Article at a glance:

Freight expectations

Despite revenues that grew in step with world trade during the 1990s, returns from most of the air cargo, sea freight, and freight-forwarding companies that make up the freight transportation industry have been uninspiring. Now this old-fashioned sector is coming under new pressure to perform—from its shareholders and its few consolidated players.

The take-away

Freight transportation badly needs more modern management techniques. Risk and revenue management are two related approaches that could markedly improve its performance, just as they have in the energy and airline industries.