Trucking

NACFE’s Mike Roeth talks about a year like no other

Retailers with physical footprints have been able to leverage new modes of fulfillment to pass increased costs associated with online delivery to consumers and their suppliers. But for digitally-native brands without access to physical stores, this could be painful should it become the new normal. If you ask FedEx, it already has.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, conditions remain favorable for LTLs and the overall freight environment. Plus, a new SPAC targets transportation companies in the heartland, and rising commodity prices could soon impact trucking.

There’s a steep learning curve for importers and exporters now that the U.K. is no longer part of the European Union. Botched customs forms are leading to freight backlogs.

Walmart’s U.S. e-commerce chief, Marc Lore, departs with the company well positioned, but with a mixed bag of results.

Fourth-quarter figures at Triumph were impacted by the third-quarter acquisition of Covenant’s factoring business.

Transfix has released a transportation management system (TMS) for small and midsize shippers, continuing a trend in which digital freight brokers expand their reach with software targeting carriers and shippers […]

Pete Buttigieg weighs in on infrastructure, trucking regulations and the Jones Act during a three-hour nomination hearing.

Reliance Partners’ John Seidl explains that managers can avoid pestering drivers for their signatures altogether by simply using limited queries for their annual Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse checks.

Fast-growth startup ClockWork focuses its solution on improving the lives of drivers

Nissan Mexicana is upgrading the Aguascalientes factory where it rolls out Kicks and March vehicles.

DOT announces slate of 40 to the department’s leadership team as the Biden administration kicks into gear.

A modern day Bonnie and Clyde, an Arizona prison break, and the two team truck drivers who became hostages. Hear the harrowing story on the newest episode of Long-Haul Crime Log, the true crime podcast from FreightWaves.

The MDH Acquisition Corp. looks to raise more than $200 million in an IPO.

Supply chain-focused private equity firm Red Arts Capital acquires Canadian third-party logistics provider Radius Logistics.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, congestion and gate restrictions from rail partners hampered J.B. Hunt’s intermodal growth in Q4. Plus, stopping a ransomware attack is not as simple as it sounds, and business-to-business activity is booming.

Are oil and diesel prices leading other commodity prices, or are they lagging?

An economic outlook report from truckload carrier U.S. Xpress calls for tight truckload dynamics to remain in place at least through the third quarter. The forecast calls for contractual rates to increase as high as 15% in the year.

CSCMP President and CEO Rick D. Blasgen will step down March 5 after more than 15 years at the helm.

More than $3.6 million in marijuana, methamphetamine and e-cigarettes were seized from Texas ports during three recent incidents.

Another supporter of improving less-than-truckload fundamentals was identified this week. UBS analyst Tom Wadewitz initiated coverage of the group with a favorable outlook.

Prices for used Class 8 tractors should maintain the momentum from the last half of 2020, but the nation’s unemployment rate could affect that, according to J.D. Power Valuation Services.

FedEx Express unveils its dual-hub strategy in Europe and says redundancies will result in significant attrition.

The right tool can help brokers turn a measly 5% success rate into sales wins at 50% or more.

Autonomous trucking company TuSimple establishes a high-powered executive advisory board; takes equity investments from Werner Enterprises and Schneider.

The owner of a Maine-based trucking company denies his firm is the subject of a Maine CDC ongoing investigation into a COVID-19 outbreak that has sickened more than 20 employees, calling it “old news.”

Cardinal Logistics has acquired heavy-goods final-mile provider NRX Logistics. The deal marks the third final-mile transaction for M&A advisory firm Tenney Group in the last year.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, Heartland Express announces an operating income improvement in its Q4 earnings. Plus, an appeals court says California can’t regulate a truck driver’s meal and rest breaks, and Daseke’s board chairman talks the future of the company.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services’ fourth quarter came in better than expected. However, the company said it was reviewing long-term margin targets across all segments. Intermodal margin forecasts may be reduced but other units could see upward revisions.

Fresh from its takeover of Uber ATG in December, autonomous vehicle company Aurora has signed an agreement with heavy-duty truck manufacturer PACCAR (NASDAQ: PCAR) to commercialize autonomous Peterbilt and Kenworth […]

Former DOT secretaries weigh in on Polly Trottenberg, Biden’s choice for deputy secretary of transportation.

Cortera report shows surge in business spending as the year drew to a close.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services’ fourth quarter outpaces analysts’ forecasts. Brokerage, truck and final-mile divisions benefit from revenue surge.

There is a widespread view that the new Department of Labor standards might be pulled back by the Biden administration, but it has an impact on this latest opinion.

Freight giant DHL will permanently close its Baytown, Texas, facility and lay off 97 workers by May 31.

Rivian has closed an investment round of $2.65 billion as the electric truck company best known in freight circles for making the Amazon custom delivery van gears up for mass production.

Fourth-quarter results for Heartland Express displayed a revenue dip on driver employment headwinds but operating income jumped 35%. The company mentions getting back into M&A.

A pay dispute leads to about 1,400 warehouse workers and truck drivers in Teamsters Local 202 walking the picket line.

A Democratic “trifecta” in Washington could finally push a long-term infrastructure past the finish line.

Pitney Bowes’ Jason Dies said SMBs need not be sitting ducks for higher parcel-shipping expenses.

U.S. Xpress announced Monday that Jake Lawson has joined as chief commercial officer and Justin Harness will head the dedicated division.

General Motors will spend $800 million to make a plant in Ingersoll, Canada the home of its first electric commercial delivery vans.

The Fuels Institute dives deep to find the impacts that different transportation-related environmental initiatives have on consumers and the environment.

Interview with Daseke’s leadership team covers recent changes and the return to M&A.

The Southern California warehouse industry is pushing back against a proposed emissions rule that would make operators of distribution centers responsible for pollutants generated by trucks going into and out of their facilities.

The Penske Logistics lawsuit was filed before the bankruptcy so it doesn’t address all the charges in the Loves action

Medical records from UPS truckers and Norfolk Southern rail workers exposed as hackers leak data from a Virginia occupational health-care provider after an apparent ransomware attack.

Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Laredo gets its third cold storage inspection facility; a Texas trucking company is acquired by Phoenix Logistics; SE-Freight gets 30 Kenworth trucks; and Revere Plastics acquires a Mexican factory.

Online training provider launches new defensive driving program for truck drivers as the FBI warns of possible armed protests at all 50 state capitols and in Washington, D.C.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, driver medical exams may be missing, according to a watchdog. Plus, freight rates continue their surge and FMCSA plans to study additional sleeper berth flexibility.

Tender volumes accelerate, driven by strong, stimulus-fueled consumer spending.

The position is seen as a nod to the growing complexity of Prologis’ business.

The levy will apply to customers tendering 30,000 weekly parcels from Jan. 4 to Jan. 31.

Three-judge panel upholds determination by FMCSA that the agency preempts California’s meal/rest break rules

Berlin-based digital freight brokerage Sennder closed a $160 million series, exceeding a $1 billion valuation.

The second issue of FreightWaves Truck Talk looks at the past, present and future of WorkHorse Group.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently launched a weekly data report on current market trends for key imported crops from Mexico and Canada.

New 25-driver subcommittee will give FMCSA direct feedback on safety issues.

The California Supreme Court rules the ABC test can be a factor in new and old worker classification litigation. If AB5 is lifted in California, it will add to the growing role for the B prong in the state’s trucking sector

FMCSA agrees to take action after OIG warns of weaknesses in its medical examiner registry.

CIEM’s Pioneer Chassis is gearing up to play a key role in squelching port bottlenecks and filling the chassis shortage gap.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon talks innovation, sustainability and more in a CES speech. Plus, FMCSA names new members to a safety advisory panel and Navistar plans to close an Illinois plant.

When he tried to sell GM’s iconic Hummer brand to the Chinese a decade ago, Jim Taylor never imagined he would import tiny electric delivery van bodies from China to finish in the plant that spawned the hulking SUV.

Penske Logistics “strongly refutes” claims by Loves but defers other comments.

The December rates subindex jumped 13% year-over-year, setting the stage for big rate hikes in 2021, according to Cass data.

Reliance Partners’ Brian Runnels fears that relaxed regulations may result in an uptick in CDL fraud in driver schools.

An FMCSA pilot project is considering 6/4 and 5/5 split rest periods for sleeper-berth drivers.

Also on the podcast: The 10-week run of higher DOE diesel prices and whether they’ll continue

A Prologis and MIT study said the holiday peak season in 2020 was the most environmentally friendly yet. E-commerce dominated 2020 consumer buying trends, drastically reducing the number of individual trips to the store.

Cross-border trade is strong but could be affected by everything from driver shortages to the freight imbalance to the Mexican peso in 2021. FreightWaves recently caught up with Troy Ryley […]

FourKites has announced that a record 382 carriers, brokers and 3PLs have been named to its Q4 Premier Carrier List, recognizing the top-performing companies for visibility.

“Tai reduces the number of clicks needed to run your operation,” said Tai Software’s Vice President of Sales Sean McGillicuddy. “We’re providing brokers a centralized platform for everything that they do.”

2020 was supposed to be a year when trailer orders dropped after racing ahead of Class 8 tractor reservations. Even with practically no orders in April, annual trailer bookings blew away early-year predictions.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, civil penalties for drug and alcohol violations could jump under a proposed rule. Plus, the holiday shipping season trned out better than most expected, and California unveils a plan to invest in clean vehicles.

Tayland Rahim, 27, of Gladstone, Missouri, an ex-Swift truck driver, was shot multiple times after troopers claim he drove to the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s local headquarters in Lee’s Summit with an assault-style rifle, firing several rounds.

Navistar is selling an engine-testing facility in Illinois to an industrial park developer, laying off 250 employees by the end of the year. The need for engine testing is shrinking amid the industry transition to alternative propulsion like battery-electric vehicles.

Deutsche Post DHL’s Express and E-Commerce units report strong numbers.

Each company is the other’s “preferred partner” in the factoring/truck stop cooperation

The North American Council for Freight Efficiency will focus on electric vehicles for its third Run on Less demonstration, an exploration of what works and what needs work in the battery-electric commercial vehicle space.

The land borders between the United States, Canada and Mexico will remain closed until at least another 30 days.

While truckers spend hours on the road each day, they can use a variety of exercises when they aren’t behind the wheel to remain alert and healthy.

FMCSA’s safety advisory committee for 2021 adds two trucking companies and four women.

Surging activity around logistics properties dominated the headlines in a fourth-quarter industrial real estate report. The strong trends are expected to advance into 2021 with some moderation seen as more supply comes online.

Commercial vehicle electrification developer Proterra Inc. will go public via a reverse merger with special purpose acquisition company ArcLight Clean Transportation Corp. Daimler Trucks is among lead investors raising $648 million Proterra is expected to receive.

Officials in Mexico unveiled plans Tuesday for an industrial development that includes a logistics center and airport aimed at boosting international trade.

OneRail’s $6.7 million in late seed financing will help the delivery orchestration and fulfillment platform scale its business development, sales and marketing operations.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, the U.S. DOT has laid out its strategic plan for safely deploying autonomous trucks and passenger vehicles. Plus, LTL volumes stayed strong in December, and XPO names the head of its logistics spinoff.

A new pairing between C.H. Robinson and SAS has no clear precedent as the large 3PL and a source of massive amounts of data on retail movements get together in a new initiative.

ShipMatrix reports a solid performance by carriers, while a Convey survey shows that U.S. consumers were tolerant of shipping issues.

Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse penalties of up to $5,833 issued by FMCSA are more than double what had been used as guidance over the past two years

DHL Supply Chain experts share how the company has adapted its sustainability efforts due to the COVID-19 pandemic and offer sustainability tips for businesses.

California’s proposed 2021-22 budget would sink $1.5 billion into clean trucks, buses and cars, as well as infrastructure to fuel those vehicles.

General Motors has created a new battery-electric first-to-last-mile business eyeing an $850 billion delivery market. Following a second pilot program, FedEx Express is slated to get the first 500 units of the EV600.

A roundup of the latest trade news in the world of freight tech and autonomous trucking. Embark, Kodiak and TuSimple join Self-Driving Coalition Embark, Kodiak and TuSimple became the first […]

Temperature-controlled carrier Nagle Toledo announced a 17% pay increase for its drivers. The company was one of the first to start paying drivers a straight salary.

Cawston, Chowdhury are tapped for top positions at the new company.

Electric vehicle chassis maker Motiv Power Systems has secured $20 million in debt financing from Crescent Cove Advisors.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, could an influx of capacity drive down spot rates? Plus, ArcBest President Tim Thorne is retiring, and federal regulators consider nixing a vision exemption for CDL holders.

The Postal Service’s Priority Mail Cubic may be the best value in parcel shipping, for those who qualify for it.

A Mexico-based driver involved in a multivehicle crash in Georgia has been prohibited from operating commercial trucks in the U.S. by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.