Wages continue to rise for America’s truckers as the trucking industry contends with driver shortages coupled with an increased demand for shipping services.
The FTR Shippers Condition Index slid to -11.1 in January, continuing a declining trend that began in the middle of 2017.
PAM Transport, Inc., a top 100 largest For-Hire Carrier in North America, announced today that it has joined BiTA.
The $126.7 million Mason Mega Rail Terminal at the Port of Savannah “will open a new corridor for American commerce to and from the Midwest” Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said.
Profit Tools has developed an Optimization Platform which uses artificial intelligence (AI) and intermodal data points to deliver breakthrough performance and visibility.
The trade deficit in goods widened for the sixth consecutive month in February. Total goods trade volume was up however, which bodes well for transportation and freight markets
The threat of retaliatory tariffs on American agricultural products could hurt wheat exports, which are already struggling to compete on the international market. Railroad grains volumes in 2018 YTD are down, in many cases by double digits.
This week we are using the Cass Information Systems data to review what is happening in the economy overall.
Shipment volumes for the month jumped 5.9 percent from January and 11.4 percent compared with February 2017, while expenditures grew 5.2 percent sequentially and 14.3 percent year-over-year, according to the latest Cass Freight Index Report.
The sweeping $1.3 trillion omnibus spending package signed by President Trump Friday, which contains funding for various landside and waterside projects, tripled the budget for the Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program.
The Ocean Network Express – the joint container business of NYK, MOL and “K” Line – will use Union Pacific to handle all intermodal shipments for vessels calling U.S. West Coast ports.
Intermodal pricing increased another 5.4 percent for the month compared with the same 2017 period, the 17th consecutive monthly year-over-year increase, according to the latest Cass Intermodal Price Index.
Presented by Reliance Partners …As if insurance requirements are not confusing enough for truckers, there is additional insurance policies some truckers or carriers need that others do not. This includes intermodal insurance coverage
Bonuses and wages are both climbing rapidly.
CFO of Kansas City Southern spoke at the Global Industrials Conference in London about the challenges faced by the U.S. railroad industry with regard to NAFTA and its prospects in the Mexican cross-border trade.
The ATA’s truck tonnage index fell 2.6% in February, and evidence from rail traffic data suggests that shippers are shifting modes for some freight
Domestic container carriers ramped up capacity by adding vessels, containers and manpower to carry cargo for emergency relief and rebuilding efforts.
The Green Bay, Wis.-based national trucking company completed its conversion to a company-owned and managed chassis fleet by buying over 15,000 intermodal container chassis over the last four years.
Every major railroad serving the U.S. got a letter from the Surface Transportation Board.
Amsterdam-based TMA Logistics has officially unveiled its investment in the New Silk Road Initiative.
The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has received 22 ocean transportation intermediary license applications and changes for review.
Atlanta-based supply chain consultancy firm Chainalytics and UK-based ocean shipping consulting firm Drewry Supply Chain Advisors have officially formed a partnership through a joint venture, The Ocean Buying Group.
Dealing with the tight market for drivers in multiple parts of the JB Hunt business.
Seaspan is increasing the size of its fleet by 29 percent through the acquisition of the remaining 89 percent of Greater China Intermodal Investments it did not already own.
Producer price inflation remained relatively modest in February, but trucking prices grew at the fastest pace since 2011
The CFO of Union Pacific looks at the trucking market and likes what he sees.
The Port of Oakland on Monday released a plan for the next five years, dubbed “Growth with care,” that envisions more jobs and economic stimulus, as well as 8 percent more containerized cargo volume in Oakland by 2022.
The current level of freight strength would be notable if it were June, September, or October, but it’s not. It’s February data. It is impossible to predict exactly how long this will last, but at least through 2018 we expect capacity to remain tight.
The new Eagle Express X (EEX) service, scheduled to launch in July, will offer 11-day transits from Shanghai to Los Angeles, which BlueWater Reporting shows is faster than any other liner service.
The mid-Atlantic port saw throughput of containerized cargo fall 0.7 percent year-over-year in February 2018 following a 3.5 percent decline in January caused in part by the loss of workdays due to severe winter weather.
Total U.S. freight rail volumes grew 3.3 percent for the month following a 0.1 percent uptick in January, according to the latest data from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
The global freight logistics industry is in the middle of a transition driven by a confluence of factors ranging from urbanization to the rise of e-commerce, and from automation to intermodal platforms.
The Tesla Semi has finally hit the road. Tesla founder Elon Musk posted a picture of two Tesla Semi’s leaving the company’s Gigafactory in the Nevada mountains for a trip to California.
RoadOne IntermodaLogistics said it has acquired the New England regional intermodal transport services provider Jarvis Trans Inc. to boost its presence in the U.S. Northeast.
Daimler Trucks North America has appointed Sanjiv Khurana general manager of trucks connectivity to support its connected trucks initiatives.
North America’s largest manufacturer of electric-diesel locomotives, and a global leader in transportation technology, announced that it joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance today.
Despite a 3.5 percent decline in January 2018, total throughput at the Port of Virginia so far in fiscal year 2018 is up 4.4 percent compared with the same period a year prior, according to the most recent data from the mid-Atlantic port.
Shipment volumes for the month slid 1.7 percent from December, but were up 12.5 percent compared with January 2017, while expenditures fell 1.8 percent sequentially, but rose 14.2 percent year-over-year, according to the latest Cass Freight Index Report.
Intermodal equipment provider and chassis pool operator TRAC Intermodal is expanding and improving the quality of its chassis fleet in the region in preparation for an expected surge in U.S. resin exports, the comapny revealed Thursday.
Geely, owner of Volvo Cars, has acquired a stake in Daimler AG and it has upset AB Volvo, which has decided not to put Volvo Cars’ chief executive up for re-election to its board.
The CEO of Maersk says that in 3-5 years, Maersk will be competing with UPS and FedEx, and recognized as one of their peers. But what’s the strategy?
Intermodal pricing rose another 5 percent for the month compared with the same 2017 period, the sixteenth consecutive monthly year-over-year increase, according to the latest Cass Intermodal Price Index.
The purchase of Pinnacle Rail Operations, which operates seven automobile terminals in the United States for Class I railroads, will result in about a 10-fold increase in Rail Management Services’ automotive business.
The Federal Maritime Commission has yet to determine if entities should receive relief from ocean carriers and terminals assessing free time penalties when the cause of exceeding contracted free time is out of the shipper or intermediary’s control.
Dubai Ports World will build new inland ports in two Indian states to handle increased container traffic coming into that nation’s ports.
Strong revenue and profit numbers, but margins are challenged from a few years ago.
The Honolulu-based ocean carrier posted a net income of $232 million for the full year in 2017, an increase of more than 185 percent compared with the previous year, according to Matson’s most recent financial statements.
Following the 2017 purchase of 41 generator sets for reefer containers, Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) has begun offering a new shipping service for perishable products, dubbed “CP TempPro.”
Union Pacific is investing $550M in its new Brazos Yard in Texas, aiming to smoothly manage growth in two crucial sectors: Mexican automotive production and Gulf Coast petrochemicals and plastics.
The South Atlantic port handled 338,793 TEUs of containerized cargo for the month, a 2.2 percent increase from the same 2017 period, according to the latest data from the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA).
Port Newark Container Terminal is entering a new phase of construction that will boost its annual handling capacity to over 2 million TEUs by 2019 in anticipation for incraesed volumes.
Current financial news headlines are full of stories about inflation and the resurgence of inflation in the U.S. economy.
Textainer Group Holdings Ltd. and CAI International both improved profits in 2017 compared to the prior year.
Short-line and regional railroad operator Genesee & Wyoming has entered into a strategic partnership with short-haul and drayage trucking platform provider Cargomatic.
A long political fight over an uncontroversial nominee comes to an end
Werner Enterprises (NASDAQ: WERN), a transportation and logistics provider, is pleased to announce its collaboration with the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA), an alliance formed to ensure standardization of blockchain technology in logistics and throughout the supply chain.
Schneider (NYSE: SNDR), a provider of transportation and logistics services, is now a member of the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BITA).
Total U.S. rail volumes were relatively steady in January 2018, as a 3.4 percent year-over-year decline in carloads was offset by a 3.5 percent increase in intermodal traffic, according to the latest data from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA), the largest industry-specific blockchain standards organization in the world, today announced its newest member, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., one of the largest supply chain solutions providers in North America.
Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA), the largest industry-specific blockchain standards organization in the world, today announced its newest member, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., one of the largest supply chain solutions providers in North America.
The annual growth in total North American intermodal shipments was helped by a strong fourth quarter in which volumes grew 5.8 percent year-over-year, according to recent statistics from the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA).
The port handled a record 6.71 million TEUs last year, partially fueled by the completion of the Bayonne Bridge project in June 2017, allowing ships up to 18,000 TEUs to call terminals west of the bridge, thanks to the new 215-foot clearance height.
Warren, Mich.-based Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. acquired Fore Transportation for $34.9 million, subject to customary post-closing adjustments.
Intermodal cargo that previously moved via the Port of Jacksonville will now be routed via Port Everglades.
The port’s planned project to construct a container terminal capable of handling 1.14 million TEUs per year on its land in Contrecouer has been submitted to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency.
Drayage provider RoadOne IntermodaLogistics has effectively acquired intermodal trucking operator Robin Hood Container Express, it’s third such acquisition in the past 18 months, the company said in a statement.
Most shippers, carriers, and students of the freight market spend most of their time focused on a particular mode. It makes intuitive sense that you would focus on the mode that you spend the most time in which you are buying services or providing services. Net result, there are plenty of experts in rail, truck, and intermodal/container freight, and with the ongoing prodigious growth of e-commerce, there is a growing number of experts in parcel freight. That said, we continue to be surprised how little attention overall is given to airfreight.
Some early adopters of the Tesla Semi are receiving another advantage – help with designing and building electric charging stations for the trucks.
Tiger Cool Express appoints chief commercial officer and executive vice president of operations, FedEx names president of FedEx Express Europe and CEO of TNT, DACHSER promotes COO of air and sea logistics, and Smith Transport selects new president.
Omaha, Neb.-based trucking operator and logistics provider Werner Enterprises saw its fourth quarter and full-year net income spike 547 percent and 156 percent, respectively, thanks in part to a $110.5 million reduction in income tax expenses.
The Omaha, Neb.-based Class I railway recorded a net income of $7.3 billion for the fourth quarter of 2017 and $10.7 billion for the entire year.
Montreal-based Class I railroad Canadian National (CN) saw its net income spike 156 percent for the quarter to $2.61 billion Canadian (U.S. $2.11 billion) compared with the same 2016 period, boosting full-year 2017 earnings 51 percent to C$5.48 billion.
The Class I railway also reported operating revenues of $2.7 billion for the quarter, up 7 percent year-over-year, as overall volumes ticked up 5 percent thanks to intermodal, coal and merchandise growth.
The South Atlantic port handled its highest volumes ever of containers in 2017 at over 4 million TEUs, an 11 percent increase from 2016.
TRAFFIX, one of Canada’s longest-serving third-party logistics specialist, based out of Milton Ontario with offices in Toronto, Montreal, Chicago, and Dallas, is proud to announce that they have joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA).
The compliance rate for ELDs among fleets sits at 86%, according to the latest rolling survey of 318 fleets by CarrierLists.
The Southern California’s five-member board unanimously voted to approve a project that involves reconfiguring, expanding and enhancing the existing Pier B rail facility near the 710 Freeway.
Intermodal pricing rose 4 percent in December compared with the same 2016 period, and that growth looks poised to continue into 2018, according to the latest Cass Intermodal Price Index.
J.B. Hunt’s quarterly earnings call reports strong revenues and earnings, but gets a huge hand from tax reform
American Trucking Associations President & CEO Chris Spear took to Medium on Thursday to tout the benefits the trucking industry will see from passage of the new tax law, including noting an ATA survey that says 50% of fleets are planning wage increases or one-time bonuses.
The Texas-based rail logistics provider will utilize blockchain technology in a new cloud-based platform titled RAILChain.
The Lowell, Ark.-based intermodal and trucking provider recorded net earnings of $385.3 million on revenues of $1.99 billion for the fourth quarter of 2017, up 228 percent and 16 percent year-over-year, respectively.
More than a dozen shippers and intermediaries explained during a Federal Maritime Commission hearing Tuesday how carriers engage in punitive assessment of penalties for exceeding contracted detention and demurrage levels.
TraPac appoints new president and CEO; IANA installs 2018 board of directors and officers; the American Maritime Partnership elects leadership positions; and Odfjell names COO, global head of ship management and global head of tanker trading.
Last-mile delivery might get very interesting very soon. Boeing has unveiled a prototype “unmanned electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) cargo air vehicle (CAV) prototype” capable of hauling 500 pounds.
Direct ChassisLink now owns, leases, or manages about 136,000 marine chassis, as well as roughly 80,000 domestic chassis, for a total fleet of over 216,000 chassis, making it the largest chassis provider to the U.S. transportation market, the company said.
Michael Berzon, who spent his career helping companies enhance the efficiency of their supply chains, died Tuesday from complications associated with Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 77.
The Canadian port handled 24.1 million metric tons of cargo in 2017, beating 2016 figures by 28 percent and exceeding the previous record high of 23 million metric tons that was set in 2013.
The era of autonomous trucking is surely coming, but it’s more important for brokers and shippers to get a handle on data than worrying about what the distant future looks like.
Known as a “bomb” cyclone, winter storm Grayson has caused delays and closures for shippers and carriers all along the Eastern seaboard as ice, snow and wind could prevent operations from resuming until Saturday at the latest.
The merger forms an intermodal drayage operation with over 1,300 power units in most key markets east of the Rockies, according to a joint statement from the newly combined firms.
Consulting firm The Tioga Group in February will present recommendations to the West Coast Marine Terminal Operating Agreement (WCMTOA) for potential modifications to the PierPass program, which was created to address multi-terminal issues like congestion.
U.S. railroads originated more than 2 million carloads and intermodal units in December 2017, a 4 percent increase from the same month a year ago, according to the latest data from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
CSIS appoints Scholl chair; IICL elects 2018 board leadership; Suddath Cos. names marketing vice president; and BASS picks North American sales vice president.
Tesla is now accepting orders for its Tesla Semi in three European countries. The different dynamics of the European freight market represent some different challenges for the company.
The location will be the first foreign trade zone warehouse facility in the Team Worldwide global network, and could serve as a regional or national distribution center, the company said in a statement.
JP Morgan likes FedEx, Schneider, Canada Pacific, and JB Hunt–‘sells’ include Union Pacific, Knight-Swift, and CH Robinson.
Trade between the United States and Mexico has skyrocketed since the 1993 implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), but uncertainty surrounding the agreement’s renegotiation poses serious risks for future cross-border trade growth.
Rail Delivery Services, a premier provider of intermodal drayage, dedicated trucking, and consolidation services, has joined the BlockChain in Transport Alliance (BiTA).
CSX acting CEO Jim Foote met with Maryland congressional delegates and port officials on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of resuscitating the now-stalled Howard Street Tunnel rail project in Baltimore, reported the Baltimore Sun.
