What's New at New Penn

Who you gonna call?

When you need your car fixed, you call a mechanic. When you need dental work, you call a dentist.

And when you need fast delivery of your regional heavyweight shipments, you call New Penn!

We know your docks, your business and what it takes to move your heavyweight shipments on-time and damage-free.

We speak your language; the questions to ask, the shipping forms and classifications, the touch points that are part of LTL transportation.

We make it easy for you, from moving your shipments, to tracking their progress, to accurately billing for the service.

We're not here to waste your time, sell you services you don't want or need, or have you train us on the intricacies of successful heavyweight shipping.

For 80 years, New Penn has specialized in serving the next-day, regional LTL needs of customers. It's what we know best. It's what we do best. And we prove it each day with on-time deliveries consistently in the 98-percent range (higher for our expedited and guaranteed services) and an industry-leading low claim ratio of 0.39 percent.

For flexible, reliable, damage-free transportation of your heavyweight shipments, call 1-800-285-5000, or simply go onlineto schedule your next shipment!

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Industry News

American Bankers Association on the economy

According to the ABA's 14-member economic advisory committee, the U.S. gross domestic product should grow to a median estimate of 3.3 percent during 2011. The group forecasts the country will add 2.1 million private jobs, unemployment will drop to 9.4 percent, and inflation will hit 1.0 percent this year. "The economy is transitioning from reliance on monetary and fiscal stimulus to a sustained expansion in the private sector," said Stuart Hoffman, acting committee chairman and chief economist at PNC Financial Services Group.

Consumer confidence down in January

The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index showed an unexpected decline in U.S. consumer sentiment in January. The drop to 72.7 from 74.5 in December is attributed to stagnant incomes and increasing inflation from higher gasoline prices.

"Steady as she goes"

The Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI quarterly survey, released in January, suggests steady growth in U.S. manufacturing, despite signs of slowing expansion. The survey of 62 manufacturers revealed 33.3 percent of surveyed companies operating above 85 percent of capacity; modest year-to-year growth in order backlogs; and higher expectations for capital investment, exports by foreign affiliates of U.S. firms and R&D.

U.S. trade deficit with Canada increases in November

The U.S. Census Bureau in its January report placed the November goods deficit with Canada at $1.8 billion, up from $1.2 billion in October. Exports were down $1.1 billion to $21.0 billion, and imports decreased $0.5 billion to $22.7 billion.

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News/Other Services

Engineered to protect against freezing

This winter, don't leave the integrity of your freezable shipments to chance. At New Penn, we've engineered a Freeze Protection Service that delivers 99.9 percent claim-free results.

It's simple to access the service. When calling for a pickup, just identify the freezable shipment and its destination, then mark your bill of lading with "protect from freezing."

Our computerized dispatch system identifies shippers of freezable cargo, so we can begin planning for the shipment as soon as you call to request a pickup.

Every morning, a list of the freezable shipments picked up the previous day is generated at the origin service center and at our headquarters, so these special shipments can be carefully monitored.

Externally-mounted propane heaters keep hot air circulating in our trailer cargo areas. CargoQuilt^® covers place a blanket of protection around your goods and prevent a rapid drop in temperature. Warm rooms are available at all service centers for shipments experiencing extended stays—such as over weekends—or in the case of extreme cold temperatures.

What's more, our leadership in next-day service ensures your shipments enter and leave our network quickly, so there's little time for freezing to occur.

Add to all that the tenure of our account executives, dispatchers, drivers and dockworkers and our long-time customer relationships. This longevity means we understand your business, your shipping patterns and, many times, when we can expect your freezable shipments. We're ready when you need us.

To learn more, complete a customer information form or talk with a customer service representative at 1-800-285-5000.

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Points on Performance

Class act 

When it comes to heavyweight shipping, there's a big difference between moving 100 pounds of ping pong balls and 100 pounds of lead ore. To assist billing accuracy and avoid claims, it's important for us to know what we're moving in your cartons, crates and drums.

The best way to do this is by including the NMFC (National Motor Freight Classification) item and class numbers on your bills of lading.

Created by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, the NMFC system identifies products with similar characteristics, applies an item number, and then groups item numbers into classes, which it labels with numbers from 50 to 500.

For example:

• Lead ore is class 50.
• Clothing can be class 70 through 400, depending on the density of the items being shipped.
• Ping pong balls are class 500.

LTL billing rates are based on NMFC item and class numbers. To determine the classifications, the National Motor Freight Traffic Association considers four parameters:

• Density—the shipment's weight as measured in pounds per cubic foot
• Stowability—any noteworthy considerations for loading the product in the trailer, such as whether it can be stacked
• Handling—the ease or difficulty of properly handling the product because of its weight, shape, packaging, composition, etc.
• Liability—the service provider's obligation in the event of spoilage, damage or theft, or the shipment's potential to damage other shipments, such as through leakage or spontaneous combustion

In addition to billing accuracy, NMFC item and class numbers help us prepare to properly handle your shipment at each touch point: pickup, loading, transit to the origin service center, transfer on our docks, transit to the destination service center, unloading and final delivery.

If you have questions about the NMFC codes that apply to your shipments, talk with your New Penn account executive or call 1-800-285-5000.

Delivering an exceptional customer experience

"Our customers know we bend over backwards to support their reporting and EDI needs," says John Barnhart, New Penn Information Service project manager. "Whether requests come from our leadership or sales management, we strive to provide the product they want. It's not often we say, 'we can't do that.'"

John typically gets involved in projects requiring customized solutions for data files, rate files or customer reports. "We always treat customers' requests as priorities," John adds. "And our management always supports our efforts if it will make our customers or our customer support people more efficient, and we can justify the expense."

John joined New Penn 40 years ago with a background in accounting. "When the comptroller brought in the IBM System 3, I became the company's first computer operator and began taking programming courses."

"New Penn has a reputation for quality people and low turnover," says John, explaining that the first person he hired 32 years ago is still on board. "When it comes to information services, that means we know the history of our systems. That's important when we're working on customized projects and system updates."

"When I started at New Penn, there were no computers and only about six service centers. But Mr. Arnold, our company's president, was very information-service oriented, and he had a vision," says John.

"When I retire later this year, it will be with a sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing our information services helped our company grow to be one of the best transportation providers in the industry."

John is just one example of the people and service that keep customers coming back to New Penn.

Experience New Penn service for yourself. Schedule your next shipment at newpenn.com or by calling 1-800-285-5000.

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