Business

Debt rating for the company held steady by S&P and Moody’s, though S&P sees a more negative outlook

Frac sand firm Vista Proppants and Logistics filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, saying it has around $500 million in liabilities.

The company is one of three autonomous trucking startups to voluntarily describe how it is developing and applying AV technology

Steve Burks was a truck driver in an earlier professional capacity. He also earned  his bachelor’s degree, his master’s degree and then his Ph.D. He’s a professor of economics at […]

The cost to build a railroad is staggering. Jim Blaze gives an overview of the costs involved in such an endeavor.

The safety of all motorists is paramount. An organizaton that is focused on the safety of truckers is Together for Safer Roads. Learn more about its mission and how it works.

Data shows that such preferred carriers are four times more likely to win new loads and customers.

Intermodal Motor Carrier Conference said the Ocean Carrier Equipment Association can avoid regulatory or legal action by reaching a “mutually beneficial” resolution to the chassis lease rate dispute.

YRC Worldwide’s midquarter report was worse than that of its peers and adds to industry speculation that some shippers could be avoiding the carrier.

Bill Doyle has been steering the Dredging Contractors of America

Crews stranded during the pandemic have garnered media attention — “and that’s a good thing”

Route optimization software can help trucks better manage their equipment and driver hours, while providing shippers with more accurate ETAs.

Daseke’s ratings were confirmed at recently downgraded levels by Moody’s. The report points to the company’s restructuring as a source for a potential ratings upgrade.

The alliance between FedEx and Microsoft may change supply chains,. Brian Aoaeh explores the issues involved.

“If you want to be relevant five years from now as a broker, you should be moving towards algorithmic rates,” said Andrew Leto.

Startup raises $11M in Series A round

Trevor Milton takes a $1 annual salary as CEO of newly public Nikola Corp., but his net worth on paper is approaching deca-billionaire status based on his 35% share of the battery electric and fuel cell truck startup’s shares.

French carrier trumpets its resilience and agility during coronavirus crisis

Canada’s largest privately owned bulk carrier said combining its maritime activities in a single department will improve efficiency and better prepare it for a post-COVID-19 economy.

Surging shares in electric Class 8 truck maker Nikola Corp. could help show the way for other high-tech transportation companies this year.

Tricky wording in one provision may scuttle the entire effort to deal with a widely acknowledged problem

Berlin- and Paris-based startups are merging to become one of the largest digital trucking freight forwarding platforms in Europe.

Survey finds dearth of talent for handling the increasing pace of change in the industry.

Jim Blaze explores the pontential for a merger or mergers among the Class 1 railroads.

Operations at ports from Maine to Texas will cease for one hour Tuesday as ILA and USMX show respect for George Floyd

In a mixed week for Trucking Freight Futures overall, the spot National contract (FUT.VNU202006) rose 0.4% to finish at $1.466 per mile.

Darren Prokop provides information on the USMCA, which goes into effect on July 1, 2020. How will the agreement impact trade and supply chains in the three countries?

Daimler Trucks AG is creating a fuel cell subsidiary as a forerunner to a 50-50 joint venture with Volvo Group to make fuel cell-powered backup systems for data centers and eventually hydrogen-fueled heavy-duty trucks.

Expanding its freight ecosystem, EKA Solutions has announced a TMS offering for small and medium-sized carriers.

Dennis Mooney will help the startup commercialize autonomous trucks

A new intermodal-focused transportation management system brings together the technologies and expertise of Profit Tools, Compcare Services and GTG Technology Group.

In the wake of COVID-19, businesses are looking to reshape and insulate their core sourcing processes from sudden disruption, even as consumers move online.

Guest commentator Eric Masotti writes about the importance of technology in logistics – but also underscores the importance of dedicated people to the process.

Tulsa-based Stone Trucking is shutting down its operations and laying off 51 employees. The company was a flatbed, oversize and heavy haul carrier.

Consensus growing that PPP money helped boost the number of employed, as planned

Read why digital transformation of supply chains is so important and why those that ignore the trends risk their businesses.

The transportation and warehousing sector improves as Canada’s economy adds a surprising 290,000 jobs in May in the latest Statistics Canada employment report.

For aircraft lessor GECAS, the “Big Twin” doesn’t refer to a large person. It’s a big twin-engine passenger plane that’s being turned into a cargo plane.

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Rail jobs down also even as nation’s unemployment rate falls.

A recent study by the Institute of International Container Lessors found that traditional hot zinc sprays for refrigerated container steel frames keep them in top shape years longer than zinc-rich primer coatings and should be maintained by box manufacturers.

CEO and President Derek Leathers to usher in the next era for Werner Enterprises as founder CL Werner plans exit.

Bill deals with the problem of slow business and low employee costs.

Navistar included only one full month of impact from the COVID-19 pandemic in its loss-making second quarter. How bad will it be for manufacturers who report on a traditional April-June quarter?

Alabama State Port Authority and APM Terminals Mobile will help get products to customers quickly

ArcBest joins other less-than-truckload carriers seeing a May rebound from April lows. A 10% stock bump from a rating upgrade holds into the second trading session.

“With digital logistics, you can democratize manufacturing to the point of consumption,” said James Regenor.

Move follows UPS fees implemented a few days ago.

Werner Enterprises is adding predictive freight matching and real-time shipment visibility tools as part of a broader introduction of Trucker Tools technology into its operation.

Heavy-duty truck maker Navistar reported a $38 million loss in its fiscal second quarter, the first look at the financial damage from COVID-19-related manufacturing shutdowns.

Third-party logistics services providers involved in international trade remain concerned about how their businesses will remerge post-COVID-19. They are addressing tough questions about what it will take in terms of staff, systems and office space to operate a successful company.

Cold storage consolidation remains hot. Lineage Logistics closes on Emergent Cold transaction, growing its already dominant global market share.

Public relations and marketing during a time of national crisis

Locus Robotics now has raised more than $100 million.

Postponement until completion of safety study part of $494 billion highway bill

Global stewardship includes aim to be carbon neutral by 2050

Action is based on used truck values

Collaboration allows mobile document capture and automated workflows within TMS

The global pandemic has strained relations between the U.S. and China. Will that cause the trade deal negotiated earlier this year to break down?

FourKites says it has cracked the code on delivering more accurate ETA information for LTL shipments

Less-than-truckload demand appears to have bounced off of an April bottom according to reports from carriers.

Digital freight forwarding startup Beacon raises $15 million in Series A investment.

Schneider has continued its recent technology innovations with FreightPower, an offering that unlocks more capacity for its shipping partners.

Transplace expands its mode optionality and network optimization to parcel.

Tire inflation company Aperia is trying to gain market share by offering its solution with no upfront cost. Plus, movie industry freight haulers have received an exemption from drug testing rules and a judge has denied FedEx’s request to dismiss a racial discrimination suit.

Alibaba.com has introduced three new services – a freight matching platform, financial services for small and medium-sized businesses, and virtual events connecting businesses with buyers.

Digital Container Shipping Association establishes internet of things standards for connectivity

Battery electric and fuel cell startup Nikola Corp., which surprised the trucking industry by having a “blank check company” back its bid to go public, expects its shares to begin trading under its own name on the NASDAQ later this week.

Until now, autonomous vehicle company Nuro had focused on food delivery

While less-than-truckload volumes may not have rebounded sequentially from April, one sell-side analyst sees acceleration in recent weeks as bullish for the industry.

Young Brothers will curtail service without rapid $25 million infusion of CARES Act funding from state regulators.

E-commerce giant lands patent for a system that will ensure “digital trust” in item tracking

Friday marked the last trading day for the May spot futures contracts, meaning on Monday, the June contracts become the spot contracts. On Friday, as well as for the week, the May contracts finished mixed with the spot National contract ending unchanged at $1.335 per mile.

American Shipper has partnered with Haven to develop a white paper that explores processes necessary for your organization to customize its workflow to capture the efficiency of the virtual supply chain.

Clearpath Robotics’ division closes Series C as it prepares to put more of its autonomous vehicles into additional warehouses and manufacturing facilities as demand grows during COVID-19 pandemic.

The deal gives DAT new access to shipper transactions for contracted freight.

Sysco, Svitzer, Adnavem and AddSecure add industry all-stars

Counterintuitively, a rise in book of business signals companies may have pulled down their revolving lines of credit

Focusing on risk management can help protect fleets from the pain of paying massive damages.

With final approvals in hand, German commercial vehicle mega-supplier ZF Friedrichshafen creates a new division for technology supplier Wabco Holdings, adding 12,000 employees.

“A lot of those small trucking companies, they’ll come back.”

FedEx reported to be exploring alternative growth path in Europe through stake in German parcel company Hermes.

In a lawsuit filed this week, Omnitracs claims that Platform Science has built technologies, including its Connected Vehicle Platform, based on patents owned by Omnitracs

Divided federal appeals court revived CRST’s driver-poaching lawsuit against TransAm

Net loss whittled from $24.3 million last year to $11.9 million in Q1 2020

Saiz is lawyer with Rodey firm, needs Senate confirmation

Railroad volumes continue to drop. What might they do to increase volumes? Where are the volume increases going to come from?

Escalating airfreight transportation rates and capacity shortages from China due to the global pandemic have encouraged some shippers to split supply chain shipments between ocean and air pallets.

Canadian heavy equipment hauler secures Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection, clearing the way for the company to court buyers and investors for its trucking and crane assets in Alberta and Texas.

State Attorney General used new price gouging law to go after A1

Tolls on bridges, tunnels and roads are plummeting in the wake of the pandemic. Unlike the broader system of highways whose upkeep is paid for by the rapidly depleting Highway […]

15.6 million masks from FEMA going out to trucking, maritime, rail sectors.

Shippers get optimized supply chain management with real-time, dynamic capacity pricing

Lineage Logistics continues its hot acquisition streak, entering into an agreement to purchase Henningsen Cold Storage and its 14 facilities.

Wunder Mobility launches new offering that will make the company an all-in-one mobility solutions platform.

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.  News reports that Uber is re-evaluating non-core units […]

Litigious society wants someone to pay for coronavirus-related business losses

Coronavirus hit to Brazilian exports is a nightmare scenario for dry bulk — and cases in Brazil are mounting fast.

Rates for ocean transport of propane could surge if the worst of the coronavirus crisis is past.

Canadian supply chain software provider posts a 51% increase in net income, but says it will reduce its global workforce by 5% in the face of economic uncertainty

“Crew changes cannot be postponed indefinitely,” warned the world’s largest maritime and air transport organizations.