News

Chief Innovation Officer Brain Hancock is retiring from Kansas City Southern, while Jason Morris will succeed Scott Weaver as vice president of labor relations.

“We’re trying to deploy a fleet and do volume deliveries and learn more about that than anybody else in the autonomous space,” says CEO Luke Schneider.

Lack of standards among truck-parking notification systems puts long-haul truckers at a disadvantage, according to new research.

Nikola Corp. agreed to sell Tumim Stone Capital up to $300 million in new shares over the next three years.

A majority of businesses plan to maintain online buying processes put in place during COVID-19 even after the pandemic subsides, according to an Amazon Business survey.

Lordstown Motors Corp.’s top two executives are out following an internal investigation into allegations of phony preorders for electric pickup trucks.

PowerFleet offers in-cab and exterior camera technology, as well as visibility for the freight pallets inside the trailer.

E-commerce management company Whitebox has released Omnifi, a single platform that connects e-commerce brands’ marketing, sales and logistics channels.

UPS announces emission-reduction strategies for facilities, small package operations and the global air fleet.

Truckers will have to try to keep cool as a prolonged heat wave sizzles all week across many Western freight markets (forecast video included).

Solution lies in a collaboration between business, academia, the government and labor putting together a national strategy for global competitiveness, experts say.

FedEx Freight has more business in some regions than it can manage, so it is freeing up capacity by telling hundreds of customers it won’t pick up their shipments starting Monday, June 14.

Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Mexico remains top US trade partner; second USMCA labor complaint lodged at Mexican factory; Hyliion expands Texas headquarters; and avocado imports from Mexico up 26%.

Canada’s requirement for commercial vehicles to use ELDs technically took effect Saturday. The trouble is no devices are certified for use, and true enforcement won’t come for another year.

This week: J.B. Hunt announces $1M endowed scholarship for supply chain inclusion, OTR Capital’s new web series showcases life on the road, and tank driver could become Canada’s first NTTC Driver of the Year.

As frightening as they appear, ransomware attacks are based on a simple concept of locking up data and effectively holding it hostage.

Offering speed enables retailers to build scale and density, but only if expectations are appropriately set and delivered on as promised.

In today’s edition, we highlight a big merger between two huge 3PL providers, NextNav’s merger with a SPAC and more.

The transaction, arranged by CVC Capital Partners, is set to close in the third quarter.

Container spot rates spiked again, with new records set. For importers, the worst is yet to come.

The THT Group Inc., doing business as Truckers Health Team, abruptly closed all 14 of its clinics at various Pilot Flying J Travel Centers and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Thursday.

Three key trade groups have filed amicus briefs to the latest legal effort by the California Trucking Association to keep the state’s AB5 independent contractor law from being implemented.  The […]

Building a minority women-owned 3PL in ATL, self-defense for drivers, latest news and more

A Prologis Research report says new logistics real estate completions coming online will fall short of demand over the next decade.

Tankers painted with coffee mugs do not haul coffee, and other alarming discoveries.

Belarus occupies a key spot on the Trans-Eurasian rail line and is on the flight path used by airlines between Europe and Asia. Freight transport could be a victim if the West imposes sanctions on Belarus for violating what considers international norms.

Spartacus will acquire the company in a valuation of more than $1B; more than $400M will be plowed back into the business for growth.

The “unprecedented” influx of imports continues on the West and East coasts.

On this episode of Medically Necessary, Matt Blois looks at how supply chains are enabling better medical care to be brought directly to patients’ homes.

How much information is too much information? Blythe Brumleve digs into that question when it comes to marketing on this episode of Cyberly.

As consumer prices creep higher, Anthony Smith and Zach Strickland use this episode of Freightonomics to examine the upstream price increases driving inflation at the consumer level.

The Cass Freight Index surged again in May with continued strength recorded in freight shipments and spend. While the year-over-year comparisons become more formidable in the coming months, the current supply-demand fundamentals are expected to remain in play for some time.

SaaS platform company Cleo, which specializes in the integration of B2B enterprise data and saw rapid growth in 2020 due to e-commerce, received a strategic investment from H.I.G. Capital.

Also on the podcast, host John Kingston talks about one of the final “return to normal” numbers being achieved in oil markets.

The past week in images features a tornado spotted at thousands of feet in the air, a trucker saving an injured animal and a unique military aircraft fueling.

The push to deliver items to the consumer faster is hampering efforts to create a more sustainable supply chain.

Truckers will hit a prolonged heat wave across Desert Southwest freight markets beginning this weekend(forecast video included).

Adding or extending sidings, particularly on three key routes, will reduce delays and improve network fluidity, UP said.

New air cargo security rules require 100% screening of every shipment. The Transportation Security Administration says cargo from large warehouses with heavy security measures don’t pose a risk and can skip screening, but some say that’s unfair to companies that comply.

Two brothers have been embroiled in a yearslong dispute over how to sell off their cross-border trucking business so that each gets a fair share.

Rising fuel costs are yet another woe for containerized cargo shippers, while widening spreads should benefit ships with scrubbers.

Yellow CEO Darren Hawkins sent a formal response to lawmakers seeking proof of compliance with the terms of the $700 million CARES Act loan.

The details are murky, but the decision to remove priority ratings under the Defense Production Act may not change much about the vaccines supply chain.

“The pandemic has greatly accelerated the adoption of smart automation, and we are ready to meet the unprecedented market demand.”

Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi has filed paperwork with the SEC for an IPO on a major U.S. stock exchange.

The briefs filed by the trade groups seek to bolster arguments made by CTA but rejected in the split decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The proposals hope to enforce the carriage of trade and excessive penalties U.S. importers are being charged by foreign carriers.

“With our sustained focus on supply chain digitization, infrastructure investments and strong business relationships, we have the opportunity to build on this historic milestone,” says Executive Director Gene Seroka.

The Diesel Technology Forum released data that the newest generation of diesel trucks provides massive greenhouse gas emissions and air-quality benefits.

Life behind the wheel of a big rig, driver health and how to become a social media influencer in trucking.

Connecticut’s governor is expected to approve a 17.5-cents-per-mile tax on large trucks.

Fleet intelligence provider Omnitracs announced the latest release of its SmartSense technology Thursday. SmartSense for Inattentive Driving+ aims to reduce accidents by identifying distracted driving.

CFO Thom Albrecht doesn’t think the lumber shortage has been “that big of a deal” for flatbed carriers.

The barge and tugboat operator said if no buyers come forward, it could begin employee layoffs by July 15.

FreightWaves adds a new way to measure capacity changes in the domestic freight market to its SONAR platform.

Legal woes force Illinois trucking company Mardon Trucking Inc. to cease operations and file Chapter 7 bankruptcy this week.

Former Surface Transportation Board Vice Chairman William Clyburn Jr. recommends that STB approve the voting trust proposed by CN and Kansas City Southern.

The investment was motivated by continued growth in the specialty freight logistics markets.

Trucks Venture Fund 2 is backed by seven large global partners — three auto OEMs, three auto suppliers and one communications company.

Trips that once took three to four weeks are often taking three to four months, and shipments will undoubtedly miss their season for some retailers.

Truckload carrier Western Express will install Platform Science’s full suite of technologies, including the Remote Platform Management system, across its fleet of 3,000 trucks.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services is the latest fleet to test autonomous trucking software in Texas, hauling loads in human-supervised robot trucks from Waymo Via.

Truckers will hit strong winds and a risk of rollovers Thursday in several Western states (forecast video included).

The American Chemistry Council wants the Surface Transportation Board to look into whether operational changes and cost cutting exacerbated the rail service issues that chemicals shippers have been having in the first half of this year.

On this episode of #WithSONAR during the FreightWaves Small Fleet & Owner-Operator Summit, Luke Falasca and Kyle Taylor look at how SONAR data is useful no matter your fleet size.

In today’s edition, we highlight the latest financial news and developments at XPO, some good news for our own team and more.

After a slow start, Morgan Stanley sees the urban air mobility market quickly accelerating after the year 2040, growing from a $1.5 trillion market size to more than $9 trillion in 10 years.

The company’s investor day focuses on modest projections for domestic package-delivery margins through 2023.

Consolidation in the liner sector is already extreme. Newbuild orders will further concentrate market power in fewer hands.

An intermodal container terminal in Alabama targeted for “earmark” funding would extend the reach of the Port of Mobile.

In an effort to keep trade flowing, major carriers have canceled sailings to Yantian — a useful diversion that has created a whole new chain of bottlenecks.

From A.P. Møller – Maersk to ZIM, the world’s shipping lines reported huge profit jumps.

At a UBS conference, two execs from the truckload carrier reviewed the market for drivers in the midst of the freight boom.

A former owner-operator and J and R Transfer’s Josue Ramos discuss challenges with shifting freight volumes, hard times and what they wish they had known before becoming an owner-operator.

Factoring is one of the most important sources of liquidity for small fleets and independents, and it’s undergoing significant consolidation.

Bad apples can jump from one company to another because their full employment history doesn’t always follow them. It happens in all industries. But when bad pilots get a second chance, it can be deadly.

Ryder’s Kevin McCarthy highlights what small businesses miss about the hidden costs of owning versus leasing.

Transportation capacity diminished further in May, according to a supply chain survey. The capacity subindex of the Logistics Managers’ Index fell 50 basis points from April to 32.7%, “indicating continued […]

As COVID restrictions ease, small fleets must develop cargo theft prevention plans, which include mapping out safe truck parking and fueling routes, says Adam Wingfield, managing director of Innovative Logistics Group.

Experts weigh in on how choosing the right legal services firm can help drivers and fleets keep operating efficiently.

Labor attorney Damon Ott discusses how trucking companies may need to change with the California law on the use of independent contractors during FreightWaves’ Small Fleet & Owner-Operator Summit.

Matt Silver, VP of partnerships and strategic alliances at Trucker Tools, and Larry Cothran, owner-operator of Cothran Logistics, chat about becoming an owner-operator at FreightWaves’ Small Fleet & Owner-Operator Summit.

XPO Logistics provided updated expectations for the second quarter and issued 2022 guidance for soon-to-be stand-alone logistics company GXO.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes drugs from trucks on a regular basis. Lawyer Su Ross of MSK talks to Long-Haul Crime Log host Nate Tabak about what fleets and owner-operators need to know when drugs are found in one of their trucks.

FreightWaves and its American Shipper brand won Best Media Brand (Overall Editorial Excellence) in the 67th annual Jesse H. Neal Awards, considered the Pulitzer Prize of business-to-business journalism.

Forward Air is marketing itself as Forward because it offers more than just airport-to-airport linehaul.

E-commerce technology company Stackline announced a $130 million investment from TA Associates to fund additional technology development.

Trucker Tools’ CEO and a Schneider expert chat about how the COVID-19 pandemic has made brokers, shippers and the public more aware of the value that owner-operators bring to the freight industry.

“We need to get safe drivers on the road and we need to do so quickly,” says CVTA President and CEO Bailey Wood during FreightWaves’ Small Fleet & Owner-Operator Summit.

Based on fatal crash data, these are the five highway stretches where truckers should be the most careful.

Keynoting a FreightWaves summit, Rob Estes, head of Estes Express Lines, says current conditions are unprecedented.

A high-ranking official with the largest trade group for independent owner-operators discusses the issues his organization sees for many of those behind the wheel.

KeepTruckin has unveiled Fuel Hub, a telematics-based machine learning tool that can help identify drivers and vehicles that may be using more fuel than needed.

Truckers may run into roadblocks the rest of the week due to flash flooding east of the Mississippi River (forecast video included).

The new company already has 10 clients, as it takes the HubTran platform and steers it toward a market that is similar but with key differences.

In today’s edition, we highlight a new pay plan to incentivize operators, Redwood Logistics’ latest move with project44 and more.

Cargo handling companies at Chicago O’Hare International Airport are crying, “No mas.” They’re investing in warehouses outside the airport because cargo volumes are causing gridlock at airport terminals.

Love it or hate it, the regional parcel carrier looks to clean up as e-commerce drives up demand for parcel-delivery services.

Once high-flying SPAC Lordstown Motors said Tuesday it may fail without more money to produce commercial electric pickup trucks.

A new supply chain task force emerges from the Biden administration’s 100-day review.