Trucking

Tender rejections see a massive spike.

While the opinion letters don’t have the force of law, they do suggest which way the new administration will go in classification of compensation issues

Washington appeals court asked to place in abeyance HOS review for 60 days due to the new administration.

Uber recently sent out a white paper on its views of compensation and other benefits for its drivers in Europe.

A former accounting employee of a New Mexico-based trucking company pleaded guilty in federal court to embezzling more than $1.1 million from her employer over a seven-year period.

Ryder CEO Robert Sanchez gets two opportunities to talk about the company’s outlook, in an earnings call and at a Citi conference.

On-demand driver platform Haul has attracted a diverse group of investors as it looks to disrupt the CDL staffing industry.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, Werner expects the winter weather to impact Q1 earnings. Plus, J.B. Hunt and Google are teaming up for product development, and Walmart will invest billions of dollars in e-commerce.

Hydrogen-powered fuel cells always seem to be five or 10 years from a meaningful presence on the transportation stage. That may finally be changing.

The California DMV alerted customers to a possible data breach involving one of its vendors. Jason Feldman of AFTS confirmed the ransomware attack but couldn’t comment on the group behind it, how much money the hackers requested and whether his company paid.

Driveline and thermal management supplier Dana Inc. has $700 million in new business from auto and truck makers. Half of it is in electrification contracts.

Cass freight data released Thursday shows a huge surge in freight spending with solid growth in shipments. The report indicated that 2021 is unlikely to produce the “rate relief” to shippers that 2019 provided.

It’s hard to predict when and where ice will strike, but the magnitude of such events can be mitigated. Reliance Partners’ Brian Runnels explains why it’s imperative that drivers slow down and increase their following distance during adverse conditions.

Using domestic reloads and street turns are among Blume Global’s strategies to reduce empty miles and emissions.

Texas announces suspension of natural gas exports to Mexico until Sunday.

Walmart shares drop hard as investors focus on lower-than-expected fiscal year 2021 fourth-quarter results and uninspiring FY 22 guidance.

Combining Hunt’s data and Google’s tools will yield differentiated service offerings.

Ascend focuses on smaller carriers and shippers, which now will have greater visibility into what Uber Freight has to offer.

Daimler Trucks sales dropped 8% in Q4 alone as parent company Daimler AG prepares to spin off the unit into a stand-alone company.

Fuel haulers are getting relief from hours-of-service rules as a winter storm moves into the Northeast.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, a proposal to detect drug use through hair testing faces an uphill climb in the Biden administration. Plus, Mississippi mulls a truck parking solution, and the Postal Service is raising rates.

Kenworth delivered two natural gas-powered T680 hybrid electric trucks to a fleet for drayage testing in California. They are the first and likely the last.

Werner Enterprises modestly lowered earnings expectations for the first quarter of 2021 due to downtime caused by recent winter storms. The company expects no change to the tight capacity dynamic for some time.

You’ve probably flown in a Boeing 737-800, a next-generation variant of this popular 737, but when they are put to pasture they become valuable assets for all-cargo airlines. ASL Airlines in Europe is snapping some up and converting them to freighters.

Reliance Partners announced Wednesday it has acquired Borderless Coverage, an insurance agency focused on the U.S.-Mexico commercial transportation and logistics industries.

Several Latin America-focused freight and logistics-related startups have recently secured more funding, including Mundi, Jüsto and Valoreo.

Canadian trucking and logistics company Fastfrate Group beefs up its cross-border e-commerce business by acquiring third-party logistics provider ASL Distribution Services.

The rate increases could generate needed revenue and profits, but they may narrow the price-service gap between the Postal Service and its rivals.

David Owen West pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering in federal court, admitting he orchestrated an elaborate scheme to defraud his former employer, Petco Petroleum Corp., out of more than $400,000.

Autonomous vehicle startup Gatik has announced it will deploy electric trucks as part of its autonomous testing in New Orleans with partner Walmart.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, diesel prices may start rising as the refineries had to shut down because of the winter weather down South. Plus, the activist investors pushing for change at Forward Air are not thrilled with the latest news from the company.

Appearing at an investor conference, J.B. Hunt CEO John Roberts said this year’s intermodal bid season will go a long way in determining whether the company curtails the division’s margin target.

Proposed mandatory guidelines to hair test for drugs could change — or see a lengthy delay.

With the coming independence of Daimler Truck from Daimler AG, the North American subsidiary gets a new CEO when Roger Nielsen retires in April.

Amazon is an e-commerce rocket ship. Making those deliveries possible is Amazon Air, which is growing so fast it could make it possible for more people to receive orders within a day.

State-by-state permission to park overnight at weigh stations isn’t consistent across the country.

Consumers do not want their new exercise equipment delivered to their door. They want it unboxed, assembled and ready to use inside their homes. A good final-mile partner makes that possible.

FreightWaves’ interviews are sure to spark discussions among industry insiders.

BorgWarner continues to build up its portfolio for commercial vehicle electrification with the $880 million acquisition of European battery maker AKASOL.

The activist investor group seeking changes at Forward Air said the company’s recent results and guidance are “substandard” in a letter to shareholders. The group also asserts that Forward was “disingenuous” in the way it provided updates on fourth-quarter results, suggesting it was fearful of receiving other board nominations.

Carriers moving cross-border freight have not had the same access to loads as those moving loads within the U.S. Forager is working to change that.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, Old Dominion is the latest LTL carrier to announce a rate increase. Plus, SONAR data shows a freight market moving sideways, and Forward Air reaffirms its direction in spite of activist shareholder pressure.

Port Laredo finished on top of the rankings for U.S. exports for the second straight year, totaling $80 billion during 2020.

CenterPoint acquires Houston-area distribution facility while Genesee & Wyoming reports industrial development results for 2020.

Most less-than-truckload carriers have implemented general rate increases for 2021. The average increase is in the mid-single digits, ahead of some increases issued in the past and likely indicative of a firm LTL market.

Truck parking reservation platform TruckPark is adding more locations to its platform through a partnership with national parking provider ParkMyFleet.

Multiple truck crashes were reported in Texas and Oklahoma as a massive winter storm brings peril to roads across the region.

A fire that began inside an engine compartment at Kreilkamp Trucking in Wisconsin caused $1 million in damage after it engulfed a storage facility containing three trucks and bulk commodities.

Kenworth focused on fuel-saving aerodynamic gains and a driver-directed digital dash for a refresh of its T680 on-highway flagship.

Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Forager expands with Mexico hires; Moova expands into Mexican market; WeDo Logistics acquires Lone Star Overnight; and Mexican carrier acquires 160 Kenworth tractors.

Ongoing risks attributed to COVID-19 trigger a three-month extension to hours-of-service exemptions.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, C.R. England sues a law firm involved in a staged-accident scheme. Plus, XPO thinks 2021 is only going to get better, and Forward Air makes an acquisition and a divestiture.

Spot rates have increased for the first time in five weeks.

Ocean carriers as airlines? No one thought an online retailer would own a private airline until Amazon did it. The ocean carrier also owns a logistics company. You connect the dots.

General Motors is extending temporary shutdowns at three assembly plants, including one in San Luis Potosí, Mexico.

CEO Alain Bedard said renting out terminal space is a way to buoy TFI’s real estate portfolio.

A judge denied the request by truckload carrier Western Express to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a driver seeking meal- and rest-break pay.

Isuzu will launch new Class 6 and 7 low-cab-forward trucks later in 2021 with Cummins B6.7 engines.

Amid heightened scrutiny over the direction of the company, Forward Air’s management team defends its current strategy. Fourth-quarter results were negatively impacted by a December cyberattack.

Cross-border trucking and logistics firm XTL buys Quebec-based Transport Savoie as Canadian mergers and acquisitions activity reaches fever pitch.

On podcast, Amit Mehrotra of Deutsche Bank looks over the reports for the last quarter of last year

After four straight months of near-record orders, trailer bookings took a breather in January as some manufacturers slowed taking reservations.

FreightWaves Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter adding perspective, context and commentary to industry news and trends.

Canadian cross-border trucking and logistics company Titanium Transportation Group gains global access to key freight networks in Chicago with the latest U.S. brokerage office.

S.F. Express is growing its domestic Chinese parcel business at a dizzying rate. The acquisition of a large Hong Kong logistics company helps it expand overseas.

BrightDrop, a startup launched by GM, thinks that to solve last-mile delivery you need a provider that looks at the issues holistically — from vehicles to technology.

Doctors have been identified in the lawsuit, a truck driver was fired after one “accident,” and C.R. England paid out over $4 million in a case.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, a pension bailout bill that would affect Yellow and ABF Freight drivers could be near in Congress. Plus, XPO posts a record quarter and Uber Freight’s growth continues.

Leaf Logistics CEO Anshu Prasad believes manufacturers of food and consumer packaged goods could be in jeopardy of missing earnings expectations as transportation rates remained elevated throughout the quarter.

New unit acquired by Forward Air increases its intermodal footprint.

XPO Logistics sees strong momentum coming off an excellent fourth quarter.

Smart loading dock startup Kargo announced the close of its $6 million seed round on Thursday. The company eyes further expansion and product development.

Two GlobalTranz employees whose job classification changed have filed suit for overtime, but the suit seeks much larger class certification.

A member of Congress bets on getting his truck parking expansion proposal included in the highway bill.

When it comes to risk mitigation, due diligence of the carriers you broker to is just as important to having the right insurance policies.

The Truckload Carriers Association will host a webinar on Tuesday to help truckload fleets understand current and potential regulations and other industry issues under the Biden administration.

Rush Enterprises sold Class 8 trucks at a level reflecting the industry’s overall COVID-impacted decline in 2020. It expects better results in 2021 and beyond.

Samsara announced Thursday it has surpassed more than $300 million in run-rate subscription revenue for the fiscal fourth quarter ended Jan. 30.

Day Three of Global Supply Chain Week will cover topics related to food and CPG supply chains. Tyson Foods Chief Sustainability Officer John Tyson is set to start the day off with global sustainability in mind.

The first reaction to earnings at Ryder from Wall Street was decidedly negative.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, an activist investor wants changes at Forward Air. Plus, a strong start to 2021 for LTL carriers; reshoring is coming into vogue; and recapping FreightWaves’ Health & Pharma Supply Chain virtual event.

Thanks to COVID, there are no seasonal highs and lows for international shipping. There is so much demand for goods that the peak season never seems to end — and ports, railroads, truckers and warehouses are reaching the breaking point.

A California judge awarded $23.7 million, considered a “nuclear verdict” because it exceeds $10 million, to a motorcyclist whose lower leg was amputated after he was struck by a work truck in Los Angeles.

Trimble produced $829.7 million in revenue during the fourth quarter of 2020, with earnings per share of 71 cents.

The size of Uber Freight’s “fleet” is about 71,000 carriers.

The Teamsters’ Central States Pension Fund could be saved through the COVID-19 relief package.

Brokerage steals the spotlight at XPO amid a record revenue performance and strong 2021 earnings guidance.

FedEx makes a multiyear commitment to help colleges offset the COVID-19 economic impact.

An open letter from activist investor Ancora Advisors says “ineffective capital allocation” and diversification into “margin- and return-dilutive service offerings” have led to inferior results for Forward Air compared to other less-than-truckload carriers.

Old-school aerodynamics technologies such as TruckWings can contribute to economic and environmental sustainability.

SmartHop has secured a $12M Series A funding round with participation from heavy hitters Union Square Ventures and RyderVentures to scale its “business-in-a-box” solution for owner-operators and small fleets.

Self-driving truck technology startup Plus is already working on an autonomous freight matching project in China. Now it has investors there.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, diesel fuel prices are rising across the country. Plus, the Postal Service could be getting a makeover; Forward Air talks cyberattacks; and TFI discusses its plans for UPS Freight.

While optimism is returning to the economy, 83% of manufacturers expect their company to take up to a year to recover, according to a survey from BDO.

Agents occasionally find the green coca plant leaves during searches but rarely find green powder cocaine, authorities said.

Third-party logistics provider Radiant Logistics beat expectations for its second fiscal quarter. The company’s improved results and low-debt profile are allowing it to pursue acquisitions.

The most important number, yield, is up from January 2020 for Forward Air.

The former owner of Sisic Transport admitted to altering thousands of logbook entries for his drivers, using Omnitracs’ automatic onboard recording device software.

Fuel cell manufacturer Hyzon Motors agrees to a SPAC merger that will bring a $570 million cash injection for global scaling of the Singapore spinoff’s business.

Day Two of FreightWaves’ Global Supply Chain Week virtual conference includes experts from DHL, SVT Robotics, Geodis and JLL Inc.