Central Oregon Truck Company will wrap-up its cross-country tour hauling the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree with one last stop at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland this weekend before the tree is dropped off at its final destination.

Drivers at Swift Transportation, a subsidiary of Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. (NYSE: KNX), now have the opportunity to earn college degrees online through Southern New Hampshire University’s College for America program.

At a time when used truck pricing is holding strong and new truck orders seem to surge month after month, many wonder when the proverbial crash is coming. Tam thinks the good times are likely to continue into 2019, with the market taking a turn in the second half of the year.

Even though the Department of Energy’s reported diesel per gallon price has risen 27% since early 2017, carriers have seen their net fuel expense per mile remain largely neutral.

Spireon hosted a webinar in collaboration with FreightWaves earlier this week to explore the importance of building a fleet safety culture and how to do it the right way.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance issued new guidance dissuading enforcement officials from waking up sleeping drivers in order to perform random inspections.

Deutsche Post DHL Group (XETRA: DPW) has taken a new approach to recruiting driving in Europe: offering to rotate them out of driving roles. Following a record-setting September, fleets continued to order trailers at near-record rates in October.

Fresh off strong third quarter earnings, Werner Enterprises (NASDAQ: WERN) President and CEO Derek Leathers was optimistic about the company’s future moving into peak season and beyond.

The webinar is planned for 2 p.m. EST or 11 a.m. PST on Thursday, Nov. 15.

Fatigue is one of the most common health and safety concerns among drivers on the road, and while sleep loss often plays a role in feeling fatigued, counting hours doesn’t always tell the whole story.

While transportation was not a front-of-the-ticket issue for politicians in the midterm elections, FreightWaves Managing Editor Brain Straight reported on some significant developments when it came to funding.

Schneider National (NYSE: SNDR) reported strong third quarter earnings, announcing $1.3 billion in operating revenue, a 15 percent increase compared to the third quarter of 2017.

The project is expected to allow for easier freight movement in the area, especially for trucks moving eastbound from northern Mississippi.  

Parking is a hot button issue across the transportation industry, but it certainly does not carry the same weight among drivers and those who manage transportation companies.

FreightWaves Chief Economist Ibrahiim Bayaan and FreightWaves Chief Analytics Officer Dean Croke explained what the data is saying about the freight market in this week’s monthly market update.

Ryder System (NYSE: R) reported record total revenue and record operating revenue for the third quarter. Both total and operating revenue grew across all business segments, which the company attributed to new business and higher volumes.

U.S. Xpress Enterprises recently announced the promotion of longtime employee Justin Harness from senior vice president of dedicated operations to chief marketing officer.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will no longer assume a commercial driver is always a human as autonomous trucking makes its way onto the scene.

Spireon hosted a webinar in collaboration with FreightWaves earlier this week to explore how the DRIVE-Safe Act could affect the driver shortage if it becomes law.

The number of trucks sold at auction climbed notably in September, and pricing trended lower. Model year 2015 trucks took a particularly hard hit thanks to higher volume and higher average mileage.

Driver iQ’s third quarter recruitment and retention survey found that driver turnover costs the truckload industry over $10.6 billion per year, and over one-third of fleets surveyed expect turnover to increase or remain the same.

Electric bikes and scooters are dominating the transit scene in U.S. metropolitan areas, and residents are beginning to see them as less of a solution and more of nuisance. Groups representing livestock, bee and fish haulers have petitioned DOT to allow them to drive up to 15 hours each day.

BM recently announced that its food supply chain network, IBM Food Trust, has become generally available and is now open for any member of the food ecosystem to join. The network aims to improve food safety and reduce waste.

Four new inbound truck lanes recently opened at Virginia International Gateway, increasing the capacity at the terminal’s gate complex by 30 percent.

In partnership with Reliance Partners …Learn how truck drivers can be more proactive about safety on the roadways in light of the recent increase in fatal crashes.  

The deal marks Transplace’s eighth acquisition in seven years, according to Transplace CEO Frank McGuigan.

The company provides location-specific, short-term weather forecasts by utilizing hyper-sensing technologies like wireless communication networks instead of depending solely on government radar.

Wolfe Research downgraded several trucking stocks Friday after their analysts revealed concerns over spot rates, according to Seeking Alpha

In addition to funding the FAA for the next five years, the bill includes language that could be used to further integrate unmanned aircraft systems, like drones, into the commercial landscape.

SambaSafety, powered by Vigillo, just announced the development of a new CSA scorecard utilizing item response theory methodology.

North American Class 8 net orders came in around 42,800 units in September, falling 19 percent from August’s 53,069 units, according to preliminary data released by ACT Research.

FreightWaves has been selected as one of 15 start-up companies featured in the Futures Industry Association (FIA) Innovators Pavilion during the annual FIA Futures and Options Expo in Chicago in mid-October.

In a time when consumers are opting to spend less time in the kitchen, restaurants and grocery stores, convenience is king and grocery delivery services are popping up everywhere.

Under California law, drivers making their way through the Golden State are entitled to a 30-minute meal break for every five hours worked.

Total trailer net orders came in at over 38,000 units in August, representative of a 31 percent increase month-over-month and a staggering 142 percent increase year-over-year.

The lawsuit asserts that water “poured in through a gap in city levees,” and it says the gap was created by a railway underpass owned by CSX.

The two companies have reached a new milestone in their collaborative effort to create 150 women-owned businesses in transportation. The program announced that it had welcomed its 50th participant last week.

Leaders from state departments of transportation across the country participated in a panel discussion about connected and automated vehicles, and the winding road to their ubiquitous adoption.

It also marks the sixth time in eight months NA Class 8 net orders topped 40,000 units, according to ACT Research.

The 53-foot restaurant on wheels not only provides nourishment for those who may be running low on supplies, it also provides the comfort of a hot breakfast to local residents, first responders and volunteers.

FreightWaves Associate Editor John Paul Hampstead spoke to Andrew Davis, VP and Equity Investment Analyst at T. Rowe Price about the deal.

J.D. Power is forecasting more new truck deliveries in the coming months, but demand is still expected to outpace supply into the second quarter of 2019.

Beyond the Technology presented by LaunchIt Public Relations …From ELDs to automated yard management systems, technology has become more and more prevalent in every corner of the supply chain. While technology can make things more efficient when it works well, dysfunctional tech can lead to major headaches for everyone involved.

While things like bonuses and increased pay are already being employed to attract drivers, the shortage continues to worsen

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency for all the state’s counties earlier today due to the threat of heavy rainfall and windy conditions.

Some expected impacts include prolonged power outages and potential reductions in refined product supply in the Northeast, according to a S&P Global Platts report.

Storm surge and hurricane watches and warnings remain in effect for parts of the U.S. east coast and have been extended to cover considerably more ground.

Ripe.io provides enterprise blockchain technology for the food and agriculture industry in an effort to create greater trust and transparency between food producers, contributors and consumers.

Bowser said she anticipates heavy rain, strong winds and potential power outages across D.C.

Storm surge and hurricane watches remain in effect for parts of the U.S. east coast, from Edisto Beach, South Carolina northward to the North Carolina-Virginia border.

Hurricane season brings an increased risk to transportation energy in the United States, both from a supply and price perspective.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased to 130 mph with higher gusts. Florence is still a category 4 hurricane, and some re-strengthening is expected.

This is all part of the startup’s mission to help independent ecommerce businesses battle giants like Amazon.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to 140 mph with higher gusts, and Florence is now a category 4 hurricane and expected to worsen.

One year after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan SELF DRIVE Act, House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders called on the Senate to advance automated vehicle legislation.

The orders suspend rules regarding everything from registration to length, width, weight, load and HOS.

Air freight prices continued to rise this week as capacity tightened, ushering in the beginning of peak season, according to a STIFEL conference call focused on TAC Index’s role in air cargo market intelligence.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth District sided with a truck manufacturer in a products-liability case claiming an alternative truck design would have prevented serious injuries obtained when a 19-year-old women crashed into the side of the vehicle.

Transportation network Lanehub recently announced Backhaul Assist, a feature that will allow shippers utilizing private fleets or dedicated contract carriers to market available capacity to other shippers.  

Beyond the Technology presented by LaunchIt Public Relations …Since the ELD mandate took effect, most of the conversation surrounding the devices has focused on hours of service and compliance issues. However, their uses do not end there.

The digital platform is designed to match warehouse space and fulfillment services with small and medium-sized companies working to get online orders out fast.

Mexico will enact a law regulating truck drivers’ hours of service this week. It is the first law of its kind in Mexico, as driving time has never been managed on the federal level before.

After a soft opening earlier this month, the Appalachian Regional Port is officially open for business. The new inland terminal is located in Northwest Georgia and is set to service customers from four surrounding states.

Beyond the Technology presented by LaunchIt Public Relations …All carriers working to deliver loads on time need to be able to rely on their trucks to start, but that can be a challenge when working with standard batteries, which are only designed to last a few hundred cycles.

ACT Research’s preliminary estimate for July net trailer orders came in at 29,300 units, making last month the strongest July in industry history.

Good news for coastal residents, but bad news for carriers that made a lot of money on hurricanes last year: not much happening this year. Pretty much all key predictive variables, from sea surface temperatures to wind shear, suggest the current hurricane season will not hold a candle to last year’s hyperactive season in the Atlantic Basin, according to Riskpulse’s hurricane season mid-August update.

A group of 90 Safeway.com drivers became the first grocery delivery drivers in the nation to ratify a union contract this week. The final vote came after almost a year of negotiations and a strike authorization vote.

Walmart is facing a $50,000 fine for allowing trucks to park at one of its Illinois stores. The penalty came from the city of Springfield, which claims the store is not following the parking plan approved by the city when it was built.

Morgan Stanley’s Truckload Freight Index has decreased over the last two weeks and has now underperformed seasonality two updates in a row. This seasonal deceleration is not unusual, as July and August tend to be weaker.

Nikola Motor Company raised over $100 million in August, and the company’s CEO Trevor Milton expects its $200 million C round to be oversubscribed. Nikola boasts a $1.1 billion pre-money valuation.

Beyond the Technology presented by LaunchIt Public Relations …Despite electronic logging devices’ ability to streamline operations and reduce the administrative burden associated with paper logs, the devices are not always the most helpful tools when it comes to roadside inspections.

Redwood Logistics recently announced the launch of Redwood Mexico, a new service aimed at untangling the complicated process of shipping to and from Mexico.

Opus9 launched its digital platform, automating every step of the truckload and LTL shipping process, Tuesday. The new platform is intended to “digitize an old industry and bring it forward,” according to Vice President of Product Management Jeff Hiller.

Daseke purchased the Memphis-based steel and aluminum carrier for $53.8 million, including $3.4 million in Daseke stock. Builders Transportation reported an estimated $72.4 million in revenue and an estimated $9.7 million in Adjusted EBITDA for the trailing 12-month period ended June 2018.

The judgement pertained to a company policy that resulted in drivers who must temporarily move into non-driving roles for medical reasons being paid less than drivers making the same move for non-medical reasons.

ArcBest Corporation (NASDAQ: ARCB) recently finalized a new 5-year contract with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The new contract brought “major gains” for members, including vacation restoration, wage increases and health benefit preservation.

New research is underway regarding one of the transportation industry’s most prevalent concerns: the lack of safe and available parking.

The Environmental Protection Agency reversed Former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s July 6 decision to give glider kit manufacturers relief from a key limitation after fierce push back from environmentalists.

Covenant Transportation Group (NASDAQ: CVTI) reported a total revenue jump of 19.5 percent to $196.3 million in the second quarter of 2018 during its earnings call Thursday. The company also posted a 17.2 percent increase in freight revenue to $170.6 million year-over-year.

Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings (NYSE: KNX) reported revenue growth and rising income across much of the company, with the notable exception of Swift’s refrigerated segment, during its second quarter 2018 earnings call.

UPS reported strong revenue supported by pricing and targeted growth initiatives during its second quarter earnings call Wednesday. Adjusted earnings per share climbed 23 percent to $1.94, and total revenue was up nearly 10 percent.

Beyond the Technology presented by LaunchIt Public Relations …Whether they are ordering brand new trucks or deciding which tires to purchase, fleet managers have a lot of choices to make. They are often making these choices while working to meet particular fuel efficiency objectives. That is where Vnomics comes in.

Leaders from several different safety advocacy groups came together to ask the U.S. Senate to add safeguards to the AV START Act (S. 1885), a bill that addresses autonomous vehicles.

Driver iQ’s second quarter recruitment and retention survey found that, on average, carrier’s expect driver turnover to continue to climb alongside driver pay and sign-on bonuses. When results were broken down by carrier size, however, it became clear that there is a difference between how large and small carriers think about turnover.

Amazon (AMZN: NYSE) is a power player in the online grocery scene, with sales growing at a rate of 40 percent year-over-year.

Waste Management Holdings has applied for an hours of service exemption, asking the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to consider allowing its drivers to work extra hours without losing short-haul status.

Some highlights from this month’s J.D. Power Valuation Services used truck report. Demand is still outpacing supply in the late-model, low-mileage segment.

Beyond the Technology presented by LaunchIt Public Relations …Since the ELD mandate went into effect late last year, most carriers have been required to use technology systems in order to track drivers’ hours of service. In an effort to set themselves apart and make their systems more useful, many ELD vendors offer applications that take care of other business requirements as well.

Safety has been touted as one of the primary factors behind the development of autonomous vehicles. So, when serious accidents do occur, people both inside and outside the industry are left with the same question: How can we make autonomous safer in the testing phase?

Peleton Founder and CEO Josh Switkes shifted the platooning conversation toward potential safety benefits during a presentation at the Automated Vehicle Symposium in San Francisco, California.

The answers to many of the problems surrounding the introduction of autonomous vehicles may involve keeping human drivers on the road too, according to Lyft Vice President of Autonomous Vehicle Programs Nadeem Sheikh.

The Environmental Protection Agency issued a loophole that will allow glider kit manufacturers to avoid certain Obama-era emissions regulations and, effectively, build as many trucks as they deem fit, according to the New York Times.

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) delivered on its promise to produce 5,000 Model 3 vehicles in a single seven-day span by the end of the second quarter over the weekend

Kroger has plans to introduce driverless vehicles to the grocery industry this year, according to a Wall Street Journal article. The U.S. grocery giant announced a partnership with electric vehicle startup Nutro Inc. this week.

Volvo Trucks and FedEx demonstrated their truck platooning technology in North Carolina this morning, in conjunction with the North Carolina Turnpike Authority.

Central Oregon Trucking Company has announced a new pay structure that paves the way for driver salary increases of up to $15,000 per year.

Some fleets will now be able to use KeepTruckin ELDs to take advantage of the greater flexibility AOBRDs offer when it comes to driving mode and how much speed it takes to trigger it.

Roadrunner Transportation Systems (NYSE: RRTS) released its delayed 2017 10-K report this week.

As alternative energy continues to make headlines, companies are adding more electric vehicles their fleets. Both Ryder and UPS announced significant EV additions earlier this month.

Two former Roadrunner Transportation Systems executives were charged with multiple crimes related to accounting and securities fraud in a federal indictment unsealed Friday.