According to Peter Quantrill, director general of the British International Freight Association, it was "hardly surprising" to hear the recent news that the U.S. has delayed new rules requiring all cargo containers entering the U.S. to be security scanned prior to departure from overseas for two more years, amid questions over whether this is the best way to protect U.S. ports.

The Food and Drug Administration has the responsibility for implementing FSMA and has issued seven proposed rules on each of the critical elements. These include Hazard Analysis and Preventive Controls for both human and animal food; Produce Safety; Intentional Adulteration; Foreign Supplier Verification Programs; Accreditation of Third-party Auditors; and finally the Sanitary Food Transportation Act (SFTA).

As part of a 10-year effort to improve technology in the safety inspection arena, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced it will be coordinating a field test to see if wireless technology can be used to conduct roadside inspections.

Today's fleet managers are confronted with multiple challenges, from ongoing driver shortages to complex and oftentimes restrictive state and federal regulations, and that's just for starters. Add to that the specific concerns of food shippers, and the picture becomes even more complicated.

For building products manufacturer Owens Corning Corp., whose annual transportation fuel bill hits about $100m, $1.1m in savings over the last year or so may seem like a drop in the bucket. Unless, that is, the bucket is filled with found money.

There are several overarching themes driving the push for more automation inside the four walls. Some relate to changing demographics in the labor force, others to how consumers are shopping today, and let's not overlook the constant striving for more efficiency, productivity and cost reduction.