Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Mexico records 692 commercial cargo thefts in April; VW cuts production in Mexico and Tennessee plants; ATRG acquires Texas trailer fleets; and CBP officers seize $5.5M worth of meth in Otay Mesa.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador put the army in charge of customs at border crossings and seaports across the country last year.
President Joe Biden’s 2022 funding request of $676 million for FMCSA safety programs dropped 10% from 2021 levels.
This look at the past week in images features wild weather, a truck spill and a progress report on a major bridge repair.
The company’s chief retention officer said a far wider range of steps explains the company’s recent success on several fronts.
Canadian trucking firm People Express Transport was shut down by a court-appointed trustee following a months-long fight over millions of dollars in debt.
A white paper by TIA and CLDA stresses the need to differentiate from Amazon to succeed in final-mile delivery.
Compliance reviews can catch any motor carrier off guard. Reliance Partners’ John Seidl encourages participation in mock audits to reveal and correct violations before the federal government does.
The company’s new facility in Grand Prairie follows the opening of new facilities in Atlanta and Port Houston, and an expansion in Laredo, Texas.
Three years after winning an exemption to use cameras instead of ungainly outside mirrors on semi-trucks, Stoneridge Inc. is winning over fleets.
In one case, the insurance and medical payouts totaled $275,500.
In a FreightWaves survey, truckers say these are some of the U.S. and Canadian tunnels they dislike the most.
Bipartisan legislation would limit truck speeds to no more than 70 mph.
The nation’s top trucking research group plans to update previous studies on the effects of legalized marijuana and other drugs on truck safety along with integrating 18- to 20-year-old drivers into the industry.
Allowances for potential future write-offs also showed improvement in the bank’s second quarter.
The coronavirus pandemic inspired retirement-age drivers to leave the industry en masse while also shutting down driving schools for months on end, exacerbating the existing shortage.
Truck drivers transported millions of dollars worth of contraband tobacco from North Carolina to Mohawk territory in New York as part of a U.S.-Canada smuggling ring that involved Hells Angels members and snowmobiles, according to federal prosecutors.
Illinois trucking company B & B Logistics Inc., cited several times for hours-of-service violations, shuttered operations and filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy in mid-May.
Bizarre actions behind the wheel during 2020 should raise alarm bells for truckers and fleets, survey’s author says.
One piece of legislation backed by the Texas Trucking Association is heading toward approval, while a second may not be necessary as a result of a court ruling.
FedEx is raising the fees on U.S. residential deliveries, its Ground Economy service and on packages requiring “additional handling.”
ATRI plans to build on research studying the effects of legalized marijuana and employing 18- to 20-year-old drivers.
For many companies, sourcing talent and growing their IT teams to meet new demands is both time consuming and cost prohibitive.
With the Canadian ELD mandate going into effect on June 12, fleets operating in that country need to know the key differences from U.S. regulations and whether they have a compliant device.
Intelligent Spot leverages leading-edge technology, a team of domain experts and a vast unbiased carrier network to true spot market execution.
FreightWaves chats with chief sustainability officers about their experience and how they drive sustainable change at each company.
As U.S. automakers pivot into the electric, autonomous vehicle era, cross-border operators say Mexico is more than ready to seize the moment.
FMCSA clearinghouse data reveals violations per number of employers within states.
Shippers leaning toward private fleets need to consider the risk, as well as how to optimize warehouses, trailers and containers.
Regulations coming out of SCQAMD are usually for stationary sources of pollution, but the rules on trucks are an expansion of its authority.
Logistics company Blume Global announced Monday it is carbon neutral. CEO Pervinder Johar tells FreightWaves how the company got there.
The ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline should serve as a wake-up call to the trucking and logistics sector, where companies keep getting targeted by hackers even though many incidents are preventable.
Logistics professionals can’t predict the future, but they can assess the likelihood of specific problems emerging during an inner-city construction project.
Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Driver shortage affecting cross-border trucking; auto parts maker opens plant in Mexico; Laredo International Airport partners with UPS; and UPS hiring 450 in Dallas-Fort Worth.
New trailer orders slid dramatically in April as manufacturers had more dry and refrigerated van bookings than they could build.
The White House has proposed to Republicans a $1.7 trillion counteroffer on its initial $2.25 trillion infrastructure package.
Thefts incidents nationwide spiked 35% in 2020, CargoNet said.
NHTSA is looking for truck drivers to test the safety of in-cab cameras.
Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter from FreightWaves that adds perspective and context to happenings in the trucking world.
The cyberattack that temporarily shut down the Colonial Pipeline this month serves as a stark reminder that all industries are prone to security threats.
Scott Prince, CEO of CarrierHQ, shared on WHAT THE TRUCK?!? how his company is modernizing insurance.
The previous UAW and Volvo Trucks North America tentative agreement went down in flames. A new deal may face the same fate.
The electric vehicle pilot is part of Walmart’s last-mile delivery initiatives.
Gatik’s Sam Saad talks about his autonomous vehicle company’s expanding Walmart partnership, Isuzu manufacturing deal and other trends in the transportation industry.
DOT’s response to the Interstate 40 bridge outage needs more urgency, according to U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn.
Adam Miller, CFO of Knight-Swift Transportation and president of Swift Transportation, joins George Abernathy, president of FreightWaves, during Day 2 of FreightWaves LIVE @HOME to talk capacity, drivers, rates and more.
Commentary from trucking executives at an investor conference suggests the capacity crunch may last well into next year.
Three FreightTech companies demonstrated their innovative technology solutions to increase supply chain efficiency during FreightWaves LIVE @HOME on Thursday.
Mark Hazelwood, the former president of Pilot Co., wants a federal judge to recuse himself from overseeing the retrial of a fuel rebate fraud case against him and two of his former staffers and also wants to have his case moved from Tennessee to another state.
Drivers are wanted in New Mexico and Texas to transport nuclear weapons and materials at a starting salary of $52,248.
FreightWaves’ Zach Strickland and Loadsmart Vice President of Operations Jim Nicholson chat about mode optimization, truckload consolidation and technology’s role in sustainable shipping.
Werner Enterprises CEO Derek Leathers says electrification and other technologies are coming quickly to trucking, and he wants his company out front.
People are eager for face-to-face gatherings. But health and safety issues will still call the shots.
Schneider Logistics SVP and General Manager Erin Van Zeeland chats with TriumphPay VP of Sales and Marketing Haley Evans about the top challenges facing logistics companies and what they can do to overcome them.
Appearing at an investor conference Wednesday, management from J.B. Hunt Transport Services said delivery schedules for new containers are being hindered by a lack of ocean capacity, not manufacturers’ build schedules.
Republicans unveil a $400 billion, five-year highway bill reauthorization ahead of Democrats’ proposal.
Reliance Partners discusses how new technology allows transportation companies to reduce insurance costs.
Four FreightTech firms demonstrate their innovative technology solutions for transportation companies during FreightWaves LIVE @HOME.
While a request for Supreme Court review of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to overturn an injunction banning enforcement of California’s AB5 will almost certainly follow, at this time, motor carriers who operate in California must be prepared to act in accordance with AB5.
Nikola’s top five executives are taking $1-a-year salaries with huge stock payouts ahead if they restore lost share value.
Arrival, which has a large electric van order from UPS, has selected HERE Technologies to provide turn-by-turn navigation and a location visibility platform for vehicles.
The company’s pickup and delivery revenue jumps; about 95% of sales were fulfilled from stores
FreightWaves President George Abernathy and Ryder Chief Technology Officer Kendra Phillips explore how autonomous technology and other FreightTech will fit in with current networks.
ARCs — paired with freight optimization services — can lead to operating margin improvements as high as 30% and utilization increases of up to 130% for carriers.
Redwood Logistics CEO Mark Yeager talks about emerging technology and the potential of Logistics Platform as a Service (LPaaS).
Loadshop is a growing digital freight marketplace that continues to expand its capabilities while driving efficiency and transparency for both shippers and carriers
J.B. Hunt’s 360 digital freight-matching platform will play a core role in helping the company and its customers thrive in a historically challenging environment, Simpson says.
TuSimple’s autonomous trucks cut 42% off delivery time for a load of watermelons for Los Angeles-based produce giant Giumarra Cos.
Convoy Go is now available for backup and spot loads.
Driver surveillance surfaces as a potential downside at a vehicle automation hearing.
Shippers will never lose a document, driver or client through an automated rate contract management system.
Slowdowns in deliveries of new trucks are driving prices of newer used trucks up in the double digits both at dealerships and in auctions.
A storm that hit overnight Monday has caused a freight slowdown at the commercial border crossing in Laredo, Texas.
The Chicago brokerage adds a capital allocator and carrier expert to its C-suite.
Companies that resist technological innovation or refuse to audit their current systems at this point may be risking more than just favorable rates; they may be risking the viability of their business.
The attorney who led the legal effort said U.S. chassis producers are ramping up because of the import fees.
Founders Camp, the Dynamo-powered event for founders and startup companies, will take place in November alongside FreightWaves’ F3: Future of Freight Festival in Chattanooga.
The lower court ruling favored Uber in the summary judgment but drivers won on appeal.
A total of 26 truck, bus and motorhome manufacturers are recalling nearly 45,000 vehicles because of a fire risk from a Cummins Inc. fuel rail.
Due to a structural issue, truckers will have to keep taking detours around the Interstate 40 bridge between Tennessee and Arkansas.
How brokers and logistics providers choose to navigate the current capacity crunch will affect both their own chances of success and their relationships with their carrier partners for years to come.
The latest episode of FreightWaves’ true-crime podcast, Long-Haul Crime Log, examines drug supply chains and what happens when there’s a capacity crunch for narcotics traffickers.
Freight shipments continue to break records with little signs of slowing. The year-over-year comparisons get tougher in the back half of 2021 but the current supply-demand dynamics may not change all that much.
After calling off a 13-day strike at Volvo Trucks North America, the UAW rank and file repudiated its leadership by rejecting a new five-year contract.
Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Port Laredo looks to boost produce imports; Texas drug trafficking organizer gets life in prison; e-commerce startup Merama raises $60 million; and Amazon facility set for Texas Gulf Coast.
The word “safety” is everywhere in the trucking industry. It is talked about nearly every day in the press, Congress has zeroed in on it, and most carriers will say that it is their top priority. With all this attention, it’s easy to believe that safety has become cliché. But it’s not.
A VMT user fee has support from “Secretary Pete” — but not from trucking.
HP is shipping a weekly load of computer printers on supervised robot semis from Embark Trucks, which is growing its partner network.
Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter offering perspective and context on happenings in the industry.
Howard Energy Partners will provide logistic solutions for renewable diesel at Diamond Green Diesel’s new plant in Port Arthur, Texas.
Transportation and logistics provider Schneider aims to double its intermodal size by 2030, reducing CO2 emissions by 700 million pounds annually.
The move by Phillips 66 will see the company take a stake in a soybean processing supply chain to ensure it gets enough feedstock for its ambitious renewable diesel strategy.
The Consumer Brands Association is urging federal action from transportation agencies to head off concerns about inflation and rising costs.
“One click is all that’s required to buy the coverage needed for a load,” said Micah Keith, Reliance Partners’ senior director of sales. Securing shipper’s interest coverage has never been easier.
A federal grand jury in New York has indicted trucking company owner Tony “Anatoliy” Kirik, 39, of Rochester, New York, in a reincarnated carrier scheme.
“This fracture had the potential of becoming a catastrophic event,” ARDOT Director Lorie Tudor said about a crack found in the I-40 bridge linking Arkansas and Tennessee.
The optimistic news about a return to normal helped push down commodity diesel and gasoline prices.
An apparent ransomware attack has targeted Utility Trailer Manufacturing, one of the largest U.S. manufacturers of trailers for commercial trucks.
Carriers continue to push driver pay higher amid a capacity-constrained market to keep their equipment seated and on the road.
Optimal Dynamics has raised $18 million in a Series A round to fund the deployment of its CORE.ai decision-making engine for logistics operations.
