Four of the defendants in the Pilot Flying J federal fraud trial have reached plea deals with prosecutors, according to documents filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Trailer orders for the month of June exceeded orders taken in May of this year, according to the latest data from FTR. It was the seventh month that orders have exceeded those of the previous month.

Paul Svindland’s appointment as the new CEO of Celadon Group has been enthusiastically by many, including investors who have pushed up the company’s stock in recent weeks. But, Svindland faces many challenges in the weeks ahead.

Just a week after hitting a record high and signaling good things for the market, the Dow Jones Transport Average (DJT) tumbled last week, falling 2.79%. What’s in store for this week?

J.B. Hunt has acquired Specialized Logistics Dedicated for $136 million. The move expands the firm’s access to last-mile distribution services.

Plenty of load boards and brokers exist for trucking companies looking for freight. There are nearly 600 found on a basic web listing – and likely many, many more. But there are few, if any, like Sleek Fleet.

FedEx Freight announced that drivers at its Croydon, PA, facility have voted to leave the Teamsters Union. This comes just two weeks after drivers in Charlotte, NC, did the same.

C.H. Robinson’s second quarter earnings report missed Wall Street estimates, in large part because of the rise in spot rates in the quarter which compressed margins, even though the company reported a rise of truckload and less-than-truckload volume.

Freight, orders and optimism continue to populate the minds of many carrier and shipping executives these days as more data points suggest the economy is continuing to improve. And it’s optimism that even uneven retail sales and consumer confidence can’t hide.

While platooning vehicles are close to real-world operation, the world itself may not be ready for them. According to a guide for legislators created by the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the varied nature of state laws may limited where platooning vehicles may operate.

Google Glass, those futuristic glasses created by Google a few years ago are back. Discontinued after meeting with only minor success despite great introductory fanfare, they have now made a reappearance with a focus on corporate America.

The on-again, off-again saga over the electronic logging device rule is back on again after language was inserted into a House appropriations bill this week directing FMCSA to review the rule and make a determination if the rule should be delayed or changed.

The long-awaited U.S. outline for the goals of a renegotiation of NAFTA has been unveiled, and there are few surprises in the 17-page document. The document outlines the U.S. top priority of shrinking trade deficits with Canada and Mexico.

Last week, Volvo Trucks announced that it would soon be adding Apply CarPlay to its lineup as an optional package. More connected trucks will soon become commonplace, and maybe in the commercial transportation space, technologies such as this, Android Auto and WiFi will be welcomed additions.

Starting with just two trucks in Joplin, MO, in 1951, Contract Freighters Inc. (CFI) built a reputation for quality service, professional drivers, and being a good community partner. Today, CFI – after several name and ownership changes in the past 15 years – is reconnecting with the Joplin community and its customer base. The truckload carrier is home, even though it never left.

Fleets outfitting their tractors with 6×2 axle are still finding benefits, but adoption of the configuration has been slow according to a North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) and Carbon War Room update to its 2013 Confidence Report on 6×2 axles.

This week kicked off a series of 16 customer and dealer events at Volvo’s new Customer Center here. It was one of several big news events for the company – the others being an update on its new VNR regional tractor model which was introduced in April, and the first unveiling of an updated VNL line.

According to a report in a German newspaper, Daimler has now been swept up in the emissions cheating scandals that have been raging across Europe in recent years.

As much of the world is progressing towards Industry 4.0, Japan is going a step further. In its recently released Growth Strategy 2017 report, the county puts technological achievements, such as autonomous trucks and drone deliveries, on the fast track as it seeks to develop Society 5.0.

A surprise national brake safety inspection day on May 3 netted nearly 12% of commercial vehicles inspected with brake violations, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance announced this week.

Calling it the “most innovative, most exciting trucks from Volvo in 20 years,” Volvo Trucks North America officially took the wraps of its updated VNL family of trucks.

Volvo Trucks this week introduced its updated VNL series, provided additional updates on its recently introduced VNR series, and showed off its new Customer Center at its growing Dublin, VA, facility.

Amazon Prime day yesterday represented a real test for the e-commerce giant’s logistics and supply chain. In addition to its contracts with FedEx, USPS and UPS – which all will have a busy couple of days to meet all these Prime orders – Amazon’s fleet of planes will be busy moving goods around the country.

When the U.S. auto industry came roaring back to life, it was a boon for carriers who made their business hauling autos and related products. But as sliding sales in 2017 show, nothing lasts forever. And it’s possible that the future is even murkier for carriers who rely on the auto business for their livelihoods.

Someday real soon, vehicles will self-diagnose themselves, order the repair parts, and maybe even replace the part themselves. Vehicle maintenance is already partially of the way there. but the U.S. Marines are going a step further.

Surprisingly, a new survey from SOTI has found that nearly 70% of transportation and logistics executives have not grasped the importance of rugged handheld mobile devices in the field.

Multiple reports have indicated that Walmart has threatened to withhold business from any trucking company that continues to haul goods for Amazon. Walmart has denied making any such threats, but the mere suggestion of it raises questions that carrier executives need to address.

Seeking to build “greater lane density to improve utilization and yields through more efficient dispatch and capacity allocation,” Heartland Express Inc. announced it is acquiring Interstate Distributer Co. (IDC) of Tacoma, WA, from Saltchuk Resources.

Are you ready for electric vehicles? A new report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) says that electric vehicle (EV) sales will account for 33% of all light-duty vehicles on the road by 2040.  

It’s so simple, that it’s somewhat surprising someone has already come up with the idea. Einride, a Swedish startup, has developed an electric-powered, self-driving box on wheels. The T-pod made its debut this week with a promise to revolutionize cargo movement.

Following a disappointing retreat in orders in May, Class 8 truck orders rose in June according to data just released. That reinforces the outlook for the remainder of 2017 as many of the orders are for fourth quarter delivery, according to FTR.

Shut downs of operating systems due to cyberattacks are complete handicaps for logistics companies and lead to significant amounts of lost business as well as productivity. But can they be prevented?

The trucking turnover rate at truckload fleets remains near historical lows, but it did tick up a bit in the first quarter of 2017, said the American Trucking Associations.

The Indian trucking market is not unlike that of the U.S. Technological change is happening, albeit a little slower in India, Numadic is one company that is trying to quicken the speed of change.

The Department of Transportation has revised and renamed its FASTLane program to “align [projects] with national and regional economic vitality goals and to leverage additional non-federal funding,” it said.

Blockchain is a technology that is rapidly growing in many industries, and its potential to disrupt traditional work flows in transportation is large. This graphic illustrates some of the potential areas where blockchain can be used to improve operations.

The logistics of transporting fresh produce from fields and warehouses to store shelves is already complicated by regulations and the seasonal nature of the products, but Amazon’s entry into the market could further complicate the journey.

The first unofficial pictures of Waymo’s self-driving truck have emerged, creating a stir among the companies racing to become the first to make a production autonomous truck available.

Across the nation, rising freight volumes, a strong produce season and the ongoing oil boom are driving up spot rates, but how long will the current trend continue?

According to research from KPMG and HfS Research, more companies than ever are outsourcing their supply chain and logistics services as the job of moving product becomes more complicated. 

New Prime (Prime) has been granted an exemption by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for commercial learner permit (CLP) drivers to operate a truck without a CDL holder in the front seat under certain conditions.

Stanford researchers have successfully charged an object while it was in motion, potentially leading to in-motion charging of vehicles in the future. “The hope is that you’ll be able to charge your electric car while you’re driving down the highway,” says Shanhui Fan, professor of electrical engineering at Stanford.

Researchers from the National Academies of Science, following a mandate from Congress, have recommended changes to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Compliance, Safety, Accountabilty (CSA) program.

A new market analysis by Noel Perry, truck & transportation expert for FTR Transportation Intelligence, argues the economics of 33-foot doubles – and, based solely on economic reasons, there is a valid case, Perry says.

After five days, the port truckers strike in Los Angeles and Long Beach came to an end on Friday with striking truckers delivering a petition with 10,000 signatures on it to LA Mayor Eric Garcetti and Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia.

Tony Seba is an expert on industry and market disruptions. He recently spoke at the 2017 Nor-Shipping Conference, offering his unique take on Transportation as a Service, which incorporates autonomous technologies, and how it is poised to disrupt the shipping and transportation industries in the next few years.

Fatigued and drowsy driving remains a major cause of vehicle accidents in the U.S., but as yet, the only solutions have been lane departure warning systems and in-cab, driver-focused camera systems which many drivers don’t like for their intrusive nature. A Hong Kong team is trying to change that.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg visited the Iowa 80 truck stop last week, taking time to talk to truck drivers and learn about life on the road. Also, Amazon wants to build a drone platform, a lack of warehouse space and J.B. Hunt tests augmented reality.

TaaS seems like another in a long line of acronyms that have infiltrated the transportation industrypromising to disrupt the world as we know it. But what is TaaS, and why will this be an acronym that might deliver on its promise?

The Los Angeles Times Editorial Board has weighed in on the port truckers’ strike taking place in Los Angeles and Long Beach. Its opinion: clean up emissions at the ports, but don’t put the financial burden to do so on truckers.

While many fleets simply trade in their older equipment for newer equipment and forget about it, the value of used trucks can influence how many new trucks you can buy. That’s why paying attention to the used market can be a good financial strategy for determining trade cycles.

Seven fleets will participate in the North American Council for Freight Efficiency’s Run on Less program to showcase the benefits of fuel-saving technologies.

DAT has been one of the leading data providers for load and rate information for years thanks to its large database. Now, the company’s data is being used in even more ways, reinforcing the value the overall dataset provides.

Facing increasing pressure from investors, Uber CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick stepped down Tuesday night from the $70 billion ride-sharing and transportation company.

The Trump administration has proposed less federal spending as part of his $1 trillion infrastructure investment outline. In a recent Tax and Budget Bulletin, the Cato Institute’s Chris Edwards lays out the argument for why Trump’s approach to less federal spending is the proper approach to building world-class infrastructure.

Citing the need to cover additional costs during peak holiday shipping periods, UPS has announced a new peak surcharge that will be added to packages shipped during certain weeks this holiday season.

Teamsters union Local 848 has initiated a strike at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach today to protest what they say is misclassification of their employment as independent contractors.

Amazon sent shock waves through the grocery business on Friday with its announcement that it will acquire Whole Foods in a deal valued at $13.7 billion, which includes assumption of Whole Foods’ debt. But the purchase may be giving Amazon something even more valuable than Whole Foods’ customers – a distribution network.

After a few years of “rest” XPO Logistics is again in acquisition mode. CEO Bradley Jacobs, speaking at a supply chain conference in Chicago, says the company is looking for potential takeover targets, including options in Europe.

In another step into the food space, Amazon has announced it will buy Whole Foods for $13.4 billion plus debt, giving the e-tailer a physical presence in the $700 to $800 billion consumer grocery world. But like many things with Amazon, the end game may be something different.

A Buzzfeed writer has turned President Donald Trump’s visit with trucking leaders into a kids book. Also, manufacturing output declines and the uneven economy is causing some questions to be asked by trucking executives.

As the industry prepares for the December enforcement of the electronic logging device rule, there remains one area of the law that continues to create confusion for drivers – personal conveyance. What is personal conveyance and why does it cause so many problems?

Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed in a Bloomberg interview on Tuesday that the company is working on autonomous technology, further fueling speculation that the software giant is developing a self-driving Apple car.

The Federal Reserve voted to increase its key interest rate today, upping the rate 0.25% to a target of 1% to 1.5%. The increase, while small, could have a profound impact on trucking companies, shippers and consumers.

President Donald Trump’s apprenticeship program may provide an avenue to solving the truck driver shortage issue. But to make it work, it will require a little give on the government’s part.

In Pakistan, drivers care so much for their trucks that they turn them into works of art. Also, NATSO opposes rest stop privatization plan, working with robots and the path to better trade deals.

The lifeblood for many small trucking companies and independent truckers is the load board. There is no shortage of load boards, and differentiating between them can be difficult. For truckers who handle bulk products, though, finding loads on a generic load board can be time consuming. That’s what Bulkloads.com is trying to change.

A group of more than 250 House lawmakers are pushing for any tax reform package to include a permanent fix to the Highway Trust Fund. Also, Trump pushes apprenticeships, Britain’s Brexit problem and manufacturing hitting record levels.

Claiming the upcoming ELD mandate violated the 4th Amendment, OOIDA had asked the Supreme Court to hear the case. The Court has declined to do so, allowing the rule to go into effect in December.

In its latest State of the Freight webinar last week, FTR experts laid out their expectations and timelines for freight disruption, and as expected, sections were devoted to NAFTA and autonomous trucks.

The nation is about to heat up starting this weekend, and that could drive more volatility to already rising spot rates for agricultural haulers and shippers.

Do you have money to invest? If so, Martin Tillier has some advice: the time may be right to invest in trucking and logistics company stocks. Tillier notes that money spent on infrastructure will improve the fortunes of an industry that counts infrastructure as a critical piece to getting its job done.

Commonly considered a driver protection rule, the federal coercion rule institutes large fines for companies that pressure drivers to drive in violation of federal regulations, including hours of service. But is it working?

On Tuesday, during the company’s shareholder meeting, Tesla founder Elon Musk updated investors on a number of initiatives and pushed back against critics of the Tesla Semi electric truck. Also, when is a fuel tax on a fuel tax, and inside the supply chain’s tech revolution.

The battle between Amazon and Walmart took another turn when Amazon announced it would begin offering discounted Prime memberships to those on U.S. government assistance. That could pull shoppers, and freight, from Walmart. 

Since 2010 EPA emissions regulations went into effect, it has been said that in some areas of the country, the emissions released by heavy-duty trucks are actually cleaner than the air they are emitted into. But a new study by researchers at UC-Riverside calls that into question.

Many larger carriers already require their drivers to use ELDs, but for smaller carriers that make up the majority of the industry,  the implementation of ELDs and their associated cost could be a game-changer. This infographic highlights some of the key facts around ELDs, their impact on operations, and potential solutions to mitigate those impacts.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has proposed a pilot program on truck driver split-sleeper berth time and hot it affects driver safety performance and fatigue. Also, a new driver training rule has gone into effect and how do you value truck manufacturers? 

If past Roadcheck trends hold true, shippers moving flatbed loads will face higher rates because of this year’s inspection blitz. But they won’t be the only ones impacted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual safety campaign, which begins today and runs through June 8.

When capacity is tight, spot market rates increase, and that hurts brokers. There are other factors that affect rates, of course, but 3PLs have had few options to manage the underlying fundamentals that so negatively hurt their businesses. That is about to change.

After months of talking about his $1 trillion infrastructure improvement plan, President Donald Trump is finally set to unveil more details on the proposal today. Also, transportation’s best CEOs and there were fewer trucking jobs in May.

President Trump’s decision to pull the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord could have a profound effect on global efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, but will probably have little impact on the U.S. trucking industry.

Walmart is testing a program where store associates will deliver online purchases, which could have a major impact on package delivery companies. Also, Waymo is testing a self-driving truck and monthly freight index climbs.

Kenco Group is known for its logistics services, but it is also becoming known for its innovation. Inside the Kenco Innovation Lab, next-generation solutions are being developed for today’s logistics companies.

A petition has been filed asking EPA to reconsider its Phase 2 GHG rules based on a procedural step that may have been missed. Also, spot rates climb and cargo theft remains a top concern.

Headlines are declaring the death of the truck driver at the hands of the autonomous truck. But what if that doesn’t happen? Looking deeper into reports of job losses finds that significant impacts are likely 20 years away – if at all. 

J.B. Hunt is investing $2.75 million in the University of Arkansas for creation of the J.B. Hunt Innovation Center of Excellence. The center will allow students to work with J.B. Hunt employees to solve real-word supply-chain problems. Also, tips on surviving a ransomware attack, consumer spending rises, and if there are so many jobs available, where are the workers?

In 2015, the trucking industry experienced over 996 million hours of delay because of congestion, which is equivalent to 362,243 commercial truck drivers sitting idle for an entire working year, at a cost of $63.4 billion. Here are some more facts about congestion.

McKinsey & Company has recently issued a report on potential impacts to the trucking and rail freight industries in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The report, “Four forces to watch in trucking and rail freight,” identifies critical structural issues that executives must pay attention to in the immediate future.

Deutsche Post DHL Group in cooperation with AXIT recently held a live demonstration of how a must-have repair part could be manufactured and delivered to its end user in a single day thanks to technology. 

The improvements in 3D printing technology has boosted the hopes that one day supply chains will become shorter as products are printer on-demand in close proximity to end users. Deutsche Post DHL Group and IT logistics provider Axit recently showcased how replacement parts could be produced and shipped in the same day.

A federal judge who found UPS guilty back in March of illegally shipping cigarettes on Thursday ordered the package delivery giant to pay $247 million in damages and penalties to New York state and New York City.

The news out of the Middle East on Thursday that OPEC would continue recent production cuts in an effort to boost oil prices may have upset some oil traders, but it shouldn’t have much effect on diesel fuel prices at the pumps, according to experts.

A Chinese e-commerce company wants to make deliveries weighing as much as 1 ton with drones. JD.com is already delivering smaller packages in rural villages. Also in the news, FMCSA officials will be meeting to discuss regulatory relief for the industry and GM is facing allegations it used defeat devices to bypass diesel emissions regs on its pickups.

If it seems that freight brokerage – both digital and traditional services – are popping up on a daily basis, it could be because they are, or it at least it seems that way. Digital freight matchers (DFMs) include familiar names such as Convoy, CargoMatic, Haulfox and HaulHound. But what if you want to enter the space? Here are some tips on how to be successful as a DFM.

Flatbed hauler Daseke has decided to put some stock in its employees – literally. The publicly held company announced it will set aside 1 million shares of common stock with a current value of $9.9 million for employees. Also, a list of the world’s largest transportation companies and news on a lawsuit involving Swift. 

President Donald Trump’s budget proposal released Wednesday calls for a loosening of restrictions on tolls, more private investment in infrastructure, cuts a critical loan program used by manufacturers to build fuel-efficient vehicles, and reduces workforce training grants that are used to train truck drivers and other transportation workers.

While FMCSA’s electronic logging device (ELD) rule seems like a done deal, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has not thrown in the towel quite yet. Also, Republicans continue pushing for border adjustment tax, tonnage falls, and a new approach to truck safety.

Since its founding, LinkeDrive has become synonymous with driver performance coaching. Its PedalCoach product has helped thousands of drivers achieve higher fuel efficiency and boost safety performance. It turns out, though, that the data it is generating has a lot more potential.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is again delaying a rule that many in the industry asked for – entry-level driver training. Also, a look at what life is like on the road for drivers, battery technology could extend vehicle range and UPS to add peak seasonal volume charges.