Supply chain provider AIT Worldwide Logistics has thrown its hat into the U.S. expedited LTL ring.
The privately held Itasca, Illinois-based company said Tuesday it has launched a middle-mile transportation service operating on more than 160 lanes and supported by hubs in international gateway cities like Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Ohio, Dallas and Los Angeles.
The program, which is being touted as particularly beneficial for North American importers, has been in the works since 2021, AIT said. The program is aimed at enterprise shippers and not forwarders.
AIT will mostly use a group of about half a dozen carriers, though it will use its own vehicles for some deliveries. It wanted to roll out the program ahead of the holidays and before 2024, when it expects other non-asset-based competitors will be poised to launch similar services.
An example of the AIT service involves an international shipment cleared in Los Angeles and bound for Minneapolis. After clearance in Los Angeles, the shipment would be picked up and taken to AIT’s Los Angeles hub. There it would be routed to AIT’s middle-mile network for the trip to its Chicago hub. The shipment would then move to Minneapolis on one of three weekly truck routes. There, it would be routed to a cartage service for final delivery.
AIT becomes another player in a market segment dominated by Forward Air Corp. (NASDAQ: FWRD), which provides expedited linehaul between major markets bracketed by pickups and deliveries.