Business

Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter providing perspective and context on the week’s happenings in the trucking industry.

Trucks release a lot of data. Two attorneys from the Benesch law firm discuss the ownership of that data on this week’s podcast.

TFI International is working to hire more truck drivers at TForce Freight as it cuts salespeople amid a push to rebuild the UPS legacy operation.

Forager has engaged an investment banker and is running a sale process.

Canada Border Services Agency officers back a deal that will bring a new four-year contract with additional pay. But there’s one catch: The retroactive agreement expires next year.

Opponents of the legislation were particularly focused on a law known as PAGA.

Transportation procurement system will handle $4B worth of bids this year.

Feds are attempting to claw back funds from trucking company owners and reality TV stars who vied for PPP loans.

Don Thibodeaux from FuelHub discusses how automating fuel-buying processes can save money.

FedEx integrates the Aurora Driver autonomous system on PACCAR trucks into its logistics operations on Dallas-to-Houston round trips.

SkyBitz executive Ken Moore explains how remote fuel storage tank monitoring works and why it can help reduce freight costs in a fireside chat at FreightWaves’ Fuel Buyers Summit.

“If everything is streamlined and automated, your insurance costs will go down because your accidents will go down,” said Mitzel.

SPAC-sponsored autonomous software developer Embark Trucks is tapping industry experts for advice as its public debut nears.

The company didn’t blindside anyone. But it didn’t please that many, either.

Premar Global Warehouse Logistics employed 16 Mexican nationals to work as merchandise checkers in San Diego for the equivalent of $3.38 to $5.61 per hour in pesos.

M&A in third-party logistics continues at a high rate. PLS Logistics Services announced it has acquired freight broker D&L Transport.

“With GCP as a partner, their strategic connections will allow us to build the technology that our FDPs are craving,” says the FRONTDoor Collective COO.

“Our acquisition of Convey brings project44 all the way to the front doorstep,” says project44 founder and CEO Jett McCandless.

An “unprecedented outlook for hydrogen fueling station network development in California” contains bold expansion plans for the state. The California Air Resources Board report expects to see capacity for 250,000 fuel cell electric vehicles by 2026.

BlueTriton Brands, formerly known as Nestlé Waters North America, gets recognition for trailer loading ease and efficiency.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with G Squared on this significant milestone,” said Transfix CEO Lily Shen.

FreightWaves examines 5 deals and partnerships that highlight how fintech can improve FreightTech offerings.

Generous government spending and climate change policies to continue as Justin Trudeau secures a third term as Canada’s prime minister. But he’ll still need support from other parties.

Self-driving technology company Aurora said it will deploy a Toyota Sienna autonomous vehicle in rideshare service in the next six months.

“With all the difficulty with hiring, technology is an obvious answer,” said Zach Strickland.

Shelton, Connecticut-based 3G provides TMS solutions and advanced multi-carrier shipping software.

“We have always wanted customs authorities to share their rules, what they are looking for and what they are sharing, but they will never do that,” says Altana’s CEO on problems the company is aiming to solve.

Capstone Partners explains why brokerages are so expensive.

A National Labor Relations Board judge ruled the International Longshoremen’s Association cannot force the use of union labor at the Port of Charleston’s new Leatherman Terminal.

“We’re excited to partner with Blume Global, its management team, Apollo and EQT to support the company through its next stage of growth,” says Bridgepoint’s managing director.

The research firm of Evercore ISI launched coverage of the 3PL sector with an enormous report.

Melio’s monthly processing volumes increased 5,000% over the past 18 months as its customers turned toward its digital suite to maintain positive cash flow.

More trucking heads weigh in on rate expectations for 2022. Following a sizable rate bump this year, it appears that rates could move considerably higher again next year.

Workhorse decides to pursue alternative opportunities after ending its bid fight with the Postal Service.

In today’s labor market, “throwing people at the problem” does not work.

“If you send us the right resources at the right time, we can up that containment very quickly,” one official said about fighting wildfires amid this year’s broken supply chains.

“The Supply Chain Twin enables customers to gain deeper insights into their operations, helping them optimize supply chain functions — from sourcing and planning to distribution and logistics.”

Excerpt: 3M is a Shipper of Choice because it has strong forecasting tools.

Motion Intelligence’s platform limits smartphone use while the vehicle is moving, sharply curtailing a key cause of accidents.

After a period of guilty pleas and no new indictments, the case has now expanded further.

J. J. Keller announced its VideoProtects monitoring platform is available on the Geotab Marketplace, making the safety solution available to more than 2.4 million vehicles.

Embark Trucks will use BYD electric trucks to cover 50 miles of HP printer loads, while its autonomous tractors take the middle segment.

Agencies across Tennessee will make Samsara’s technology available to all state, municipal and county fleets.

The three have signed agreements committing to work together on developing advanced locomotive power technologies.

A law firm’s analysis of the Biden administration rule shows several unanswered questions.

“Amazon Web Services makes it easy to host web applications for scalable solutions. We are looking to do the same thing for supply chain software by breaking down the data barriers that stop anyone from building the tools they need to offer better services.”

Startup Locomation sees huge upside for an autonomous trucking convoy, but it has a long road to meeting its goal of 60,000 trucking pairs by 2025.

Less-than-truckload carrier Yellow reported tonnage declines worse than its peers for the first two months of the third quarter. The carrier said it currently remains focused on driving yields higher in lieu of volume growth.

Private equity takeout allows Echo Global Logistics’ equity value to rise to that of its peers. Management believes its new affiliation with deeper pockets opens up bigger M&A opportunities.

Alvys levels the playing field through affordable add-scale technology that integrates a variety of management systems into one intuitive dashboard.

The new owners of Echo have portfolio investments in several other logistics companies.

Radiant Logistics announced it closed its fiscal year in record fashion on Thursday. The company will repurchase shares and pursue acquisitions as a means of boosting valuation.

Project44 will continue to add telematics providers to its program in 2022 and plans to start building out a global program over the next year.

The financial analysis of Uber Freight does not yet include the impact of Transplace, which the digital brokerage is acquiring.

The Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development and OnTrackNorthAmerica have formed the Southwest Supply Chain Coalition as a way to develop a regional approach to supply chain infrastructure investments.

Recent earnings reports from retailers exhibited improved inventory positions compared to a year ago. However, the comps show merchandise levels are still lagging sales by a wide margin.

“We are expanding our reach by allowing owner-operators to keep their own authority and still have the same CloudTrucks experience.”

MacGregor Partners will double in size over the next couple years, pushing its value to the $50 million mark.

Quantix showcased its new Peterbilt truck, unveiling the company’s updated color scheme of navy blue and bright green.

Intermodal logistics provider RoadOne announced the acquisition of Rose Transportation on Wednesday.

ArcBest said Wednesday an August tonnage decline in its asset-based segment was done intentionally so that it could better service its core less-than-truckload customers.

Register now for Trimble’s Supply Chain in.sights, a virtual series on how to best support drivers.

“Everest’s growth is a great example of creative problem-solving,” said Cambridge Capital CEO Ben Gordon.

The IRS level effectively sets the rate paid by companies to their drivers.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has declared a Massachusetts man an imminent hazard after commercial vehicle inspectors claim he crashed his rig into a telephone pole and fled the scene.

“Its rapid customer adoption is clear, demonstrable feedback of the value that Fractory brings to manufacturing supply chains,” says investor.

Less-than-truckload carrier Old Dominion reported strong operating trends for the first two months of the third quarter. The carrier said it will continue to reinvest in its network to achieve further market share wins.

Hyperloop is a proposed high-speed ground transportation system for passengers and commercial cargo moving at speeds up to 745 mph and powered by emission-free renewable energy, according to Swisspod.

Automotive trade platform TRADE X has acquired vehicle export specialist Techlantic after raising $45 million over the summer.

The supply chain continues to be stretched as the peak shipping season bears down. Capacity declines further while rates soar, according to an August survey.

Two ransomware gangs claim they attacked and stole data from freight factoring provider eCapital. But was the company actually hacked twice?

Instead of dimensional pricing, iShared’s shared truckload solution charges the shipper a simple per-pallet fee.

A group of former Knight-Swift logistics leaders is building something new in Arizona.

“The program offers technical and consultative resources that both shippers and carriers can use to reduce their carbon footprints, while improving the speed, resilience and efficiency of their supply chains,” said Bob Shellman, president and CEO at Odyssey Logistics.

The clock is ticking for all 34 trucking companies that participated in K-Ratio X’s now-defunct fuel hedging program to sign a universal settlement agreement.

“To satisfy the hiring needs of the companies currently on the platform, we need to find over 220,000 drivers every year for them. That’s not a small number,” says the CEO of YouCruit.

Less-than-truckload carrier Saia sees tonnage gains carry into the third quarter.

Both candidates said that organizing Amazon is a top priority, noting that Amazon and UPS workers’ futures are at stake.

Shell chose the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo to talk up diesel-powered freight efficiency. An odd choice of venue — or was it?

A family-owned dry and liquid bulk trucking company ceased operations as of midnight Tuesday, leaving 342 drivers without jobs, sources say.

Digitization can alleviate supply chain glitches, but it depends on systems that talk the same language.

Trucking and logistics firms are owed hundreds of thousands of dollars after a Nevada-based bottled water company — linked to a hepatitis outbreak — filed Chapter 7.

About 180 truck drivers being laid off in Texas, New York and California.

Without clarifying objectives, a company cannot, with confidence or a unified vision, understand where it’s going.

Transplace’s new bookings are said to be a key reason for the improvement in its financial outlook.

Business-to-business sales have traditionally been done face to face. But not anymore.

Motional has unveiled its Hyundai Ioniq 5 robotaxi that is entering testing in the Los Angeles area.

OneRail makes last-mile delivery profitable for shippers.

The carpeting and flooring giant plans to manufacture more domestically iin the wake of the pandemic.

“Green hydrogen will always be a considerably more expensive fuel than renewable electricity,” the Earthjustice report says.

Middle-mile autonomous vehicle startup Gatik has announced an $85M Series B funding round and the start of operations in Texas.

Investigators believe a truck driver strangled his former girlfriend and drowned her 11-year-old daughter as the manhunt for a central Missouri truck driver enters its eighth day.

“In times of natural disasters, you find an increase in purchases of fuel, maintenance, food and hotels for drivers. … Many of our current customers need help routing their fleets during those times.”

As flooding continues to damage roads and property in cities worldwide, AquiPor co-founder Kevin Kunz says stormwater management systems need serious updates in the U.S.

Discount chain Dollar Tree expects the positive impact from heightened consumer demand to be totally offset by elevated transportation expenses this year.

Will Hurricane Ida impact freight contracts? Will carriers move from shippers’ contracted freight to the spot market?

Hurricane Ida is about to hit. Emergency relief will not be far behind. Read tips about trucking into a hurricane relief effort.

Representatives from the trucking company defendants are either invisible or not speaking.


The pandemic has spun off disruptions similar to falling dominoes, creating issues that strain freight movement globally.

The White House is trying to unleash the domestic economy by removing supply chain shackles.