Small carrier profits are about to be pressured by a large government organization and it’s not the FMCSA, DOT, or CVSA.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill directing the Texas Department of Transportation to study the Ports-to-Plains Corridor, a plan that could extend Interstate 27 from Laredo all the way up to the Oklahoma-Texas border. The bill, HB1079, signed June 10, requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to study the feasibility and costs to […]
The McAllen Economic Development Corporation (EDC) recently worked with officials in the Mexican city of Reynosa to build two new maquiladoras (also known as maquilas), in addition to a major expansion of an existing one. The three maquiladoras — Indo-MIM from India, Delphi Technologies from England and Nidec Motor Corp. from Japan — represent around […]
FreightWaves Market Expert Anthony Smith writes about the issues impacting the U.S. housing market. As important as these issues are, they have a ripple effect on other areas of the U.S. economy, including trucking.
Laredo’s historic reign as the top United States trade port was short-lived, as the Port of Los Angeles rebounded from its lowest monthly total in three years, enabling it to once again lay claim to the number 1 ranking among U.S. ports. “In April, imports into the Port of Los Angeles recovered from the worst […]
Industry detail from the Producer Price Index showed rates in trucking increased modestly, though long-distance truckload rates continued to decline.
Railroad market expert Jim Blaze writes about the movement of chemicals by rail and how that sub-set of railroad traffic is profitable and may grow significantly in the near future.
We look at the trucking futures forward curve, Morgan Stanley’s index, the Coyote Curve, and projections from Susquehanna.
Mexico had a close shave with avoiding trade tariffs last week, but it is essential for the freight industry to understand the disruption tariffs could create on cross-border trade.
President Donald Trump said he has called off plans to impose tariffs on Mexico, tweeting on Friday night that the Mexican government has “agreed” to stem the flow of Central and South American migrants into the United States. Mexico “has agreed to strong measures to stem the tide of Migration through Mexico, and to our […]
Truckload carrier stocks have held up through the last six trading sessions, walking through a couple of potential body blows.
Job growth in the overall economy slowed in May, and hiring within the trucking industry continued to stall in the 2nd quarter.
Market expert Donald Broughton writes about the numerous consequences of a U.S. Mexico trade war and the damage that will be done on both sides of the border.
With the passage of time and the context it brings, anyone can point to the moment before markets crashed over the last 100 years and say, “see, the signs were there, how did we not see it?”
For the first time in its 168-year history, Port Laredo is No. 1. Laredo surpassed Los Angeles as the nation’s busiest trade hub, including airports, seaports and international border crossings. Port Laredo did $20.09 billion in trade during the month of March (according to the latest Census Bureau numbers available and analyzed by WorldCity), while […]
Data across all modes of traffic is signaling a dramatic slowdown in the freight market, but U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) continues to come in strong.
Market expert Henry Byers examines the U.S.-Chinese trade war and its impact on imports and the broader economy.
Market expert Jim Blaze explores what railroads need to do to capture more of the market share of oversize loads, which are essential to the economy and profitable as well.
Market expert writes about how current trade issues between the U.S. and China, the U.S. and Mexico and the U.S. and the EU may disrupt supply chains and cause economic problems.
Market expert Cathy Roberson writes about the decline in global air cargo traffic; the only bright spot is in Latin America. Read why!
Automation is once again a flashpoint at ports, with a major Canadian container terminal project becoming the latest instance of a stand-off between labor and management. As FreightWaves Nate Tabak reported, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 502 is standing down from a full-blown strike at Vancouver’s ports. Instead, ILWU members will refuse […]
Flexport hired a former White House trade and economic advisor in a bid to harness research from the digital first forwarder’s datasets and to help customers navigate the shifting sands of trade. The San Francisco-based company named Dr. Phil Levy as its first Chief Economist. Dr. Levy, who earned a Ph.D. in economics from Stanford […]
The monthly economic roundup summarizes key results in the economy over the past month and highlights trends worth watching
FreightWaves is providing a forum – Market Voices – for a number of market experts. Last week I wrote about why the ongoing decline in lumber shipments and the ongoing decline in housing starts should be a growing concern, and that continued contraction in this industry had several significant waves of secondary and tertiary economic […]
The TIA says that a Roush’s negative description of the role freight brokers play in freight transportation, his broad-brush statements about safety, and small carriers are ludicrous.
Market expert Brian Aoaeh writes about the impact of severe weather on supply chains, and tools to help companies and organizations modify those supply chains when disaster strikes.
Market expert Jim Blaze dissects the recent Surface Transportation Board hearings on demurrage and accessorial charges. Read his observations on the relationships between the railroads and their shipper customers…
The highly anticipated truckload capacity crisis and the ensuing truckload rate party lasted from late 2017 through late 2018. Beginning in early 2019 – surprise – the rate party was over. It feels like carriers have quickly gone from the best party since deregulation in 1980 to potentially the biggest hangover ever!
The number of connected vehicles has soared and will continue to grow in the years to come. Learn how cars and light trucks will be the next digital tool.
Transport ministers from 60 countries met at Leipzig to discuss strategies and the implication of global carbon emissions.
Manufacturers’ new orders for durable goods declined in April, and details suggest more trouble ahead for freight demand in the economy
The Chinese Belt and Road Initiative aims to create seamless freight movement between Europe and Asia, but the sustainability aspect of the project is still unclear.
Last week the widely reported headline was “Housing Starts Climb Almost 6 Percent in April” yet many in the transportation marketplace openly questioned how that was possible. Whether it is the railroads moving the lumber to build houses or the flatbed carriers moving the lumber and other building materials to build houses, the widely held […]
As rate pressure eases, conditions for shippers continue to improve.
John Larkin, arguably the father of all transport analysts and recently an investment banker, is leaving banking to join a small private equity firm
FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller assesses current conditions impacting trucking and outlines what is ahead for the industry.
Market expert Jim Blaze explains the economics behind railcars. He also provides information about the various types of railcars and what market conditions the railroads are facing as they seek to “right-size” their fleets.
Market expert Brian Aoaeh writes about the world’s problems with trash and garbage – and what must be done before it overwhelms humanity.
Ford to lay off 7,000 as part of major restructuring
For years, shippers have tapped spare capacity of railcars and tracks as a low-cost option for storing and staging bulk commodities. But the widespread adoption of the business model known as “precision scheduled railroading” means the big U.S. railroads want to be in the moving business, not the storage business. And that poses a problem […]
Market expert Charley Dehoney explores how freight brokers can stay relevant in a rapidly changing environment.
Sub: Removal of levies on aluminum and steel end costly trade dispute – but both nations reserve right to resume them in response to dumping.
Market expert Cathy Roberson writes about issues that are impacting the air freight market.
Donald Broughton explores the technology economy and its impact on the overall economy.
The Cass Shipments Index came in negative for the fifth month in a row in April, sparking concern about potential economic contraction.
Economic data from the goods side of the economy continued to underperform in April, as both retail sales and industrial production unexpectedly declined during the month
April shipments were down 3.2 percent year-over-year, prompting Boughton to acknowledge “material and growing downside risk to the economic outlook” in the latest Cass Freight Index Report.
FreightWaves market expert Jim Blaze looks at a regulatory spat between Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway over the concept of “open access.” Learn why that is important to all railroads – and shippers!
The countdown for bringing Chinese goods into the U.S. ahead of new import duties is now underway. But it’s unclear whether the sequel will match last year’s container crush due to high inventories and sourcing changes. As FreightWaves reported, last week’s breakdown in trade talks between the two world’s largest economies pushed President Donald Trump […]
While the degradation was seen across most sectors, the transport sectors saw large declines.
Market expert Brian Aoaeh explains why all of us should be rooting for Uber, Lyft and other startups. Read why!
Market expert Brian Aoaeh writes about the impact of market disruption on the freight brokerage sector. Learn how Amazon, artificial intelligence, machine learning and other disruptors will change the business…
Cathy Roberson, an aviation market expert, writes about the effect Amazon is having on U.S. airports.
PPI data showed some firming in overall inflation, though trucking rates fell again in April
When Paul Svindland took over as CEO of Celadon Group (OTCPink: CGIP) in the summer of 2017, he was stepping into an operation that had been riddled with financial concerns following the company’s auditors, BKD LLP, stating that Celadon’s financials “should no longer be relied upon.” Since that time, Svindland and the management team surrounding […]
White House makes sudden u-turn on tariff truce, upsetting calm in financial markets. President Donald Trump ended the spring truce in the U.S.-China trade war this weekend, with threat to go forward with higher tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports. He also upped the ante with a promise to add tariffs on another $325 […]
In this commentary article, Donald Broughton looks at the second part of the economy – the consumer economy – and where we are now in the economic cycle.
Best-selling author Brad Stone (The Everything Store) will tell more about the history and future of an amazing corporate success story – Amazon – at Transparency19. Get your tickets now for this must-attend event.
The Economic Roundup is designed to synthesize the events of the past month as they relate to freight markets, and provide a guide on trends to keep an eye on in the upcoming month.
Market expert Scott Case has written about the use of dynamic pricing in airfreight. Long-used to sell passenger seats on airplanes, dynamic pricing is new to airfreight – but will likely be used extensively going forward. Read Scott’s take on the why’s and wherefore’s of the move.
“You see a dearth of well-capitalized investment firms in this space,” said Dabo Horsfall, a former investment officer at Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners who launched Tensile Investments in 2018.
Market expert Brian Aoaeh’s article focuses on the current and upcoming maritime industry issues – IMO 2020, global warming, rising sea levels, etc. Read Brian’s take on how the maritime industry is meeting these challenges.
Market expert Jim Blaze looks at an under-appreciated asset of North America’s freight railroads – their real estate holdings. Read Jim’s hypothesis of what the railroads might do with this real estate in the near future.
A few years ago the idea of using drones for last-mile delivery were just an idea. But the idea is becoming a reality in China, Indonesia and now the USA. Read Market Expert Cathy Roberson’s views on the use of drones for last-mile delivery.
Donald Broughton, FreightWaves’ chief market strategist, helps explain the U.S. economy in a multi-part series. This article focuses on the industrial economy of the U.S., which is critical to the overall health of the nation.
Growth in the U.S. economy improved 3.2 percent during the first quarter, but details related to freight demand suggest a weaker environment to start the year.
In the wake of the 737 MAX crashes and subsequent worldwide grounding of the aircraft, Boeing reports its earnings, which are down for the quarter.
Market expert Jim Blaze looks at how rail freight volume has changed over the years and what the outlook is for the next decade. Learn what he thinks will happen to the railroad industry in its long-term competition with trucking to carry freight.
Donald Broughton, FreightWaves’ chief market strategist, explains the problems he has with surveys based on ‘sentiment’ – except for the Institute for Supply Management survey. Read why he believes in its results.
Cathy Morrow Roberson explains what makes Miami International Airport (MIA) special, and what the airport, airlines and air cargo companies are doing at that particular facility to facilitate cargo. Learn more about MIA in this article.
Markets are tightening. Full implementation of sanctions on Iranian oil could make them tighter.
Retail sales rebounded in March, rising by the largest amount in over a year. Growth was brod-based during the month, with most areas in the sector seeing rising sales.
The U.S. is proposing $11 billion in tariffs on European Union goods because of allegations that Airbus received that amount of subsidies when it launched the Airbus 380, thereby harming U.S. interests. Read Jesse Cohen’s explanation of the articles proposed for tariffs and what the tariffs might do to the air cargo and maritime industries.
Panalpina reported $0.82 (Swiss Francs, or CHF) per share in earnings for the first quarter of 2019 compared to $0.72 CHF for the same period last year.
Air cargo market expert Jesse Cohen writes about the ongoing efforts to increase security in air cargo operations. Read about the latest measures and how they impact the movement of freight.
LA caught between straits of labor and capital; group looks for ocean freight’s Esperanto; and digital-first forwarder gets $20m funding.
The U.S. Department of Justice is cracking down on companies that collude to fix prices online, highlighting the role of new technologies in antitrust schemes as well as legal competitive activity.
Market expert Dean Croke writes about the construction boom in Las Vegas, the number of flatbed trucks hauling steel to the city for its mega-construction projects, and the outlook for the flatbed truck market in 2019.
Market expert Jim Blaze questions the benefits to-date of precision scheduled railroading (PSR). Read his views on how railroads could prove PSR’s value to shippers.
Industrial output in the economy continued to struggle in March, as a stalled manufacturing sector continues to weigh on freight demand in the economy.
FreightWaves and the Transportation Intermediaries Association announced a program that will provide SONAR to TIA members and staff. SONAR is the leading data/analytics platform in the transportation industry.
‘Discretionary’ cargo may look elsewhere for U.S. dock space should the biggest terminal in the biggest port not find ways to be more efficient.
Air cargo volume in Europe continues to decline. Read market expert Cathy Morrow Roberson’s take on the reasons why this is occurring and if there are options available to improve the volume.
Not long after its IPO, Lyft is removing electric bikes from the markets of New York City, Washington, D.C. and San Francisco after reports of problems with the vehicles’ brakes.
American Airlines has lengthened the grounding of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft through August 19. American joins other airlines in this action. What is Boeing doing to fix the aircraft, and what is the FAA doing from a regulatory perspective?
Another outbreak of salmonella poisoning has occurred – this one caused by tainted fruit. Read how blockchain could help deter and detect these outbreaks before they harm many.
Uber released its S-1 filing after the market close, placing in on track to go public with its anticipated May IPO.
Precision scheduled railroading (PSR) is the latest tactic railroads are using to improve their operations – and their images. Market voice Jim Blaze explores whether PSR is real or just marketing hype…
Around the world, consumers are clamoring for more seafood. Read how airlines and airports are working to move more seafood more quickly around the world.
Job growth rebounded nicely in March as employers added nearly 200,000 workers to payrolls during the month. This strength in hiring did not translate to the trucking industry however, where payrolls declined for the first time in nearly a year.
Survey data from the manufacturing and service sectors continue to point towards growth in the overall economy. Manufacturing activity rebounded nicely in March, while readings from the service sector slipped but remain generally strong.
U.S. and European freight railroads are very different in many respects. Market analyst Jim Blaze gives insights about how the two systems differ.
Air cargo volume is down year-to-date. Learn what air cargo companies are doing – and not doing – to generate greater volume and revenue.
The program will help Lyft reel in more customers, as well as compete with arch-nemesis Uber as that company ramps up investments in tech transport services and prepares for its own public offering.
Auto sales are declining, but the National Automobile Dealers Association still expects strong sales for 2019, plus the one area where Amazon is losing and opposition to Canada’s carbon tax grows.
Big Apple’s traffic is rotten to the core thanks to rise of on-demand economy; congestion pricing may be cure, but uncertainties abound.
Retail activity declined unexpectedly in February, as poor weather contributed to the loss in momentum for consumer spending
FreightWaves SONAR platform will be the basis of further collaboration between FreightWaves U and Georgia Tech.
The monthly economic roundup summarizes key developments in the macroeconomy over the past month and highlights trends worth watching headed into April.
