Intermodal

The technology company will focus on appointment-making, track-and-trace, and eliminating paperwork.

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…

Canadian National (NYSE: CNI) yesterday unveiled plans to invest US$505 million in capital projects along its U.S. corridor spanning from Wisconsin to Louisiana.

Mike Wilson and Don Stephen are tapped as chief executive officers and Neil Dursley is named chief commercial officer.

Norfolk Southern’s (NYSE: NSC) chief marketing officer sought to assuage shippers’ concerns at a rail shippers’ conference on April 5, saying his company would engage with shippers and seek opportunities to grow capacity as NSC transitions to the precision scheduled railroading (PSR) operating model.

The industry’s hottest conference will only get hotter.

The final-mile’s future lies with heavy goods

Trump now threatening tariffs against Mexico while trade groups claim cross-border supply chains still at risk.

Schneider Logistics published its 2019 Transportation Industry Review, arming shippers with the information they need to make short- and long-term distribution plans, budget freight costs and provide industry context to their broader audiences.

Move seen as another effort to position Amazon as competition to incumbents.

U.S. rail volumes fell again last week as rail service issues continue to plague the post-flooding Midwestern landscape.

Canadian National (NYSE: CNI) laid out plans to invest C$615 million this year in network infrastructure in eastern Canada amid wider efforts by stakeholders to revamp Canada’s transportation infrastructure and support the nation’s export markets.

Today on FreightWaves NOW, Mike O’Brien makes his inaugural appearance deep-diving us into the state of intermodal. Then, connecting the dots of government and consumer spending, Anthony Smith gives us an economic overview.

U.S. and European freight railroads are very different in many respects. Market analyst Jim Blaze gives insights about how the two systems differ.

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.

Circle 8 is GlobalTranz’s ninth acquisition since January 2017.

Celadon announced late this afternoon that is was selling its A&S Kinard and Buckler Transport subsidiaries to Day & Ross, a wholly owned subsidiary of Canadian company McCain Foods Limited. Celadon is seeking to focus on core businesses and also refinance its debt obligations.

Down Under Trucking: a round-up of news, information and the latest developments from the Australian trucking industry. Top news this week is the announcement of a A$2 billion (US$1.4 billion) road safety funding package by the Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison. Funding was a big theme this week, as was driver safety, road safety and fatigue.

U.S. rail volumes are poised to be lower in the first quarter compared with last year, but whether that decline indicates a looming recession remains to be seen.

Today’s Pickup: March 27, 2019

Rate increases are slowing and could even turn negative later this year, although fleet profits should remain strong for much of the year.

TransX’s business includes truckload, LTL, intermodal, warehousing and freight forwarding, will continue to be based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and operate independently.

Hosts Chad Prevost and John Kingston spoke with Greg Feary, Todd Tranausky, Addison Armstrong, and Kevin Hill about all things happening in freight this week.

Canadian National (CNR) finalized its acquisition of trucking and transportation provider TransX, months after announcing plans to purchase the company.

The Women In Trucking (WIT) Association has announced five finalists for its fifth annual Distinguished Woman in Logistics award.

The project, which is scheduled to begin in September and be finished by December 2020, will nearly double the terminal’s current annual handling capacity to 600,000 TEUs.

The Alaska-based family of companies does everything from shipping Alaskan seafood around the world to delivering mail and other essentials to remote bush communities via hovercraft.

BNSF (NYSE: BRK) and Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) are grappling with the aftermath of the recent historic floods, with both companies scrambling to assess and repair damage as quickly as possible.

The California Trucking Association is continuing to challenge a California Supreme Court decision that it says amounts to an “essential outright ban on independent contracting.”

The report found the nation’s seaports’ contributions to the economy have increased since the previous nationwide report published in 2014.

NFI Industries will use the acquisition of the Seattle-based firm to expand its non-asset intermodal services, especially in refrigerated transport.

Two major railroads have stopped freight service because of catastrophic flooding in the Midwest where rails are washed out.

Investors are risk-on for Europe, putting money into Italian, Greek, and junk bonds, and equities.

High winds were a contributing factor to the Wednesday morning incident in which about two dozen railcars fell from a trestle onto a river bed.

Port aims to reduce truck turn times as shippers look more closely at terminal performance; rail seen as key to expedite cargo.

Revenues are falling at Roadrunner Transportation Systems, but management remains confident the company is heading in the right direction.

Trump’s budget bodes well for certain freight grants but Democrats take issue with reliance on the private sector.

The Agriculture Transportation Coalition says replacing marine terminal with ballpark would be a step backward and limit potential export growth.

The project, which is set to double the capacity of the largest container port on Sweden’s east coast, is expected to be completed by the fall of 2020.

The seller was Swedish private equity group EQT Partners, which may be trying to clean up its balance sheet ahead of an IPO.

Tesla’s V3 Supercharging station discharges 250 kW; Italy’s olive-oil industry is facing an agrarian crisis; Americans are abandoning public transit; French port of Marseille-Fos has joined a blockchain pilot program.

The deal, which is reportedly for an approximately $2.5 billion and also includes DCLI subsidiary Blume Global, is expected to close in the second quarter.

Shipping to and from Mexico is never easy, but this year a perfect storm of market conditions is putting a crimp in rates and capacity. (Sponsored by Redwood Logistics)

Jörg Sommer is named CEO of StreetScooter; Tammy Leurquin is hired as chief technology officer; and Casey Taylor is appointed as vice president of sales.

Oregon business and philanthropic leader Peter Stott started his first trucking company in 1969.  

Protecting market share is part of the battle over longer trucks.

Simplification and improvement of capital structure will support long-term business plans, says the logistics and transportation company.

A healthy month-end volume uptick hasn’t tightened capacity, allowing brokers to stay in their happy place.

A senior representative of CAI International Inc. spoke on the company’s focus on refrigerated container units in the retail supply chain at the 2019 LINK supply chain conference.

Start-up is latest seeking to automate the fraught process of securing truck capacity with its test bed at busiest port in U.S.

Lawmakers heard how costly fees and equipment shortages along the supply chain are hurting exports.

Witnesses gave the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety a variety of recommendations to improve intermodal infrastructure.

World’s largest ocean freight forwarder continues to grow volume, but impact of liner alliances also take toll on margins.

The Switzerland-based freight forwarder and logistics company reports both increased sales and profit for 2018.

BlueGrace Logistics celebrated its 10-year anniversary on February 22. Founded in 2009 with only eight employees, the company currently has 600 employees and is one of the largest third-party logistics (3PL) providers in the United States.

Flexport’s ship has come in. The digital freight forwarder last week landed a $1 billion investment from a group led by SoftBank’s Vision Fund.

“We have a lot of reasons to believe 2019 will be our best ever.”

Freight Alley in Chattanooga was the scene on the afternoon of February 21, when executives from FreightWaves, Nodal Exchange, DAT and K-Ratio presented the Trucking Freight Futures roadshow. Trucking Freight Futures debut on the Nodal Exchange on March 29.

The transportation and logistics services company closed out 2018 with the highest quarterly revenue ever reported.

Sydney-headquartered multi-modal logistics operator Qube has announced “solid” company earnings today. ASX-listed Qube revealed a small 5 percent increase in revenues and a large 36 percent increase in profits.

Class 1 railroad plans ongoing projects at intermodal facility which is near major shippers and new warehouse space.

Maritime groups tell California legislators not to give special treatment to Oakland Athletics.

It won’t make it here.

The newest release adds major weather data features, visualization and modeling tools, additional news features, and DOT highway cameras.

Jacobs now must manage through loss of $600 million of his largest customer’s business.

The Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development program receives funding for grants for the first time in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019.

Rise in expansion and efficiency projects comes after strong year of growth in company’s intermodal business.

How do you re-distribute $400 million of LTL freight? Not easily.

Deal for intermodal brokerage and logistics firm comes amid strong growth in Pacific Northwest market.

NS invokes precision scheduled railroading as its seeks to match peer performance and lower its operating ratio.

Australian Stock Exchange listed bulk rail freight operator Aurizon reported decreases in top-line revenue, earnings before interest, tax and depreciation, and a big decline in net profit after tax on February 11, 2019.

A noticeable change in the pattern of trade is underway at Australia’s second biggest box port, Sydney’s Port Botany. Botany handled more boxes in the last calendar year than in 2017  – but those boxes arrived and departed on fewer, although larger, container ships.

Challenge finding teams, company executives said.

Strong Q4 drives full-year performance.

Volumes and capacity remain flat through the first week of February. Has the freight market weathered the slowest part of the year?

Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. (NYSE: GWR) beat fourth quarter revenue consensus estimates by $4.89 million. Revenue was expected to decrease by 0.2 percent year-over-year (Y/Y), but it increased 0.7 percent Y/Y from $571.6 million to $575.6 million, according to Seeking Alpha. GWR also beat fourth quarter consensus earnings per share (EPS) estimates of $0.89 by $0.11 to $1.00.

Rail operator Aurizon has completed the sale of its Queensland Intermodal Business to privately owned Australian logistics company Linfox. The Queensland Intermodal Business delivers general cargo for more than 300 customers across the state and includes a wide variety of freight including groceries, white goods and general goods.  

Werner Enterprises (NASDAQ: WERN) reported strong earnings in the fourth quarter of 2018, posting a diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.77. This topped analyst expectations, with the average estimate of 10 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research coming in at $0.68.

The Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) announced the appointment of three new vice presidents as part of its ongoing growth plans. With over 1,700 members, the association is the leading organization devoted to the North American third-party logistics (3PL) industry.

Northwest Seaport Alliance may lease to Stevedoring Services of America and MSC’s Terminal International Ltd.

Georgia lays out the welcome mat for the largest containership with new gear; Maersk CEO looks to land for next deals.

Moving cargo on the trade by rail and truck is becoming an increasingly feasible option.

Record-breaking year also showed strains in supply chains as busiest U.S. East Coast port.

The Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), an organization devoted to the North American 3PL industry, has appointed Matt Mantione as vice president of membership and Chris Burroughs and Will Sehestedt as vice presidents of government affairs. […]

Not a gangbusters quarter for Saia or Schneider. But the numbers were strong for both and Merrill Lynch thinks the Schneider stock is undervalued.

Shipping line’s executive vice president of trade says U.S. trucking and rising ship fuel expenses are other concerns.

Volumes tapered off in the fourth quarter, growing 4.2 percent year-over-year.

Five-year high in growth seen last year thanks to tariff front-loading and tight truck supply, but shippers likely to put brakes on growth this year.

Containerships remain the top vessel, but the canal has seen an increase in LPG and LNG carriers since the expansion opened in June 2016.

Class 1 railroad warns of slowdown in shipments through major intermodal hubs as tracks crack under severe cold.

Schneider National (NYSE: SNDR) reported strong earnings again in the fourth quarter, beating analysts’ earnings per share (EPS) estimates of $0.46. The transportation giant posted adjusted diluted EPS of $0.49, up from 2017’s fourth quarter result of $0.33.

CEO says the company “is committed to providing our employees with a long-term career path they can count on financially.”

Railway officials discussed plans to grow intermodal cargo and develop the Nova Scotia port during this week’s earnings call.

Container volumes increased 7.5 percent; the port is dredging and adding cranes, truck gates and rail capacity to accommodate more growth.

CHRW grew earnings per share by 24%, top line revenue by 4.5%; and net revenues by 13%.

FreightWaves adds violations, fuel spread, and more rail data to SONAR platform

Class 1 railroads may have to shorten train lengths and reduce speeds to cope with cold, while drayage supply will also be tight.

The operating ratio in every trucking segment of the company was improved and its outlook for 2019 is solid also.

Appointments announced by CMA CGM Group, Columbia Shipmanagement, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg and U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

ELD impact substantive but short-lived, Hunt, NS executives say.