SDDC Makes Last Minute Adjustments for Peak Season
May 16, 2011 
2 Comments
The most anticipated, discussed, and dreaded peak season in recent memory has finally arrived. The 2011 personal property moving peak season officially began yesterday, but it seems like we have been talking about it since the end of last peak season. Recently SDDC sent out a message making some last minute policy adjustments and reminders in an attemp to alleviate some of the capacity concerns for this peak season.
The first policy change announced by SDDC was a temporary suspension of the 70% rule, which had been discussed as a possibility. The requirement that 70% of transit time elapse before SIT can be authorized will be eliminated on shipments picking up from May 15- July 31.
SDDC also is allowing a limited number of shipment turnbacks and refusals for shipments picking up during the same time period. TSPs may refuse or turnback (within 24 hours of acceptance) up to 3 shipments per GBLOC. This change has long been requested by industry, but there had not been a lot of discussion about this being implemented. It was possibly a response to SDDC looking at the blackouts that have already been put in place, and trying to encourage TSPs to remove some of their blackouts by giving them an option to turnback a shipment.
The message from SDDC also contained some reminders for PPSOs, including the ability to utilize origin SIT, the need to process SIT and accessorial approvals in a timely manner, and to leave Block 18 of the GBL blank if there is no valid direct delivery address. Code 2 was also mentioned in the SDDC message, but there was little detail about how and when it is to be implemented, promising only “YOUR SERVICE HQ WILL PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE.”
What do you think the impact of these changes will be during peak season? What other policy changes do you think that SDDC could have made to increase capacity this summer? Please use the comments below to share your opinion.
Related Posts
- SDDC Considers Adjustment to 70% Rule for Peak Season - April 18th, 2011
- SDDC Allows Unlimited Shipment Refusals During Peak Season - June 15th, 2011
- “Hotwash” Currently Reviewing Peak Season - August 17th, 2011
Interestingly, some of the concessions mentioned in the recent SDDC message were the very same ones that industry has been recommending since the PPM in November.
Wonder if it was just a coincidence that the SDDC’s DP3 announcement was issued on the very same day that several of the largest national household goods carriers began shutting off new registrations for certain types of business because of already strained capacity?
Ya gotta feel sorry for the PCSing soldiers and their families caught up the mindless game of chicken.