Despite many challenges, there are signs of progress in the investment in the supply chain for goods. Unlike over a year ago, when the major ports in the US, such as Los Angeles and Long Beach, were clogged due to imports of products that got stuck because of a lack of adequate human resources caused by lockdowns, the total number of ships and containers waiting in US ports has dropped significantly. While this can be linked to the reduction in the cases of COVID-19 across the country, it can also be associated with the efforts by the players, including the US government, to decongest the ports. With these efforts, goods are getting delivered again and hitting the shelves with inventories at their highest levels, like before the pandemic.

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force are leading efforts to improve the supply chain and build resilience. The two are building an action plan to ensure the port operations run 24/7. They are also responsible for recruiting and retaining the trucking workforce and speed of movement of goods across the supply chain.

According to the reports issued by USDOT, there is a new data-sharing initiative called Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW). The participants in this initiative include companies such as Target, True Value, FedEx and other players such as ocean shippers and ports representing diverse perspectives in the supply chain. This arrangement will foster the exchange of information to ease supply chain congestion and product movement and minimize consumer costs.

Over the past year, the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, USDOT and the Department of Commerce and Agriculture have become crucial in the movement of goods, making the supply chain more resilient and reducing consumer prices. Since private companies mostly operate freight and logistics supply chains, there is a need for government and private organizations to collaborate to deliver quality services to customers. To achieve this and enhance transparency, companies.

To support greater transparency in the supply chain regarding transportation, the Task Force has released a dashboard for real-time tracking of challenges and progress across the key metrics of the supply chain. USDOT tracks different metrics and others to aid in depicting a complete picture of the existing logistics and transportation. The aspects that will be displayed will include measures and throughput indicators, including imports and exports, labour, container ships and more.

The collaboration in tracking not only eases the supply chain operations but also enhances collaboration across departments and agencies that participates in the Task Force. This makes information available in a refined manner over time. This information is refined over time, including adding data and adjusting information. Other areas the US government seeks to help solve include container imports and exports, ships awaiting in ports, job openings, hires and quits. Others are intermodal rail volume and US retail inventories.