Trucking

The March report may be the last for a while in which a comparison to last year is meaningful.

The FMCSA will still not disqualify a truck driver for failing a hair test for drug use.

Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter where FreightWaves adds context, commentary and color to industry news and trends.

Yard services provider Lazer Spot acquired Firefly Transportation Services to “accelerate the adoption” of environmentally friendly electric spotter trucks.

Other highlights from the monthly report: Soaring employment in warehouses is starting to moderate.

After a February decision not to increase output, which was unexpected, the group does the unexpected this time again and decides to put more oil on to the market.

Trucking’s ever-changing demographics make the thoughts and opinions of minority drivers increasingly an invaluable asset.

Also on this week’s podcast: Why return to air travel could have impact on diesel prices.

FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller writes about FreightWaves, as well as transportation today and moving forward.

Freight Club’s carbon offset initiative, which launched on Jan. 1, uses tree power to counteract emissions at no expense to its members.

Starting April 5, the company will resume refunds for late or missed next-day air deliveries.

TriumphPay is acquiring HubTran to integrate machine-learning capabilities for a fully integrated payments network for its customers.

The costs of keeping up with four engine technologies and the pace of self-driving trucks push rival truck manufacturers into partnerships.

The announced increases this month are a small sliver of the pay rises that companies are needing to hand down to stay competitive.

CIO named for soon-to-be-spun-off company

Once regarded as stubbornly resistant to change, transportation and logistics is fast becoming a high-tech industry as entire supply chains reshape themselves around the demands of 21st century consumers.

Trucking companies cite safety concerns in their request to FMCSA to allow limited use of hair testing to screen for drugs.

Drivers often take the blame for roadside violations, but remaining in compliance with regulations is a team effort that includes maintenance personnel and safety operations in a fleet.

The rate of technological advancement makes it nearly impossible to rely on in-house developers for every new feature. How do you choose the right third-party partner?

Investors plow more money into Plus, which expects to commercialize Level 4 self-driving technology in China this summer.

The trucking industry sees the costs — but not so much the benefits — of new congestion pricing initiatives.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Laredo and Pharr, Texas, discovered almost 800 pounds of methamphetamine in two recent shipments arriving from Mexico. The first case happened March […]

Third-party logistics provider GSC Logistics plans to add 100 more drivers and 400 chassis to meet the container volume surge on the West Coast.

The New York City last-mile fleet will have 40 electric vehicles, with the Los Angeles region adding 50 more, IKEA said.

The vote to decertify the union in New Jersey was 16-2 and comes soon after a similar rejection of an in-place union in Southern California.

The president of the trade group says he expects a new CEO after “fierce” competition.

As International Roadcheck 2021 quickly approaches, truck drivers need to prepare for the inspection process. Here are five tips J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. recommend drivers follow to make the process easier.

Crete Carrier and Shaffer Trucking has announced a pay increase for drivers in its regional and national over-the-road fleets starting May 1.

As a federal definition of an independent contractor moves toward resolution, ongoing litigation could be affected by what the Biden administration finally announces.

FedEx stays mum on how it will aid its ground delivery contractors to transition to all-electric vehicles.

The loan size shrinking across the board but the amount of money going to transportation and warehousing sector grew more than $1 billion last week.

Driver pay continues to step higher as truck capacity remains very tight and consumer spending high.

DPDHL is making large commitments related to sustainable aviation, electric last-mile delivery vehicles and social impact projects in its recently released sustainability road map.

A South Texas citrus packing facility and Houston supply chain services provider are two of the latest companies to announce layoffs across the Lone Star State.

Changes in customer demand and rising expectations are helping force the transportation industry to evolve in order to meet the growth of this market.

In the midst of vehicle electrification, Terminal Investment Corp. is enlisting the help of Volvo Penta and Cummins to create its first terminal tractor with an electric powertrain.

Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: KCS expands Mexico rail service to Port of Veracruz; furniture maker leases space in Laredo, PGT Trucking opens new terminals in Arizona and Arkansas; and CBP seizes $1.4 million in drugs in Laredo.

Largely spared the automotive industry impact from semiconductor shortages, truck manufacturers are starting to take downtime.

Tender rejections return to all-time high.

Forward Air announces its “largest-ever” rate increase to capacity providers.

Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter where FreightWaves adds context, commentary and color to industry news and trends.

Sahej Singh steps through Reliance Partners’ usage-based and API insurance offerings for the transportation and logistics industry.

Trucking companies in the United States and Mexico are violating cabotage rules by misusing Mexican B-1 visa drivers, allege stakeholders in Texas and Mexico.

Refrigerated carriers Leonard’s Express and Holman Transportation join forces in latest truckload acquisition.

Also on the podcast: Why retail diesel prices don’t drop as fast as declines in wholesale.

Roadrunner announced it has raised $50 million in equity through a private placement led by GlobalTranz and Emerge founder Andrew Leto. The company continues to advance its focus on the less-than-truckload market following a major restructuring.

The truckload market is looking very strong this year and freight brokers are riding high.

Lured by the promise of better pay and the American dream, some foreign drivers found themselves trapped in an alleged human-trafficking scheme.

Strong e-commerce demand, tight supply and higher construction materials costs are a challenging brew for occupiers, CBRE says.

No matter where truckers go in the U.S., they can find fun roadside attractions offering plenty of parking.

In this Put That Coffee Down segment, Kevin Hill talks with Chris Hurst about why the freight and logistics sector is lagging, and why companies should fix that.

Nolan Transportation Group President Geoff Kelley chats with FreightWaves Chief Strategy Officer JT Engstrom about how the logistics industry can move forward with lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.

K-Ratio’s Lintner says 3PLs facing being “underwater” need to have a conversation with the shipper, to benefit both.

One of the four family members involved in the founding of the company, he was gone by the time it merged with Swift.

Being the biggest or best company in an industry only appeals to customers if you explain how it benefits them, Lee Salz, CEO and author, said during the FreightWaves 3PL Summit.

Labor groups tell DOT that automated vehicle policy should not be based on industry self-regulation.

Samsara announced Sue Bostrom as the latest strategic addition to the company’s board of directors.

ArcBest’s Danny Loe, head of asset-light logistics and chief yield officer, joins George Abernathy, president of FreightWaves, to chat about the new normal for procuring capacity during the 3PL Summit.

Stimulus checks and the timing of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout are seen as factors in a lower number of searches for driver jobs.

FourKites said it had a banner year in 2020 as more companies sought out the real-time supply chain visibility company.

Parcel initiatives are expected to bring in $24 billion in new net revenue by 2020, the agency said in releasing its 10-year reorganization plan.

BorgWarner’s acquisitions in electric components and systems position the Tier 1 supplier to grow its electrification revenue to 45% from 3% by 2030.

Automation will mitigate exposure created by process errors and duplication of efforts by integrating disparate systems.

Electronic payments provider Relay Payments announces Old Dominion Freight Line is the latest carrier to join its platform.

If many fleets procrastinate to avoid a disruptive transition, there could be a shortage of equipment.

FreightWaves Ratings is FreightWaves new review/rating site of commercial products for the freight industry.

MyCarrier is scaling a white-labeled LTL TMS with a unique distribution model.

Carol Tomé has blown through UPS like a whirlwind. Will there be long-term blowback?

UK electric van and bus startup Arrival adds to Charlotte, North Carolina, presence with second US microfactory targeted to fill UPS order.

Nuvocargo recently updated its platform to include bilingual tracking features and more visibility for cargo shipments in Mexico.

Have time to catch a NASCAR race while on the road? These are five tracks that are very accommodating to truckers.

Less-than-truckload carrier Saia announces the addition of its 20th facility in the Northeast in just the last four years. The LTL market continues to garner incremental investment dollars as demand rises.

Load board adds more enterprise-level automation to its compliance offering.

The LTL brokerage business is much smaller than that of truckload, but its profitability increased during the quarter.

The soon-to-be parent of Navistar increases electrification investment to $1.9 billion by 2025 and says 80% of its brands’ trucks will be electric by 2030.

A customs broker can help navigate cross-border freight. But companies should know what to look for in a customs brokerage.

Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Supply chain issues halt more automakers; GrubMarket acquires Texas produce wholesaler; WDSrx opens pharmaceutical warehouses in Texas, Nevada; and Peak-Ryzex announces partnership with distributor, logistics firm.

Tender rejections and spot rates also fall slightly.

Peter DeFazio, a top transportation lawmaker, wants the Federal Communications Commission to rethink adopting rules that experts say would hinder trucking automation.

Even as the relationship between Ryder and Chanje was hitting the rocks, Ryder continued to do new deals with the supplier of electric vehicles and touted its role in the company’s green plans.

Two bullish equity research reports this week on transportation stocks both highlight expectations around consumer spending and what that means for freight demand.

Also on the podcast: Did Joe Biden help boost the price of oil?

Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter where FreightWaves adds context, commentary and color to industry news and trends.

The company moves to broaden its footprint and introduce services as it posts stellar fiscal 2021 third-quarter results.

Walmart plans to convert a Dallas store for online order pickup for customers.

Smith sees no let-up in the demand for the company’s services.

The NLRB action is a gathering of earlier Teamsters actions against Universal, now pulled together in one filing by the government agency.

A GAO report links accurate data collection to motor carrier costs.

“Take some time each week to clean out the cab, and stay on top of it, just like you would your house. It’s a healthier atmosphere to be in if it’s clean,” says Reliance Partners’ Brian Runnels.

South Korean’s Hanwha Group plans to cut 50% of its holdings in Nikola as the electric truck startup seeks to sell $100 million in new shares.

Economic downtown spurs more freight-related job cuts across the Lone Star State.

February freight data from Cass shows a deceleration in the growth rates of shipments and expenditures. Recent weather events have only “coiled the spring” for a continuation of high demand and rising rates.

Amazon has started testing Rivian electric delivery vans in San Francisco as part of its planned rollout of 10,000 electric vehicles by 2022.

Truck driving can be stressful when carrying unusual freight. These are five fairly odd loads that have been lost.

Hiring and retaining drivers is an art more than a science.

Fireworks could be stuck at sea by the time the Fourth of July rolls around. Blame massive port congestion and overloaded freight networks. The fireworks industry is asking the Biden administration to provide a fix, but what can it do?

Lawmakers hear from trucking on outlook for achieving zero-emission vehicle targets

No details disclosed, but Fourshore generally looks at companies valued at $10 million to $75 million

Nevada’s 2021 rail plan lays out how the state can leverage freight rail more often and utilize existing infrastructure in light of nearshoring and emissions reductions opportunities.

After raising pay earlier in the year, Cargo Transporters has implemented a flexible pay package, allowing company drivers to earn paid time off and bonus payments on a prorated basis.