Werner Enterprises reported a first-quarter record for operating income Wednesday after the close. Revenue-per-mile guidance in its one-way segment moved higher.

Less-than-truckload carrier Saia reported first-quarter earnings ahead of expectations and guided for second-quarter results to outpace normal seasonality.

Less-than-truckload carrier Saia reports a big year-over-year increase in earnings during the first quarter even as weather negatively impacted one-third of its network.

Less-than-truckload carrier Yellow announced it is taking delivery of the next wave of equipment, which has been facilitated by the CARES Act loan it received in 2020.

Trends so far during the first-quarter earnings season are supportive of truckload carriers posting sizable growth in 2021.

DSV Panalpina announced Tuesday it plans to acquire the logistics arm of Agility Public Warehousing for $4.1 billion. The deal is expected to turn the transportation and logistics company into a top 3 forwarder globally.

First-quarter earnings reports from truckload carriers highlight a booming freight market. A strong consumer, tight truck capacity and elevated rates appear the likely dynamics for the remainder of the year.

Roehl Transport announced its second driver pay increase of the year.

Buyers and suppliers have turned to supply chain finance to manage liquidity needs for decades. However, supplier finance programs have seen increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies, which seek greater disclosure.

Dan Scarbrough, president and COO at IncubEx, joined Danny Gomez, managing director of financial and emerging markets at FreightWaves, to discuss climate futures exchange markets at FreightWaves’ Net-Zero Carbon Summit.

Old Dominion Freight Line set a first-quarter record even with adverse weather conditions. The second quarter is shaping up to produce a new all-time company record.

Old Dominion Freight Line announced its best first-quarter result in company history on Thursday. Improved density and yields led to a 76.1% operating ratio, 530 basis points better year-over-year.

P.A.M. Transportation Services posted a profit in the first quarter of 2021. The bulk of the improvement came on the nonoperating line.

Broker Landstar System blew out analysts’ expectations for the first quarter. The company’s earnings almost doubled from the year-ago quarter, which wasn’t materially impacted by COVID. Landstar’s new guidance calls for more of the same.

GP Transco is the latest carrier to raise driver pay. Base pay alone for company drivers moves 15% higher.

Heartland Express reported a slight miss on first-quarter earnings expectations Wednesday. The carrier pointed to relative strength in March as it exited the quarter, noting that driver pay will need to be raised again.

Knight-Swift Transportation posted a large headline earnings beat in the first quarter but it was less impressive by comparison when excluding nonoperating income. The company now sees over-the-road contract rates increasing in the mid-teen percentage range during 2021.

Logistics warehouse provider Prologis sees the real estate market tightening further in 2021. Rents are expected to step higher by mid-single digits even as more capacity comes online.

Freight expenditures surged with another step higher in volumes, according to March data released by Cass Information Systems on Friday. The Cass Freight Index posted cycle highs with the expenditures’ subindex displaying a new record.

Logistics warehouse provider Prologis reports a beat-and-raise quarter. The company is forecasting occupancy to continue to tick higher even as new properties come online.

Cass data published Friday highlights new records as volumes reaccelerate and rates soar.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services updated its long-term division margin targets on its first-quarter call Thursday.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services announced first-quarter results well ahead of analysts’ expectations.

Retail sales surged in March along with freight volumes. An increase in vaccinations and stimulus payments provided a “perfect alignment” for the blowout report.

Less-than-truckload carrier Yellow Corp. announces the departure of its COO and chief network officer. The company announced that its strategic initiatives head, Darrel Harris, will take over as president.

Forward Air’s growth plans net 11 new final-mile terminal locations in the first quarter. While recent activist shareholder interests called into question the company’s capital allocation strategy, it appears the final-mile segment remains part of the plan.

Third-party logistics provider GSC Logistics plans to add 100 more drivers and 400 chassis to meet the container volume surge on the West Coast.

Crete Carrier and Shaffer Trucking has announced a pay increase for drivers in its regional and national over-the-road fleets starting May 1.

Driver pay continues to step higher as truck capacity remains very tight and consumer spending high.

Forward Air announces its “largest-ever” rate increase to capacity providers.

Refrigerated carriers Leonard’s Express and Holman Transportation join forces in latest truckload acquisition.

Roadrunner announced it has raised $50 million in equity through a private placement led by GlobalTranz and Emerge founder Andrew Leto. The company continues to advance its focus on the less-than-truckload market following a major restructuring.

ArcBest’s Danny Loe, head of asset-light logistics and chief yield officer, joins George Abernathy, president of FreightWaves, to chat about the new normal for procuring capacity during the 3PL Summit.

Electronic payments provider Relay Payments announces Old Dominion Freight Line is the latest carrier to join its platform.

Less-than-truckload carrier Saia announces the addition of its 20th facility in the Northeast in just the last four years. The LTL market continues to garner incremental investment dollars as demand rises.

Two bullish equity research reports this week on transportation stocks both highlight expectations around consumer spending and what that means for freight demand.

February freight data from Cass shows a deceleration in the growth rates of shipments and expenditures. Recent weather events have only “coiled the spring” for a continuation of high demand and rising rates.

After raising pay earlier in the year, Cargo Transporters has implemented a flexible pay package, allowing company drivers to earn paid time off and bonus payments on a prorated basis.

While the less-than-truckload market is experiencing a boom, it’s not without growing pains, according to Recon Logistics’ pricing and analytics expert Curtis Garrett.

Activist investor Ancora Advisors gains two seats on Forward Air’s board and endorses three others. The company’s former CFO has been brought on in a consulting role.

West Coast carrier Cheema Freightlines announces a pay bump for drivers and plans to expand its fleet in 2021.

After a fresh round of pay increases at the beginning of the year, some carriers are continuing to raise rates further. Bay & Bay Transportation announced effective immediately it has raised pay for independent contractors by 20 cents per mile.

Cold storage provider Lineage Logistics announced Thursday that it completed a $1.9 billion equity raise to fund new developments, M&A and technology initiatives.

Prologis Research sees the need for modern logistics space climbing by at least 3 billion to 4 billion square feet over the next cycle.

George Paraskevopoulos, director of business development for 2DA Analytics, joins Chuck Yates from Digital Wildcatters to chat about the changing landscape of midstream and refining at Evolve: The Next Generation of Oil & Gas.

Flatbed carrier Daseke announced Wednesday it has reduced debt and refinanced the bulk of its remaining debt. The transaction, which will lower annual interest payments, is the latest in the company’s efforts to improve margins and financial returns.

Armand Paradis, CEO and founder of Inside Petroleum, joins Jake Corley, co-founder of Digital Wildcatters, to discuss automation and removing manual workflows during Evolve: The Next Generation of Oil & Gas.

Booming sales, thin inventories and more stimulus on the way provide the backdrop for potentially setting a new record for retail container imports in 2021. The National Retail Federation raised its outlook again for loaded containers landing at U.S. ports in the first half of the year.

Less-than-truckload carrier Yellow Corp., like other LTLs, reports a weather-related falloff in February trends. However, industrial data continues to suggest this LTL freight recovery has legs.

Wells Fargo transportation research analyst Allison Poliniak-Cusic raises expectations for intermodal providers in a new report. Favorable catalysts for the mode are expected to carry into 2022.

Old Dominion Freight Line said Thursday it would add 800 drivers and more than 400 dockworkers and clerical personnel to meet “robust freight demand.”

J.B. Hunt believes recent winter storms will negatively impact first-quarter operating income by $15 million to $20 million. The company said it had been successful advancing its intermodal service initiatives prior to the storms.

Several of the nation’s largest retailers say inventory positions are improving. However, retail sales continue to outpace efforts to stock up, suggesting trucking demand could stay elevated well into 2021.

Flatbed transportation and logistics provider PS Logistics remains on the acquisition trail, purchasing the assets of Indiana carrier Jason Jones Trucking. The tuck-in deal allows JJT to keep operating under its own name.

Less-than-truckload carrier Saia reported a small decline in volumes during February, reversing the more than 5% increase recorded in January. Excluding inclement weather, the carrier said trends remain consistent with January.

Growth in the supply chain came at a faster pace in February, with transportation capacity falling and prices climbing at accelerated rates.

Carrier Averitt Express said it was raising pay for its newly hired regional truckload and flatbed drivers. The company becomes the latest to increase driver pay as the industry struggles to seat tractors.

Gordon Downes, CEO of New York Shipping Exchange, joins Ocean Audit’s head Steve Ferreira to chat about structural changes in container shipping and the place two-way committed contracts have in the industry.

Less-than-truckload carrier Old Dominion reported Tuesday that February results were impacted as inclement weather took hold on parts of its network during the month. However, the carrier noted that the deceleration from January’s robust growth rate lasted for only one week.

Logistics provider ArcBest Corp. reported that the positive trends in its asset-based segment during January were derailed by poor weather in February. Overall, less-than-truckload fundamentals “remain generally positive,” according to one analyst.

Philip Damas, managing director at Drewry Shipping Consultants, and Andy Gillespie, director of global logistics at Ansell Healthcare Products, chat about the current port congestion and how the situation can be corrected.

TruckLabs founder and CEO Daniel Burrows joins Kevin Hill, executive publisher at FreightWaves, to discuss fuel efficiency for trucks and post-COVID changes in the automotive supply chain.

Ernie Manansala Jr., chief marketing officer at BRÈINFÚEL, talks about the obstacles facing startup CPG brands and the need for flexible warehousing space with Grant Langston, CEO of Warehouse Exchange.

Fuel card provider WEX Inc. continues to see gradual sequential improvement but at a pace below analysts’ expectations. The company’s fourth-quarter result was slightly below expectations and its first-quarter revenue guidance disappoints. Shares are off 4% in early trading.

Kevin Walker, president of Accentrics Home, and Doug Ladden, co-founder and CEO of Deliveright Logistics, talk about challenges and best practices for the heavy-goods logistics industry.

With the need for qualified drivers on the rise, less-than-truckload carrier Yellow Corp. announces plans to hire 1,500 drivers and open new academies in 12 locations across the country.

Jason Coker, vice director of the Arnold Engineering Development Complex, chats with FreightWaves President George Abernathy about the efforts made to meet the growing demand for weapons systems technology and testing and the challenges space commercialization have presented.

A $250 million e-commerce- and transportation-focused SPAC was filed Friday. Logistics industry veteran Dick Metzler is behind the deal.

Cold storage operator Americold saw occupancy dip year-over-year during the fourth quarter as food manufacturers struggled to keep proteins in stock.

Cass freight data released Thursday shows a huge surge in freight spending with solid growth in shipments. The report indicated that 2021 is unlikely to produce the “rate relief” to shippers that 2019 provided.

Werner Enterprises modestly lowered earnings expectations for the first quarter of 2021 due to downtime caused by recent winter storms. The company expects no change to the tight capacity dynamic for some time.

Appearing at an investor conference, J.B. Hunt CEO John Roberts said this year’s intermodal bid season will go a long way in determining whether the company curtails the division’s margin target.

The activist investor group seeking changes at Forward Air said the company’s recent results and guidance are “substandard” in a letter to shareholders. The group also asserts that Forward was “disingenuous” in the way it provided updates on fourth-quarter results, suggesting it was fearful of receiving other board nominations.

Most less-than-truckload carriers have implemented general rate increases for 2021. The average increase is in the mid-single digits, ahead of some increases issued in the past and likely indicative of a firm LTL market.

Amid heightened scrutiny over the direction of the company, Forward Air’s management team defends its current strategy. Fourth-quarter results were negatively impacted by a December cyberattack.

Leaf Logistics CEO Anshu Prasad believes manufacturers of food and consumer packaged goods could be in jeopardy of missing earnings expectations as transportation rates remained elevated throughout the quarter.

Smart loading dock startup Kargo announced the close of its $6 million seed round on Thursday. The company eyes further expansion and product development.

An open letter from activist investor Ancora Advisors says “ineffective capital allocation” and diversification into “margin- and return-dilutive service offerings” have led to inferior results for Forward Air compared to other less-than-truckload carriers.

Third-party logistics provider Radiant Logistics beat expectations for its second fiscal quarter. The company’s improved results and low-debt profile are allowing it to pursue acquisitions.

Less-than-truckload carrier Saia laid out expansion plans on its fourth-quarter earnings call. The carrier believes door count growth can exceed recent expansion efforts.

Less-than-truckload carrier Saia reported fourth-quarter results well ahead of expectations Monday. The company reported record operating results in a “most unique year.”

Yellow Corp. is back. The holding company formerly known as YRC Worldwide has gone back to its roots. However, fourth-quarter results missed analysts’ expectations at a net loss of 37 cents per share.

Rents on U.S. logistics real estate advance amid pandemic-related headwinds during 2020. The annual Prologis Logistics Rent Index puts a bow on the year and takes a look at what 2021 has in store.

Schneider National plans to use its strong cash generation capabilities to reinvest in the fleet during 2021. The carrier will also look to allocate growth capital to its dedicated and intermodal offerings.

Schneider National posted fourth-quarter results ahead of analysts’ forecasts on Wednesday. The company’s 2021 outlook is largely in-line with the current consensus estimate.

Supply chain technology provider Manhattan Associates bests fourth-quarter forecast and raises 2021 guidance. Management sees “robust” global demand for cloud solutions.

The January Logistics Managers’ Index moves higher as more firms take on inventory and delays throughout the supply chain further deplete transportation and warehouse capacity.

Logistics provider ArcBest sees positive tonnage trends continue in the first quarter. The less-than-truckload carrier is attempting to break the historical margin decline seen from the fourth quarter to the first.

Logistics provider ArcBest reported better-than-expected results for the fourth quarter Tuesday. Less-than-truckload tonnage increased by double-digit percentages as weight per shipment jumped 10%.

Forward Air is the latest transportation provider to implement general rate increases amid a tight capacity environment. The company’s 6% GRI will apply to all shipments.

YRC announced Monday the further expansion of its regional next-day service at YRC Freight. This rollout will make the service available out of 13 terminals throughout the mid-Atlantic.

Only a week removed from the $800 million purchase of UPS Freight, TFI International is back at it. On Monday, the company announced the acquisition of van and flatbed carrier Fleetway Transport.

An interview with flatbed carrier Daseke outlines the company’s operational focus and plan to get back to growth through acquisitions.

The latest request from the congressional commission overseeing COVID-relief loans seeks pricing information from the Defense Department for all less-than-truckload shipments, including those performed by YRC Worldwide.

Flatbed truckload company Daseke beats earnings per share estimates in the fourth quarter but revenue and operating ratios slide. 2021 guidance provides a bit of a mixed bag.

Truck broker Landstar System expects high demand and elevated truckload rates to carry through the first quarter of the year. However, the company’s CEO has a bit of a contrarian “pessimistic” view for the second half.

Truck broker Landstar System set records in the fourth quarter. The company is expecting the high-demand environment and improved truckload pricing to carry through at least the first quarter.

Knight-Swift Transportation reports a big jump in results during the fourth quarter. However, while some may view this as a victory lap, investors appear to be calling the end to the TL trade.

Knight-Swift Transportation capitalizes on strong truckload fundamentals to post much higher year-over-year results. Fourth-quarter numbers came in slightly ahead of expectations and the company’s full-year 2021 guidance remains unchanged.

Prologis enters the new year with “optimism and confidence” as logistics real estate remains in high demand. Fourth-quarter financial results and 2021 guidance come in ahead of forecasts.