Business

Trump clears regulations for commercial drone flights in the US, ushering in a new age of airfreight drones. 

Hyliion announced the availability of its tractor electrification system at the American Trucking Associations’ MCE show in Orlando this week. The system uses regenerative braking to collect energy and store it for later use by the tractor.

If you live in an apartment complex you know. Packages pile up in stairwells, landings and hallways. You especially know which of your neighbors avidly use their Amazon prime memberships. Amazon is now building delivery solutions designed for this scenario.

The process of matching freight is complicated – with many parameters involved in exploring thousands of different possible combinations in real time and in identifying the best possible match to the parties involved. TGMatrix, a startup based out of Oxford in the United Kingdom, is working on creating an intermodal freight matching engine.

McKinsey & Company has issued a landmark report predicting sweeping changes amid steady growth in the container shipping industry over the next 50 years.

Ontario-based Geotab has been collecting data and helping fleets solve operational challenges for years. It is now hoping to broaden its customer base even further thanks to its latest offerings.

The integrated freight matching and transportation execution platform that originally launched for carriers and shippers has expanded to include third-party logistics providers (3PLs) and brokers.

The Commerce Department has preliminarily determined that steel wire rod from Italy, South Korea, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom are being dumped on the U.S. market […]

Stifel Capital Markets will be hosting a dial-in conference call on Friday, Oct. 27, at 11 a.m. ET. Entitled “The Blockchain in Trucking Revolution,” the call will feature Craig Fuller, CEO of TransRisk and co-founder of the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance, and Chris Burruss, president of the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance.

CargoLogicAir appoints new CEO, while TIACA names chairman and vice chairman, and the Intelligent Transportation Society of America appoints new president and CEO.

There were a number of companies that presented new and updated products this past week at the American Trucking Associations’ MCE 2017 conference in Orlando, FL. Here is a rundown of some of those products.

Fullbay, a cloud-based management platform for independent truck shops, has joined the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance (BiTA), formed by seasoned logistics and technology professionals who will work together on the first set of transportation and trucking blockchain standards.

Since 2014, Edge Logistics has searched for new, innovative and time-saving ways to create better efficiency and transparency with its carrier network and to continue that tradition, the company has joined the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance.

In the future, trailer pools may no longer be the domain of truck large truckload fleets. Could they disrupt the LTL market as well and might brokers and 3PLs be able to take advantage?

One of 2017’s biggest stories in the emerging autonomous vehicles industry—Waymo’s $2.6B lawsuit against Uber over stolen trade secrets—revolves around a single piece of technology that is currently fueling a frenzied global competition for investment dollars, engineering expertise, and manufacturing capacity.

PeopleNet made several new product announcements this week at the American Trucking Associations (ATA) Management Conference & Exhibition in Orlando. A new gateway, fault intelligence, document scanning program and wireless trailer camera were on display at the company’s booth.

The Interagency Committee on Trade in Timber Products, which was stood up as part of the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement, has ordered CBP to block shipments from Inversiones Oroza after […]

We need NAFTA. That was the general consensus from Bob Costello and Derek Leathers on Sunday during a general industry update session at the American Trucking Associations’ MCE 2017 conference in Orlando.

U.S. government regulators have found no antitrust violations with the proposed merger between liner carriers COSCO Shipping and Orient Overseas (International) Ltd., according to a joint statement released on Monday […]

The North Florida port’s public seaport terminals experienced record growth in containerized cargo, as well as vehicles and overall tonnage for the 2017 fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30.

The driver shortage has surged to the most important issue facing the industry, according to the latest top ten critical issues survey, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), said.

The annual State of the Industry address at the American Trucking Associations’ MCE conference is a time for the president to highlight all that is good about trucking. Delivering his second address as president, Chris Spear noted some of the legislative accomplishments of the association, took aim at some of the industry’s critics, and called for unity.

Port Freeport names CFO; Jaxport’s board of directors elects new officers; ACI selects chairman and vice-chairman of the ACI World governing board; and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public […]

Delivering a speech that was warmly welcomed by attendees, Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta said the Trump Administration was removing barriers to getting work done and improving healthcare for Americans in general, but for the trucking industry specifically.

Container shipments from North Europe to North America have picked up in 2017 thanks to Mexico’s growing demand for auto parts, according to a recent analysis from shipping research and […]

The Belgian port handled 167.1 million metric tons of cargo during the first nine months of the year, fueled by growth in the container, liquid bulk, conventional breakbulk and roll-on/roll-off […]

Earnings per share at GATX for the quarter surpassed analyst expectations despite declining from last year, as challenging conditions persist in the North American railcar leasing market.

The driver shortage is increasing, according to Bob Costello, chief economist of the American Trucking Associations, but it’s not as bad as many people believe.

International announced it has created a 24/7 center to manage customer support to help speed the time it takes to get vehicles back on the road.

Many fleets are devoting 10% of their operating budgets to maintenance, but it doesn’t have to be that high, suggests Jim Buell, EVP of sales & marketing for FleetNet America. “If you talk to most people, they think maintenance costs are like death and taxes, you can’t do anything about it,”

When the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) announced in late August that it would delay out-of-service orders for ELD violations until April 1, 2018, many cheered the decision. According to Collin Mooney, executive director of CVSA, many assumed that meant officials would not enforce the ELD rule at all until April. That is simply not true.

Some of the most prominent stakeholders in Canada voiced their concerns over NAFTA at an event organized by the Truckload Carriers’ Association (TCA) entitled “Bridging Border Barriers.”

TMW Systems is working on blockchain-enabled products and gave a demonstration and update on how that work is progressing on Friday.

Shippers and carriers are an integral part of the freight industry and keeping them in the loop would go a long way to improving efficiency inside the system. That is the belief that the founders of Go99 are building their business upon.

A jury has awarded $15.57 million to Isaac Espinoza, who was struck by a tractor-trailer driven independent contractor Ricky Hatfield while assisting a friend on the side of I-81 north. The jury also held the broker who contracted with Hatfield partially responsible.

Since last week, spot container rates from Shanghai to Europe, the Mediterranean and the U.S. have all declined, according to the Shanghai Shipping Exchange’s Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI).

The Omaha, Neb.-based transportation and logistics services provider’s net income increased 19 percent year-over-year during the quarter to $22.5 million amid an improved freight market, according to Werner Enterprises’ most […]

Sections of the long-haul and drayage trucking communities are still unprepared for implementation of the fast approaching federal mandate to install electronic logging devices (ELDs) on all commercial trucks and […]

Blockchain offers a number of opportunities within freight management to improve cash flow. Pay per mile insurance coverage is one new concept, but that same philosophy can be applied to vehicle leases, perhaps changing the way fleets pay for their vehicles.

Driver costs are the highest cost for fleets, surpassing fuel for the second year in a row, according to data from the American Transportation Research Institute.

Ever since Bitcoin gatecrashed into the financial market scenes in late 2009, the technology underlying the virtual currency has had people talking. Blockchain, a ledger of records arranged in data blocks, uses cryptographic validation to link themselves together, resembling an unending chain, and it is disrupting the way FinTech market works.

Hyperloop companies have raised hundreds of millions of dollars to develop a new, high-speed form of transportation, but regulatory frameworks haven’t yet caught up with their technology.

CargoNet, a Verisk Analytics company specializing in averting cargo theft, has launched a new app to boost its theft risk identifying properties according to a Verisk press release. The company’s RouteSearch app is available to registered CargoNet members only at this time.

The Swiss-based freight forwarder recorded a consolidated profit of CHF 48.4 million (U.S. $49.6 million) and net forwarding revenues of CHF 4.1 billion during the first nine months of 2017, […]

FreightWaves has launched a new career website for professionals in the logistics and transportation space. Available at FW.careers, the site is designed for those looking for executive-level positions and for the companies looking to hire the best talent.

The supply chain stands at the crossroads of innovation, with the impact of technology felt in different micro-niches. Here is a look at some of the technologies that are showing considerable potential and looking to change the facade of freight hauling forever.

The concept of driverless trucks has recently jostled the transportation industry.  However, truck drivers everywhere may be relieved to discover that world-renowned business tycoon, Warren Buffett, is betting a fortune on their livelihoods, and sees no need to worry about an impending AI driver revolution.

General Motors has advanced its next-generation fuel cell system, which is part of its concept SURUS (Silent Utility Rover Universal Superstructure) platform that was shown last week at the fall meeting of the Association of the United States Army. Whether commercial transportation is willing to adopt fuel cell technology, though, remains a question.

C.H. Robinson will implement Omnitracs’ Virtual Load View (VLV) application as it seeks ways to improve visibility into load tracking. The system will run alongside C.H. Robinson’s own Navisphere system.

E. Hunter Harrison, president and chief executive officer of CSX, said the Jacksonville, Fla.-based Class I railway’s results for the quarter reflected “the resiliency of precision scheduled railroading.”

Class I railway Canadian Pacific’s (CP) net income for the quarter surged 47 percent year-over-year to $510 million Canadian (U.S. $408 million) amid higher revenues and volumes, according to the […]

Ports along the St. Lawrence Seaway handled 24.3 million metric tons of cargo between March 20 and Sept. 30, an increase of nearly 3 million metric tons over the same […]

DB Cargo AG CEO to resign at the end of October; LOC Group appoints CEO and group deputy chairman; and KCS names vice president, health, safety and environmental.

Paper Transport, Inc. has been accepted as a member of the Blockchain in Transportation Alliance.  Paper Transport, Inc. choose BiTA because of the alliance’s commitment to building a standard communication framework for the next generation of logistics providers.

Hyperloop has been touted as a way to move passengers long distances quickly, but it is most likely going to find its footing first in the freight world, according to those working to develop the technology.

South Carolina Ports Authority handled 539,995 TEUs during the first quarter of its 2018 fiscal year, which ran from July 1 through Sept. 30, up nearly 4 percent year-over-year.

While not new to the supply chain, technology is lowering barriers and offering new opportunities for 4PLs to move in and control entire supply chains, creating greater efficiency for all involved.

Celadon Group has announced the appointment of Thom Albrecht as executive vice president – chief financial and strategy officer. Albrecht is president of consulting firm Sword & Sea Transport and a member of the TransRisk Board of Advisors.

Sandeep Kar, one of the commercial vehicles industry’s most respected names has joined the TransRisk Board of Advisors. He brings decades of research and insights on the commercial vehicle market, along with a perspective on the impact of autonomous, electric, telematics, and blockchain technologies will have on the trucking industry. 

The original celebrity billionaire strikes once again. Once calling himself “The Rebel Billionaire,” Richard Branson has officially joined the Board of Directors in charge of Hyperloop One, The Verge reports.

Cargo demand between Asia and the Mediterranean grew 5.7 percent for the first eight months of the year, which has encouraged carriers to deploy larger ships on the trade, according […]

The Swiss-based third-party logistics provider saw earnings and net turnover increase year-over-year for the third quarter and for the first nine months of 2017.

Chicago-based freight visibility software provider FourKites has integrated with RevenovaTMS to extend its real-time tracking offering to Revenova’s customers.

The Port of Seattle names managing director, maritime division; and GE appoints new chief executive officer of GE Transportation.

A lot of facts and figures get thrown out by startups in the trucking space. Its important to understand whether these facts are credible or not. 

Bitcoin is super-hot and has fended off any real threat to its meteoric rise. We examine what has fueled this factor and how it impacts the viability of blockchain in the logistics sector. 

Coyote Logistics, a UPS company and leading global third-party logistics service provider, announced today that it has joined the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance (BiTA).

Used-truck prices are down slightly this year and some fleets looking to trade in their vehicles may be finding the residual value they expected to get when they acquired these trucks in 2013/14 are just not there right now.

One of the primary problems plaguing the conventional freight industry today is the lack of affordable track-and-trace providers in the market that can provide real-time visibility to shipments. FreightTracer, a startup from Texas, is providing its customers real-time visibility into all their shipments – anytime and anywhere across any carrier.

The Port of Oakland posted record operating revenues for the fiscal year, which ended June 30, thanks to higher operating revenues in all three of its business lines – aviation, […]

Spot container rates from Shanghai to Europe have been continuously declining since the end of August, while on the Shanghai to Mediterranean trade, they have been falling since the end […]

FIATA announces election results; Saltchuck selects Young Brothers president to lead its Hawaii business initiatives; and the Transportation Institute at the University of Denver’s board of directors elects new chair.

E. Hunter Harrison, president and chief executive officer at CSX, said during a hearing Wednesday that the Class I railroad has improved performance, but various shippers at the hearing expressed […]

On Wednesday night, President Donald Trump talked about his administration’s tax plan at an event at an airport hanger on the Pennsylvania Air National Guard base in Harrisburg, PA. Here is the official, unedited transcript of the speech provided by the White House:

President Donald Trump took his case for tax reform to the American people on Wednesday night – specifically the trucking community – at an event in Harrisburg, PA.

The second largest e-commerce player in China has sealed the deal and will deploy the first automatic delivery vans to operate on the mainland. JD.com has confirmed the partnership deal made with Chinese automobile manufacturers Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Shanghai-based SAIC Maxus, China Daily reports.

After first acknowledging it was a developing a fuel-cell powered heavy-duty truck in the spring, Toyota is now set to unveil its Project Portal truck to the public through a demonstration program at the Port of Los Angeles that starts Oct. 23.

While the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued an exemption to the electronic logging device (ELD) rule for certain rental vehicles, the exemption has opened up several questions, including whether there is a potential loophole in the rule.

President Donald Trump spoke to a group of truck drivers and carriers on Wednesday in Middletown, Pa. about the benefits of his tax reform plan, which is backed by strong […]

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb appoints members to Ports of Indiana Commission, and VARGO hires a quality assurance and support professional.

Until Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico, few people had ever heard of the Jones Act. Now, armed with a basic knowledge, many are wondering if the Jones Act is actually harming the U.S. and whether lifting it might benefit shipping and logistics in this country.

While legislative wheels are starting to turn, there is little reason to expect major movement on any infrastructure bill in 2017. The most optimistic timelines being floated on Capitol Hill call for the law to be signed in 2018, with funds released in 2020.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has granted a waiver to the Truck Renting and Leasing Association (TRALA) that will exempt all commercial rental vehicles from the electronic logging device (ELD) rule for drivers using a “property carrying commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) rented for 8 days or less.”

With the freight marketplace widening exponentially every year, the growing communication divide in the community is also significantly felt. Fr8Hub, a digital freight marketplace startup is looking to improve peer-to-peer interaction by creating transparency and injecting efficiency in freight hauling.

Ports covered by the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Global Port Tracker handled 1.8 million TEUs in August, the highest monthly volume recorded since the NRF began tracking imports in 2000.

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer’s commanding officer and executive officer were relieved of their duties Wednesday, following its collision with a merchant vessel on Aug. 21, which claimed the lives […]

iContainers names director of sales and operations of its Barcelona office; and ShipServ appoints senior vice president, business development.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Thomas Donohue told attendees at the U.S.-Mexico CEO Dialogue the “trilateral commercial relationship [of NAFTA] is far too valuable to American businesses, workers, and economic […]

In the rush to develop autonomous, long-haul trucks (and trains) that could double productivity – driving for 24 hours a day with no need for rest – it may turn out that the competition for freight may really be in the sky.

The only group of employees in C.R. England’s 8,000-plus workforce that is part of a union has voted to decertify Teamsters Local 705. Drivers in C.R. England’s Chicago Intermodal division, which represented less than 1% of the company’s employees, voted on Sept. 20 to leave the union.

Costco has expanded its partnership with California-based startup Instacart and that means that customers are now able to get shelf-stable food ordered online and delivered within two days. Fresh foods will be delivered the same day.

Integrating the International Air Transport Association’s Cargo-XML system with World Customs Organization’s Cargo Targeting System will allow airlines and customs agencies to more efficiently communicate and evaluate risks associated with […]

General Motors Co. has acquired light detection and ranging (LIDAR) technology company Strobe, Inc., and as part of the deal, Strobe’s engineering talent is joining GM’s Cruise Automation team to […]

The number of fatalities involving large trucks in the United States totaled 4,317 in 2016, a 5.4 percent increase from 2015, according to a recent report from the Department of […]

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said Warminster, Pa.-based garment importer Notations “repeatedly ignored warning signs that its business partner, which imported garments from China, was engaged in a scheme […]

The United States increased beef export volumes and value in August from 12 months prior, despite the nation experiencing modest declines in pork exports in terms of volumes and value.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Un Hag Baeg, a South Korean national living in Southern California, defrauded the U.S. government out of $13 million in excise taxes on 143 […]

Union Pacific names vice president and treasurer, vice president-planning and analysis, and vice president-tax; and Crane Worldwide Logistics hires vice president, ocean products.

With the freight industry being one of the largest contributors to the U.S. economy, it is imperative that it makes way for technology infusion. San Diego-based startup LoadExpress is looking to disrupt the way logistics is handled in the industry right now.

Protests on both coasts in the past few days have placed truckers in the spotlight. Truck drivers in California and Washington, DC, staged protests to highlight the implementation of the electronic logging device (ELD) rule.