News

Prospective North American and international customers are inquiring about Wabtec’s battery electric, heavy-haul locomotive, which is undergoing advanced tests with BNSF. The company reported its fourth-quarter results on Thursday.

A winter storm delayed shipments of COVID-19 vaccine doses across the U.S. The Biden administration expects delayed doses to arrive soon.

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.

Star Bulk and Golden Ocean have recently acquired almost $1 billion in ships between them as they seek more exposure to the dry bulk market.

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.

Also on the podcast this week: The soaring price of diesel and the impact from the Texas cold snap

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

The winter weather that crippled the Southern Plains is hitting earnings for some companies. Kevin Hill and Michael Vincent discuss what it means for freight.

As of September, the company sits at 800 warehouses and has been able to use these assets to ensure on-time delivery.

FreightCar America makes Terry Rogers its permanent CFO, the Association of American Railroads reports weekly U.S. rail volumes rose 0.3% year-over-year, and The Broe Group updates its progress on a Savannah, Georgia-area industrial park.

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.

The Container Store’s (NYSE: TCS) most recent earnings call details the reality of shifting to a greater mix of e-commerce sales at a time when transportation capacity is extremely tight.

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.

Meteorologist June Bacon-Bercey paved the way for young women and minorities in science.

Former U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, economist James Pomeroy and serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk headline three days packed with content covering global maritime logistics.

Peloton is riding a wave for the history books right now. It has grown revenues by triple digits year-over-year for three consecutive quarters while building one of the most recognizable brands in not just fitness, but all consumer segments. If it should continue this meteoric rise, it must sort its supply chain issues before either the vaccines or competition prematurely puts out its flame.

Back-to-back winter storms this week have been wreaking havoc on trucking capacity (with forecast video).

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.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of artificial intelligence in e-commerce, with companies utilizing the technology able to adapt quicker to changing consumer demands.

Demand for technology platforms that can automate the entire D2C experience is growing, and Pipe17 is the latest to secure funding to expand its solution.

Six cases of at-sea container losses have been reported in less than three months.

“If we do nothing, we will still have vessels at anchor come midsummer,” says Port of LA Executive Director Gene Seroka.

Cargo shippers hamstrung by the global container shortage should not expect a box building spree in China to come to their rescue.

This labor economy has historically dealt with an information deficit, which forces companies to overhire in order to find the correct employee for the job.

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.

Kyle Taylor and Luke Falasca talk to K-Ratio’s Kyle Lintner about the way markets are responding to major disruptive events.

The Federal Maritime Commission is stepping up oversight of charges imposed on trucking companies and U.S. exporters by containership companies.

Anthony Smith and Zach Strickland explore how quickly supply chains are shifting in response to current events.

Companies a small slice of retail landscape in state, but their numbers suggest significant outages of diesel supplies due to lack of fuel or electricity

Power outages, bitter cold and heavy snows have caused temporary intermodal-related closures and significant delays.

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.

Olipop’s Ben Goodwin on the logistics behind building a beverage brand Olipop, and the latest freight news on the podcast

The warehouse robot maker sees strong growth as more businesses automate their fulfillment operations.

The U.S. has indicted a computer hacker working for Pyongyang to help North Korea evade U.S. maritime sanctions.

Andrew Cox explores how tariffs and trade policies can impact the retail landscape in the United States.

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.

anadian e-commerce firm Shopify continues to slowly ramp up its U.S. fulfillment network on the heels of record fourth-quarter financial results.

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

UP appoints three employees to new roles within Loup Logistics and the company’s marketing and sales department.

As more packages and groceries are being shipped to consumers’ front doors, the demand for systems that can secure and maintain the freshness of items is growing.

The United States and Canada should do more talking and less unilateral banning and canceling.

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

The trade agreement’s rules governing how much of a car must consist of North American parts could incentivize automakers to set up more assembly plants in the U.S.

Amazon so often does everything seemingly right, so it’s important to talk about its shortfalls. I’m confident Amazon will right the Whole Foods ship, but it’s clear the boat has been sailing against the wind since COVID hit.

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.

Since the federal government started regulating the number of hours a truck driver can legally drive in a day, requiring either paper logs or higher-tech records, some motor carriers and truckers have devised ways to skirt the rules by falsifying drivers’ log books.

A second winter storm this week adds to supply chain issues from Texas to Tennessee (with forecast video).

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.

Torc Robotics gets millions of gigabytes of data in testing self-driving trucks for Daimler AG. Now it wants Amazon Web Services to make faster sense of it.

It’s not just container stocks rising. Shipping stocks are up for everything from bulkers to tankers to gas carriers.

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.

Not only did the DOE price rise again, the 7.5-cents-a-gallon increase is the largest in the streak that goes back to November.

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

Will Biden team up with Big Tech on vaccines? Spot rates thaw but South doesn’t. The logistics of Gorilla Glue, and more.

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

Supply chain experts say a national IT system for vaccine distribution could speed things up.

Andrew Cox and Seth Holm detail Ancora Advisors’ attempts to reroute asset-light trucking and logistics company

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.

Preeti Pande, the hydrogen solution provider’s chief marketing officer, comes with extensive fuel cell industry experience and a Ph.D.

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

Once built, the NOAA ship Discoverer will conduct research in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone for at least a few years.

The Open Visibility Network partnership will combine FourKites’ and Tive’s data and capabilities to give mutual customers more supply chain visibility.

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.

Kevin Hill and Michael Vincent discuss the top headlines and get an update on how two consecutive winter storms are impacting shipping around the nation.

In the first episode of the FreightWaves podcast stackd, host Adam Robinson tells you how to build out your arsenal of digital tools to maximize success.

Andrew Cox explores what technology warehouses are implementing on this episode of Point of Sale.

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

Amazon has acquired Selz, a provider of technology that allows sellers to build an online storefront.

TCA advocates for an increase to the federal fuel tax to make up for funding shortfalls, but also recognizes that a vehicle miles tax is inevitable. The question is how do we get there?

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.

It’s a difficult task selling new vehicles when lot inventories are thin. However, with the right strategy, dealers can overcome disruptions in the automotive supply chain.

As rideshare has plummeted because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lyft has had to chart a new path forward in the next decade. That path features a reliance on autonomous vehicles and e-commerce deliveries.

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.

Digital freight forwarder Flexport can now link consignee order data to shipments from suppliers.

Supply chain issues linger in the South even though a historic winter storm has ended (with forecast video).

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.

More venture capital flowing to maritime tech startups – and more shipping companies giving those startups a trial run.

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

The U.N. and World Health Organization are working hard to make sure less-developed countries get their fair share as more vaccine supplies become available. Transportation and logistics is a big part of their organizing effort.

What makes a lead qualified? Kevin Hill and Chris Jolly talk to the COO of ‘zembles about how to know when a lead is a good one.

Some supply chain experts believe a nationwide IT system for managing COVID-19 vaccine distribution would be more efficient, but it’s been difficult to create one.

Ice storms turn deadly for drivers, state of vaccine logistics, can an automated trailer change intermodal, more

One longer-term concern is refineries in the cold can suffer damage to their units that take a long time to get right.

Extreme cold and lots of snow in the Midwest and other areas could impact rail operations and cause delays, according to some railroads.

A Canadian National freight train derailed at an intersection with a West Chicago commuter line. Service remained disrupted early Monday afternoon.

2005: Airbus is ready to break Boeing’s 30-year monopoly on making large passenger aircraft.

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

A quickly changing retail landscape has sparked interest in more innovative shipping models, including bypassing domestic warehousing with direct-from-origin options.

How quickly drone package delivery becomes a reality is dependent on a couple of factors, perhaps none bigger than whether the public is ready to accept it.

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.