While all projections point toward a big future for EVs, one big question remains—what type of battery will emerge as the winner?
Morgan Stanley and SIG see great prospects for truckload carrier stocks going into 2018. Large carriers’ valuations should benefit from both the ELD mandate and the GOP tax reform.
YRC Worldwide CEO James Welch announced he will retire in July 2018. Current YRC Freight President Darren Hawkins is expected to be named to succeed Welch by the Board of Directors at its July 2018 meeting, the company said in a release.
To get a more detailed look at the impact ELDs are having on the industry, FreightWaves talked with drivers and a fleet that has been running the devices, and each has reported different experiences, but in the end, the concern of all of them is that the devices simply work.
Sustainability initiatives are good for business, the long-term health of urban citizens, and the environment, but it will take long-term thinking and engaged problem-solving strategies. (Shutterstock)
The Fed has raised interest rates to 1.25%–rates on new loans, equipment leases, old variable debt, and factoring services will all go up.
The adoption rate for ELDs is slowly inching up as more fleets come into compliance with the law, which goes into effect on Dec. 18.
The enormity of the trucking industry can be realized by looking at the myriad of industries that depend on freight hauling for their sustenance and growth. Add the fracking industry to that list as frac sand has become a major commodity.
Weak workforce training, high corporate tax rates, poor road & rail infrastructure quality, and a lack of regulatory transparency are all hurting America’s competitiveness as a manufacturing location.
The Budweiser brewer says this is part of its strategy to reduce the company’s carbon emissions by 30% by 2025.
Dry van spot rates hit a 3-year monthly high in November, according to data compiled by DAT Solutions. The November rate was $2.07 per mile, the highest monthly average since December 2014, the firm said, and 5 cents above October levels.
The Rhode Island Trucking Association (RITA) has called out the Rhode Island Department of ansportation (RIDOT)’s allegedly inadequate environmental assessment (EA), hoping that the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) will reject the report.
More than 400,000 Freightliner and Western Star Trucks are being recalled by Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) due to a potentially defective brake light.
Technology startup FR8 Revolution has received an investment from Sandhills Publishing as well as announced a new technology partnership with the company.
Recently, Mexico shifted into a supply-and-demand based pricing structure for its fuel markets, ditching the old system where the government set the fuel price through state-owned oil company Pemex as it seeks to attract more U.S. investment.
The demands of today’s marketplace are moving in one direction: giving us exactly what we want, when and where we want it. In his 2016 Ted Talk, Alan Amling reimagines the supply chain of the future. By integrating ideas from the past with today’s most promising technologies, he paints a surprising picture of how we might manufacture and move things in the years to come.
By the first week of December, the DAT weekly spot market price for dry-van loads had reached $2.09 (including fuel surcharge) or almost 30% higher in just 9 months. This is an extraordinary, but what is more extraordinary is the fact that the trucking marketplace is more than 3 times the size of the Bitcoin market capitalization, which has grown 22% in 12 months.
Last-minute efforts to delay or stop the electronic logging device rule (ELD) are continuing, but it may be too little, too late unless President Donald Trump throws a Hail Mary.
One of the questions many ask as the electric and autonomous vehicles are introduced to market is: What happens with the “last mile” delivery? It can be the most expensive leg of deliveries, especially in rural areas.
FedEx and UPS are squeezing e-commerce shippers with more expensive DIM pricing, accessorial fees, and tough rate negotiations.
Losses and debts can be a deadly combo for any shipping company to handle. In a report from the Wall Street Journal looking at so-called “zombie companies” in Europe, one logistics company stood out.
For millions of football fans, a trip to the Super Bowl is the ultimate bucket list item. For blue collar workers, though, attending the game is often out of reach with ticket prices reaching $5,000 and above on the secondary ticket market. For two lucky truck drivers that will change.
The out-of-control wildfires burning in California have had a dramatic impact on spot rates in the region.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has issued a letter to state attorneys general in all states asking them to review potential problems surrounding upcoming enforcement of the electronic logging device mandate.
The cleverness of the plan resides in the kind of “under-21 truckers” they’re talking about: only those with military driving experience.
Most carriers are currently coming to terms with the inevitability of the ELD mandate, and scrambling to get ready. Those carriers who are truly ELD-ready are in prime position to benefit.
Anheuser-Busch’s private fleet is among the leaders in the country when it comes to efforts to cut carbon emissions through alternative fuel use. The company is taking another step, announcing it has reserved 40 Tesla Semi electric tractors.
The growth in cargo volumes at London’s Heathrow Airport has created severe congestion across the region, which has the airport facing a dire situation due to long queues, which is increasing waiting times and thus delaying an already slow-moving air freight operation.
Following a Thanksgiving week that saw loads depressed, but not rates, the spot freight market was going full steam ahead last week with loads climbing 64% on the DAT network of load boards.
UPS has angered the Teamsters union after it implemented a longer workweek for package delivery drivers for the holidays.
As it stands, the tax bill, as it’s currently drafted, looks to benefit the industry in general, but what it means for the individual trucker is less clear.
Following on the footsteps of its European counterpart, Daimler Trucks North America will begin shipping 3D printed parts under a pilot program. Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz unit started a similar pilot in Europe last year.
Truck drivers are concerned with pay, but it’s not the most important topic on their mind when providing feedback to their employers. WorkHound compiled a list of topics drivers talked about the most, and pay only came in fourth. What was number one?
Eastern Europe’s infrastructure lags behind Western Europe, yet the logistics industry in that region has outperformed the remainder of Europe in the past year.
One of the largest elements of operational expenses in the freight hauling business is fuel, and yet there are a limited number of fleets that actively manage this cost effectively. Wisconsin-based Breakthrough Fuel is providing a way to effectively manage energy and reduce costs.
Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz Vans brand has introduced its third-generation Sprinter van at an event in Stuttgart, Germany. The van features many of the iconic attributes it always has, but has added new connectivity to further improve its utilization.
Job application fraud is a serious and significant problem in all industries. But without the time and financial resources to properly vet candidates, especially in an industry such as trucking with is facing a shortage of some 50,000 drivers, bad employees get through.
Toyota announced it is building a megawatt Tri-Gen hydrogen plant in California. The plant will produce hydrogen using renewable sources and will provide fuel for its Project Portal Class 8 hydrogen truck.
Almost every freight flow is growing. Some are growing a little and some are growing a lot, and all of them are accelerating in their rates of growth. Transports are surging as the underlying strength in both the consumer and industrial goods flow continues to improve. We see this as extraordinarily bullish for the overall U.S. economy.
Natilus, a startup based out of California, is looking to provide a drone solution that allows it to transport freight multiple times faster than when it is shipped across the ocean, at half the price of regular air freight.
Embark, Ryder and Frigidaire are testing Embark’s semi-autonomous trucks on routes running from Texas to California.
Yesterday, the Small Business House Committee heard how forthcoming ELD regulations will stifle competition, and how it won’t actually provide safety benefits.
CMA CMG and MSC have entered orders for a total of 20 record-breaking 22,000 TEU ships, reflecting a long-term trend toward consolidation in larger vessels and growing confidence in maritime shipping rates.
FourKites has launched its own ELD certification program that operates on an open architecture platform to help shippers and 3PLs to assist carriers in choosing ELD solutions that offer visibility into location data.
Just as people are getting used to the concept of blockchain and Bitcoin, now we have something called initial coin offerings (ICOs), which use cryptocurrencies to raise money. Sometimes called token sales or TGEs, they are becoming a popular way for companies, especially startups, to raise funds.
American oil production and the number of rigs should reach record highs in 2018. This is good news for trucking: both demand for truckload miles and overall economic growth will increase.
When people discuss blockchain, often the concept is too abstract to grasp. In many respects, you need a phD to understand it. So it was fortuitous for Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA) members that the group’s first meeting in Atlanta recently had just such a person.
Used-truck sales volumes continued their upward trend in October, but the industry is still facing an oversupply of vehicles, according to ACT Research. Class 8 same dealer used truck sales increased 12% month-over-month and 37% over October 2016, the firm said.
Regardless of their level of knowledge on blockchain, attendees at the first BiTA meeting were engaged by Ken Craig, senior vice president of special projects for McLeod Software, as he delivered an energetic and entertaining primer on Blockchain 101.
As the talks concluded last week on Round 5 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the 3 NAFTA ministers included among the 30 negotiating parties agreed to “step back” to give negotiators additional time to “analyze proposals and conduct internal consultations,” according to LandLine Magazine.
Could the economy be starting to slow? That is a conclusion that FTR’s Don Ake has drawn after reviewing a number of economic indicators. He bases his evaluation on current GDP growth and what he thinks will be coming in 2018.
Innovation is sweeping across the trucking industry; technologies such as autonomy, blockchain, and electrification are beginning to demonstrate real value potential. However, the question is, where innovation has been stagnant in the past, is the industry ready for change?
The spot market, which has been trending up for much of this year and is near record highs, is showing no signs of slowing down, according to DAT.
Automation and digitization continue to infiltrate the shipper and 3PL markets, even as those industries lag in investment, according to a study conducted by Infosys Consulting and presented during a Stifel conference call on Tuesday.
Injury insurance claims from ports involve vehicles or other heavy equipment 85% of the time. An insurance provider has studied the claims and is making recommendations to ports on how to prevent them.
In a mere seven months, the trucking marketplace has gone from over-capacitized to the most under-capacitized in recent history as the market dynamics have dramatically changed.
The story of railroads is as old as the independence of the United States. The growth of railroads ran in parallel with the economic surge and transportation expansion of the 19th century. Fast forward two centuries and the grasp of railroads on the freight transport market has all but waned.
Data from the freight markets indicate a super-strong economy
Data from the freight markets indicate a super-strong economy
Following on the heels of a 90-day waiver from the ELD rule for agriculture haulers, and several other exemptions granted by FMCSA in recent months, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has submitted a new exemption request to the agency.
Walmart’s commitment to digital sales, grocery pickup, and two day delivery mean a newly intensified supply chain: more truckloads to its stores, which are now acting like fulfillment centers, more expedited service in the holiday shopping capacity crunch, and more demand for last-mile delivery to its customers’ homes.
Last week, FreightWaves published a commentary suggesting that solving the driver shortage may be as easy as raising pay – a supply and demand issue. We got many comments on that, including from Stifel Equity Research’s John Larkin, who said economics is not the only issue at play.
FMCSA has made two recent changes to hours-of-service and ELD compliance that affects the agricultural community.
Weeks after Mastercard announced its foray into blockchain technology, American Express (AmEx) has launched its own blockchain-based payment service through the fintech startup Ripple, according to a report by Reuters.
The man behind the trucker march on Washington last month is back with a new group and a new billion-dollar lawsuit. James Lamb and his Small Business in Transportation Coalition has sued Indiana over the collection of Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) fees.
Global freight and logistics company DHL has confirmed its investment to the Airport Authority Hong Kong for the latter’s expansion plan for the Central Asia Hub, the Handy Shipping Guide reports.
Blockchain is digital ledger that can improve global trade security, stop illegal smuggling, and more importantly, reduce transit times currently bogged down by bureaucracy.
The industry loves to throw around the term “driver shortage.” But what we really face is an economic opportunity shortage. Fix this and you will fix the driver shortage problem.
Consumer confidence remains high, yet retail stores continue to close their doors. Welcome to shopping in a modern America.
For years we’ve heard arguments about how better supply chain visibility will lead to a logistics environment that is easier to predict, plan, and manage. But sudden changes can quickly derail those plans.
Amazon has officially entered the freight app business with a new option called Relay. The app debuted last month, CNBC reported, and will make it easier for truck drivers to get into and out of Amazon facilities.
The Tesla Semi is purely battery-electric, carrying enough storage capacity for 500 miles, according to the company. With plenty of fanfare, the truck made its long-awaited debut, and the range was not the only surprise.
Fullbay, a startup based out of Phoenix, AZ, has created a heavy duty shop management software that helps shop owners create instant invoices, attract technicians, and truly satisfy customers.
Van and refrigerated spot rates remain near historic levels, according to the latest data from DAT. The firm said the national average van rate fell 1 cent to $2.06 per mile, but remains just 3 cents below the post-hurricane peak of early October.
Executives at V3 Transportation, one of the nation’s largest expeditor fleets, spoke to me about how the ELD mandate will change their segment of the industry.
With all the advances being made in technology, it’s time for state transportation departments to be innovative and forward thinking, but that is not the case, according to the latest edition of McKinsey & Co.’s Voices on Infrastructure report.
Offering long-haul truck drivers the opportunity to extend their day by 2 hours is the goal of a new petition to FMCSA from KeepTruckin. The ELD provider said an analysis of data collected from devices found a troubling pattern of safety concerns when drivers are detained at shippers.
FrAIght, a startup based out of Chicago is looking to introduce an artificial intelligence powered freight broker service into the market, hoping to make a difference. The company works at the intersection of connectivity and technology by intelligently automating and mimicking existing workflows including email, fax, and EDI.
The seventh and final ELD survey conducted by Morgan Stanley before the Dec. 18 compliance date has found that capacity is expected to tighten about 3.44%, the highest level of all the surveys, the firm said.
According to a recent report by Bloomberg, American negotiators are advocating to remove Mexican long-haul trucks from the NAFTA Chapter on cross-border services.
Asian shippers are siding with the Notorious B.I.G.’s declaration of regional loyalty from the 1997 hit “Goin’ Back to Cali”: “If I got to choose a coast, I got to choose the East.” The expansion of the Panama Canal that doubled its capacity has started shifting freight to east coast ports, which have invested billions in dredging, construction, and equipment purchases to take advantage of the increased flow.
A Brazilian trucking startup, CargoX, has successfully secured $20 million in a Series C funding backed by banking behemoth Goldman Sachs, TechCrunch reports.
A push to increase detention pay has been gaining momentum in recent years in the U.S., yet detention remains a significant problem for carriers. Could the introduction of ELDs and blockchain eliminate that problem?
Fort Worth, Texas-based Apex Capital Corp, a freight factoring company serving small to medium-sized trucking companies, proudly announces its membership in the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance (BiTA).
An Ohio state legislator has introduced a bill that would require trucks operating in Ohio to have side guards to help protect pedestrians and bicyclists.
Millennials are tech-savvy more often than not, and providing them with tools that could ease the life of a trucking job could empower a lot more to join the system.
As the Chinese economy rises and more people in the world’s largest nation move into the middle class, the demand for foreign goods escalates. In response to domestic demand and pressure from the U.S. to lower the trade deficit, China is opening its doors to American beef.
Steadily rising global copper prices have spurred US production, up 21% since 2011. Although Chinese demand has softened somewhat, copper from mines in the Southwest should flow into Texas, Florida, and California as they rebuild from natural disasters.
For the first time since DAT began reporting its data in the current format, the monthly spot rate has exceeded the contract rate at the same time in all three modes. And the latest DAT Trucking Freight Barometers are continuing to signal that the ‘fall surge’ is happening for the first time since 2007. Now is a good time to have secured capacity and a bad time to be locked into contract rates.
The U.S. has its first electrified highway. While not a long stretch, the one-mile catenary system on the north- and south-bound lanes of South Alameda Street from East Lomita Boulevard to the Dominguez Channel in Carson, CA, are providing a proving ground for the technology.
The merger of Knight Transportation and Swift Transportation may be the transportation highlight for the year, but there has plenty more activity revolving around mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in 2017, with no letup in sight.
If the Trump administration wants to push through a massive infrastructure bill, the only viable way to do that is to raise the federal fuel tax. That is the conclusion of an American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) report entitled “A Framework for Infrastructure Funding.”
A one-day brake enforcement inspection by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance resulted in 14% of commercial vehicles in the U.S. and Canada being placed out of service for brake violations. A full 22% of vehicles were placed out of service for some kind of violation, CVSA said.
A combination of slowing economic growth, burdensome tax policy, and weak infrastructure is crippling Brazil’s transportation and logistics industries.
Fuel theft and fuel card abuse is a constant problem, but finding $300 worth of abuse on a $5,000 monthly fuel bill is not easy. That’s where Fueloyal believes it can help.
In the early days of trailer tracking, companies were simply looking for missing trailers. But technology has advanced, and trailer tracking is trying to keep pace. Now, the data generated by trailers can rival that of tractors, and properly managing that data could generate more revenue potential for carriers than ever before.
The Republican tax plan has officially been unveiled, and it includes a permanent corporate tax rate cut from 35% to 20%. The $1.5 trillion plan also includes the shrinking of the number of tax brackets to just four and eliminates the alternative minimum tax. It does not change the pretax treatment of 401K plans, as had been discussed previously.
The more individuals participating in a marketplace, and the more money that is being transacted in that marketplace, the more predictive that marketplace becomes. That’s why trucking remains one of the best indicators of economic activity. Here is what the weekly DAT Barometers for dry van, reefer, and flatbed are saying.
The Alliance for Driver Safety & Security, aka the Trucking Alliance, has adopted four technologies that the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety says is critical to reducing large truck crashes.
Former Tesla shareholder Daimler seems intent on upstaging the upstart with its own electric truck program, reports Bloomberg. Weeks before Tesla is set to unveil its own electric vehicle, Daimler introduced its own model, the E-Fuso Vision One.
