News

Using data from consumer tracking firm Commerce Signals, the idea that e-commerce sales significantly hurt in-store sales during COVID-19 may not be completely accurate.

Roger Nielsen will need a new outlet for his electric and driverless truck passion as the Daimler Trucks North America CEO retires after a 35-year career.

Senate-approved emergency pension relief covering Yellow, ABF Freight employees could hit President’s desk this week.

Innovators worldwide are finding new ways to simplify and disintermediate the execution layer of the supply chain.

Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Laredo’s bridge master plan aims to boost Mexico trade; German automaker invests $72 million in San Luis Potosí; Transmontes orders 75 Freightliner trucks; El Paso opens route for trucks headed to Mexico.

Rockford International Airport is fast becoming an air cargo hub. Amazon and UPS have big operations there, and construction is underway to increase capacity for freighters and storage for new customers.

Pandemic heroes of the highway deserve mobile sites, NATSO says. Some drivers don’t think that’s a good idea.

The ATA will continue its Technology & Maintenance Council events to promote safety throughout 2021, though the National Truck Driving Championships will again be canceled.

The intermodal contract saving indices (IMCSI) show the percent savings of shipping via intermodal versus dry van truckload contract rates. To ensure comparability across modes, the calculation only compares truckload […]

Reefer capacity has tightened to all-time levels, pushing spot rates for produce moves to seasonal peaks ahead of schedule.

In today’s edition, we highlight some bad news on the February job front but some good news regarding new hires, as well as the latest on infrastructure investment.

This week notched a new all-time high in spot rates.

The World Wildlife Fund’s Farmers Post concept would connect farmers with consumers through the Postal Service’s delivery network.

Analysts tally tanker fallout after OPEC+ stuns market with decision to hold the line of production cuts.

Safeway is the latest supermarket to begin a test of robots for contactless delivery of online grocery orders.

All aboard the hyperloop hype train as Dooner and The Dude are joined by Virgin Hyperloop’s CEO/co-founder Josh Giegel

Leverage is firmly in carrier’s favor.

More consumers prefer to-go or delivery food experiences, so Applebee’s is testing ghost kitchens and delivery-only brands.

An investigation of the former DOT secretary highlights the need to restore trust in the federal infrastructure grant process.

The new brand will continue to bring real-time and predictive risk analytics to the supply chains of world-leading brands like Disney, Campbell’s, Apple and Goodyear.

Also on the podcast the continuing surge in diesel prices.

With Global Supply Chain Week over, Steve Ferreira recaps the best moments of the summit on this episode of Navigate B2B.

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

Courier gains stood out as an upward trend while others were lower.

Delivery drone manufacturer Flirtey is ramping up production and now taking preorders for its system.

The United States’ infrastructure was put to the test recently when Winter Storm Uri passed through the lower half of the country. As a result, production at petrochemical plants shut down and the industry is now on the brink of a potential seat shortage.

Instacart may forgo the traditional path to public status and sell its shares directly to the public, according to a Reuters report.

Sometimes the transportation industry can feel a little impersonal. A people-first mindset can help combat that.

This week, President Biden announced we will have enough vaccinations for every American by the end of May. For the American people, this is fantastic news. For apparel retailers, it’s euphoric news that complicates an already extremely uncertain environment. In this edition of Point of Sale, we’ll take a look at apparel inventory management through the lens of Nordstrom’s recent woes.

Prices continued to rise into Friday on the news that threw conventional wisdom aside.

February generally shows an increase in the number of trucking jobs, but not in 2021

U.S. weekly intermodal volumes moved higher last week amid support from retail and e-commerce, while carloads slumped as some U.S. Gulf Coast facilities seek to fully return to normal following February’s winter storm.

Truckers will have to chain up frequently as more snow piles up in the Northwest mountains (with forecast video).

In today’s edition, we highlight fresh FMCSA data regarding drivers and drug violations; Workhorse’s next move after its failed bid; and U.S. Xpress’ Variant initiative.

Perks, not just higher wages, may be the price for retaining qualified and high-demand warehouse labor.

The FDA failed to conduct 1,000 inspections last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That backlog could clog the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Air cargo is a good news, bad news story this year. Shipment volumes are at pre-crisis levels. But cargo is joined at the hip with passenger airlines, which are cutting more flights and struggling to survive.

The trucking community grapples with the city of Palmview, Texas’ ordinance restricting parking as well as access to city streets.

Republican lawmakers push back on Biden’s ‘big, bold vision’ ahead of infrastructure talks.

How do you differentiate yourself from your competitors? Standing out in sales is important and on this episode of Put That Coffee Down, Kevin Hill talks about ways to position yourself better.

Old Dominion Freight Line said Thursday it would add 800 drivers and more than 400 dockworkers and clerical personnel to meet “robust freight demand.”

On this episode of Midday Market Update, Kevin Hill and Michael Vincent discuss lingering port congestion and how delays are driving a hot air cargo market.

Craig Fuller reasons that if “project44 is the Visa of the industrial world, then having the greatest acceptance and connectivity will be a major differentiating factor.”

New Class 8 truck orders are piling up, leading fleets to turn to used equipment to add capacity in a consumer-driven freight market.

In light of recent wind-related accidents, Reliance Partners’ Brian Runnels advises truckers to check their weight, slow down and monitor weather reports before hitting the road.

Alan Adler joins Dooner on the show to talk about Workhorse’s woes, can Tesla hit a trillion dollar market cap, Nikola’s troubles and more

Schneider’s corporate sustainability goals include plans to reduce per-mile carbon emissions 60% by 2035 and focus on fleet electrification.

On this episode of #WithSONAR, Luke Falasca and Kyle Taylor explore the SONAR tools that provide visibility to the ocean shipping market.

The size of the Variant fleet reached 900 this week, ahead of schedule. CEO Fuller is touting improvement in OR of 2,000 bps when fully implemented.

PowerFleet’s LV-400 allows users to remotely monitor and make changes to the reefer trailer from their PC.

Three investigators will try to determine what caused the death of a BNSF worker on Wednesday at a rail yard near Los Angeles.

Amazon-backed Deliveroo announces plans to go public less than a year after British regulators questioned the viability of the business.

National Transportation Institute CEO Leah Shaver says drivers “will feel disrespected if they see that their time is not valued as it pertains to their paycheck.”

J.B. Hunt believes recent winter storms will negatively impact first-quarter operating income by $15 million to $20 million. The company said it had been successful advancing its intermodal service initiatives prior to the storms.

Vaccine distribution is an inherently complex process. The process is further complicated by this specific vaccine’s short shelf life.

As Amazon continues to dominate e-commerce, major retailers are stepping up their investments hoping to benefit from shifting consumer demands.

Workhorse expects a “prolonged process” in trying to wrest mail truck business from the U.S. Postal Service that contracted with defense contractor Oshkosh.

“Ocean Insights has dominated the container-tracking space, and we look forward to providing the industry not only the best ocean capabilities but also the most comprehensive end-to-end visibility platform,” says project44 CEO Jett McCandless.

Drayage trucking and logistics company ContainerPort sold its container yard and depot division to ITS ConGlobal, a company with intermodal, finished vehicle and depot service terminals.

We are on the cusp of a golden age of technology-led innovation in supply chain.

Truckers will have to chain up as a series of snowstorms comes back to the Northwest (with forecast video).

In today’s edition, we highlight a Department of Labor move, a logistics executives survey and another acquisition for PS Logistics.

Several of the nation’s largest retailers say inventory positions are improving. However, retail sales continue to outpace efforts to stock up, suggesting trucking demand could stay elevated well into 2021.

Supply chain software provider Descartes Systems Group has “sold more stuff than we’ve ever sold before” in recent quarters, its CEO says as revenue and profits soar.

If ocean freight rates have legs, analysts see much more room for the secondhand ship values to run — which should, in turn, boost stocks.

Northwest Seaport Alliance reports January exports dropped 13.4% year-over-year.

“Hannah grew up in this industry and she knows our product and the customer’s needs better than anyone. She’s already a tremendous leader within the organization, and now is her time,” said former CEO and father Yosie Lebovich.

The Home Depot, a current customer of Loadsmart, was happy to see the brokerage continue its commitment to bring freight optimization to its supply chain.

FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse data reveals 47,995 drivers are ineligible due to violations.

For the last day of Global Supply Chain Week, Dooner and The Dude are talking about the impact February’s winter storm had on Texas ports and how recovery is going with spring around the corner.

Class 8 truck orders have exceeded 30,000 a month for six consecutive months, more bookings than in the previous 18 months combined.

Tim Adams invented We Care Safety Flaps to reduce “collateral damage” from accidents involving tractor-trailers.

Boeing 767s are coveted by all-cargo carriers. LATAM Airlines is doing an in-house swap of passenger planes to its cargo division, which will send them to Boeing to convert into freighters.

As drone delivery tests ramp up, a patchwork of regulations make some states more friendly to the process than others.

Jefferies senior analyst Randy Giveans outlines why it is now a particularly good time to buy container-shipping stocks.

Authorities are investigating whether human smuggling was involved in a crash Tuesday near Holtville, California, that killed more than a dozen people.

The Sustainable Shipping Initiative’s road map to sustainability includes financial, social and environmental sustainability factors.

Today’s container market chaos underscores the need for enforceable ocean contracts as opposed to loose agreements, argues consultant Tom Craig.

For the 12th consecutive month, CN hauled a record amount of Canadian grain.

The company sets ambitious fleet electrification goals and establishes a center at Yale University to research climate-capture techniques.

Flatbed transportation and logistics provider PS Logistics remains on the acquisition trail, purchasing the assets of Indiana carrier Jason Jones Trucking. The tuck-in deal allows JJT to keep operating under its own name.

The AAR released climate policy proposals encouraging partnerships and market solutions that promote competition and carbon capture, utilization and storage technology.

Ocean Audit’s Steve Ferreira and AutoZone’s Jack Conaghan discuss how beneficial cargo owners should strategize contracts and containers during 2021.

Less-than-truckload carrier Saia reported a small decline in volumes during February, reversing the more than 5% increase recorded in January. Excluding inclement weather, the carrier said trends remain consistent with January.

Lina Jasutiene, managing director and founder of Recoupex and a former lawyer for the shipping line MSC, explains what shippers can do to successfully pursue damage claims. She talks to Steve Ferreira, the CEO of Ocean Audit, during a fireside chat at FreightWaves’ Global Supply Chain Week.

Brian Whitley’s airfreight business has been growing rapidly, but the events of 2020 forced him to adapt to quickly changing conditions.

You need to put yourself out there, be realistic and be patient to build a niche audience, says Tom Augenthaler, founder of 551 Media. “It doesn’t happen overnight.”

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave the nation’s infrastructure an overall grade of C-, up from a grade of D+ four years ago, the association revealed Wednesday in […]

Remember in your pitch that your customer — not you, the company or your solution — is the hero.

The asset-light warehouse startup will use the capital to expand its network, co-founder says.

HSBC global economist James Pomeroy says we won’t be buying all the one-off big-ticket items we did during the pandemic’s first year.

The Biden administration signaled on day one that it was going to roll back some late Trump administration rules; the independent contractor rule came out Jan. 7.

A recent survey conducted by Convoy highlights how truck drivers, dispatchers and owner-operators view different sustainable trucking issues and regulations.

Truckers may hit delays as a quick-hitting snowstorm heads toward the Rockies (with forecast video).

In today’s edition, we highlight a B2B exception in California, a dispute with the NTSB and good news for some newly hired drivers.

Adoption of technology has influenced U.S. Class I railroads’ staffing. Will additional technological innovation cut headcount even more, or will other factors have greater weight?

Maritime regulators warn the Houston port agency against restrictions that could hamper the Gulf Coast container trade.

The recent stimulus bill would funnel billions to the health care supply chain quickly. Recent executive orders indicate the feds aim to focus on health care supply chain long term.

Kalitta Air pilots on Tuesday ratified a new collective bargaining agreement, which the Air Line Pilots Association says significantly improves retirement benefits and working conditions. The four-year labor contract covers […]

The bosses of public dry bulk shipping companies claim that recent market oddities point to good times ahead.