm (CST) / 26/sep/2023 08:45 pm - 26/sep/2023 09:15 pm

    Inland Fireside Chat: The 3PL Perspective With Doug Waggoner

    The 3PL industry has changed dramatically since Doug Waggoner joined Chicago-based Echo Global Logistics as CEO in 2006. Echo led the first wave of technology-based 3PLs, growing rapidly in its first decade. Acquisitions have fueled Echo’s growth as it competed with a newer generation of so-called digitally native brokerages as well as traditional brokerages that have “gone digital.” Waggoner has been a force in the digital evolution of the brokerage and 3PL industry that is now accelerating, in part due to funding from private equity investment firms such as The Jordan Company, which acquired Echo in 2021. 3PLs face new challenges and opportunities in the post-pandemic world, as new technologies emerge, and distribution networks are reset. In this fireside chat, Doug will discuss his perspective on a changing marketplace, Echo's growth opportunity and shipper priorities, and the logistics intermediary of the future. 

Wednesday, 27 September

  • 09:45am - 10:15am (CST) / 27/sep/2023 02:45 pm - 27/sep/2023 03:15 pm

    Getting Asset Smart: Evaluating the Changing Landscape of Moving Freight
    The third-party intermediary market has long been divided between non-asset and "asset-light" logistics providers, and there are advantages to both models for logistics companies and shippers. What do shippers need to consider when using asset-based brokers, and where do they best fit? When is it best for a broker to use an owned or leased fleet? If there are advantages, what are the pratfalls to avoid? This panel will explore how we can move from non-asset and asset-light to “asset-right” or even better, “asset smart.” 
  • 10:45am - 11:30am (CST) / 27/sep/2023 03:45 pm - 27/sep/2023 04:30 pm

    When and Where Will Trucking Automation Really Happen?
    Autonomous vehicles capture headlines, but where is automation most likely to occur in trucking? What types of automation might be most advantageous to less-than-truckload and truckload carriers and their shipper customers? What will the catalyst be for greater automation in trucking? What costs and benefits will it bring? Where is it happening today? This panel will discuss the most likely scenarios for trucking automation throughout the entire lifecycle of a trucking shipment, not just the truck. 
  • 02:20pm - 03:00pm (CST) / 27/sep/2023 07:20 pm - 27/sep/2023 08:00 pm

    Waiting on the Rebound: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going?

    The three days of Inland23 have dissected data, analyzed market conditions, and featured forecasts. Pulling everything together, what are the ideas, warnings, lessons, and perhaps even solutions we can take home that will help us catch the rebound when it comes? In this closing session of Inland23, our conference co-chairs will sit down with select experts to cut through the noise and deliver the consensus takeaways you need as you plan for 2024. 

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