News

Expect better times in 2021, industry observer says

First-round borrowers can get more money in the second round but need to show some financial downturn to do so

A federal district court judge in Nebraska determined that it would be illegal for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way – Employes Division to take action against Union Pacific over the railroad’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Airlines operating in the U.S. are once again collecting the federal excise tax on freight shipments that were suspended for most of last year to help the industry survive the […]

DOT Secretary Elaine Chao emailed a farewell letter to employees on Friday detailing her resignation and COVID-19 challenges.

MSU’s Miller: Not seasonally adjusted numbers show a market with some weakness but trends are still higher

Steve Ferreira highlights what to expect with continued backlogs in ports and shortages of shipping containers.

Here is the first issue of FreightWaves Truck Talk, a weekly newsletter adding perspective, context and commentary to industry news and trends.

A change in plans for the Brazos yard in Texas contributed to Union Pacific reaching an operating ratio in the mid-50s.

Robert Primus gets confirmed as the newest member of the Surface Transportation Board while the Intermodal Association of North America names Barbara Melvin as its new board member.

The Swiss logistics giant Kuehne + Nagel has extensive pharmaceutical experience and will handle the storage and transportation of COVID-19 vaccines for Moderna around the world.

With 2020 in the rearview, there are promising signs that point towards industry growth if one crucial thing takes place: tight inventory levels need to be replenished.

COVID induced demand for goods and spending in the home. How will spending behavior change when vaccines are widespread? Retail Analyst Andrew Cox believes consumer spending will be “A Tale of Two Halves”. See what he means:

The stage is set for a historically strong Q1 for freight with a slow vaccine rollout keeping a lid on services spending, and consumers are flush with recent stimulus as well as the hopes for more to come. The freight bull market rages on to start 2021.

Truck transportation jobs grew by more than 7,000 last month, but that number remains well below year-ago levels.

Emerge founder Andrew Leto and content marketing expert and best-selling author Joe Pulizzi will keynote FreightWaves’ upcoming virtual Sales & Marketing Summit.

Truckers may want to chain up. Weekend snow is in the forecast from the Panhandle to Dallas (with forecast video).

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has resigned. Plus, safety groups are concerned about an HOS exemption for ag haulers, and a worker classification rule could be scrapped.

Rail shippers discuss what issues they would like to see addressed in 2021. Among them: further action by the Surface Transportation Board and Congress on ensuring rail competition and adequate rail service.

The Geotab reseller segment will be the initial target for VideoProtects transport technology, which J. J. Keller has acquired.

The division of work between state employees and union members at the new South Carolina container terminal goes to the labor board.

A Biden administration teamed with a Democratic Congress should lead to even more stimulus, a recipe for even more container imports.

The airfreight sector is nursing itself back to health and should be discharged from intensive care by April. Find out why.

Traffic is expected to spike 23% compared to the highest-volume period in last year’s peak.

A rideshare drivers union that has helped push up wages and benefits for gig economy workers in New York City has expanded to Chicago.

Kevin Hill and Michael Vincent discuss the best fleets to drive for this year.

Truckers need snacks that provide energy and curb hunger to stay alert between rest breaks.

Getting people to think about visibility in a more dynamic and collaborative manner requires dismantling the idea that visibility refers only to a moving dot on a map.

Reliance Partners’ Brian Runnels explains that driver trainers should be everything from instructor and mentor to trainer, psychologist and friend to their students.

UBS equity research analyst Tom Wadewitz’s 2021 outlook calls for a continuation of healthy freight activity during the first half of the year with a little more uncertainty in the back half.

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao is first cabinet head to quit after storming of U.S. Capitol.

FreightWaves launches Long-Haul Crime Log, a weekly true-crime podcast about the dark side of the world of freight. Our first episode covers the crimes of an executed trucker, drug busts at the U.S.-Mexico border and cyberattacks on the trucking industry.

Ridgemont becomes Seko’s majority investor by buying Greenbriar Equity’s stake. Greenbriar retains a minority position.

Volvo’s decision to discontinue the sale of Class 8 trucks in Mexico concerns cross-border carriers’ ability to resell vehicles.

FMCSA rule expanding definition of ag commodities called “meritless and reckless” by group of safety advocates.

Luke Falasca and Kyle Taylor break down high prices brokers are paying in this week’s freight market.

Business groups stand on the side of democracy versus Trump.

Crew of the Polar Star conducting new scientific research and patrolling international waters.

Consumer goods demand, recovery in manufacturing and shortage of drivers combine to create profits that fleets spend to upgrade and expand truck capacity.

Evans Transportation needed to update its TMS platform but couldn’t find exactly what it was looking for in the marketplace, so it built its own system.

Ladingo’s growth suggests a segment of the market is not being adequately served by existing solutions.

Revised from earlier Department of Labor rule, it isn’t expected to survive an early Biden administration review

The railcar manufacturer sustained a net loss of $10 million in its fiscal-year first quarter, but it’s eyeing a market recovery in the second half of 2021.

Reflecting on how consumer behaviors influenced changes in sourcing and shipping.

Truckers will have to chain up in the southern Appalachians as a snowstorm approaches Friday (with forecast video).

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, YRC’s government loan is coming under increased scrutiny. Plus, the 20 Best Fleets to Drive For are named and a bill to allow truck drivers to carry a concealed weapon has been introduced in Congress.

Pandemic-driven factors in 2020 had impacts that are not likely to be repeated

How surprise Saudi production cuts and escalating Mideast tensions could impact timing of crude-tanker rate recovery.

The air cargo market is doing much better than passenger business for airlines. It could reach equilibrium, following the pandemic shock, in the next few months.

As e-commerce continues to surge, consumers are demanding more sustainable practices throughout the supply chain. Reusable packaging solutions and strategic container designs are emerging.

Anthony Smith and Zach Strickland share their predictions for the state of freight in the new year.

Kevin Hill and Blythe Brumleve discuss how to catch your audience’s attention from the start and keep them on the line until the close.

Falling U.S. coal carload volumes reflect the decline of U.S. energy consumption of power generated by coal. Also, U.S. intermodal traffic offset volume losses in 2020.

The driver of a tanker truck died Tuesday afternoon when his vehicle burst into flames after crashing on a Houston highway.

Fraley & Schilling has acquired the assets of KBT Enterprises, an Indiana-based carrier specializing in dry bulk material transportation.

Sixteen repeat fleets have been named to the TCA and CarriersEdge 2021 Best Fleets to Drive For list, which honors for-hire trucking fleets identified as offering the best workplace experiences for drivers.

Momentum for increasing railroad chemical traffic should continue in 2021.

With 10,000 severe storms hitting the U.S. each year, they’re bound to delay truckers at times.

Nikola is recasting its board of directors to make crisis management and business expertise available to management as the electric truck startup seeks to regain credibility lost after a stratospheric beginning as a public company.

Truckers will have to chain up as two more snowstorms hit the Northwest this week (with forecast video).

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, the CEO of flatbed operator Daseke has stepped down, plus project44 accuses FourKites of defamation over alleged emails sent to board members, and a key index covering transportation, inventory and warehousing, is suggesting a possible slowdown in the supply chain.

David Henry, regional manager for Mexico at GlobalTranz, makes his predictions for cross-border trade.

XPO Logistics’ virtual reality program is designed to promote effective loading procedures at LTL docks, the company says.

The sponsor of concealed-carry reciprocity legislation in Congress has singled out truck drivers as beneficiaries of the proposal.

Like clockwork, liner operators sharply reduce their sailings each year during the Chinese New Year holiday. Not in 2021.

A congressional oversight report highlights flaws in the Defense Department’s designation of less-than-truckload carrier YRC Worldwide as a company vital to national security.

In this issue freight’s ransomware problem, project44 sues FourKites, skies cleared for drones, more

Will the new year bring market booms or busts? Andrew Cox and Seth Holm react to a bold prediction from Deutsche Bank analyst Amit Mehrotra.

These apps can help truckers learn about weather changes, construction and more while providing something entertaining on long drives.

The FAA is adding new experts to its Drone Advisory Committee.

Acquisitions and record Canadian grain loadings round out rail news

Albertsons, subsidiaries turn to alternatives such as DoorDash

Michael Vincent and Kevin Hill assess how Georgia’s runoff elections and a new administration will affect the world of trucking.

BNSF and Wabtec conduct advanced tests on a battery-electric locomotive by putting it in service in California with two Tier 4 diesel locomotives.

Amazon Air is becoming a major airline and has now taken ownership of its first aircraft after new deals with Delta and WestJet.

Bison Transport, one of Canada’s largest trucking companies, has been acquired by Canadian agricultural and industrial conglomerate James Richardson & Sons.

While the pace of growth in the supply chain cooled during December, transportation and warehouse capacity remains tight and prices are high.

Digital yard management solutions company PINC partners with Lazer Spot to improve efficiency and visibility in trailer yards.

TruckPark and FuelMe have launched a service that allows truck drivers to reserve a parking space and schedule a fuel delivery at the same time.

Flatbed carrier Daseke announced several moves Tuesday. The company’s CEO has resigned, former founder Don Daseke will be renominated to the board and institutional shareholder Lyons Capital will occupy a board seat.

Suit alleges that FourKites’s fake email accounts called project44 “the next Theranos.”

OneRail eliminates friction from the final mile by reducing fulfillment operation costs and increasing delivery speed. Its courier network of 4.5 million drivers reaches virtually every market from coast to coast.

Nucor Tubular Products and PowerFleet on Tuesday announced a partnership.

Truckers will have to keep chaining up this week in the Northwest. More heavy snowfall and gusty winds are forecast to hit the region (with forecast video).

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, an activist investor is pushing Forward Air to create more shareholder value. Plus, retail supply chain trends to watch in 2021 and Deutsche Bank’s Amit Mehrotra shares his truckload stock outlook.

The Transportation Security Administration’s top official for air cargo security is looking at a less-expensive alternative to intrusive inspection of all freighter shipments.

Dooner and The Dude start the new year breaking down how freight tech is becoming accessible for businesses of all sizes.

Some market signs point to gains fizzling out for now.

Experts share how DHL Supply Chain’s GoGreen and GoHelp initiatives are paving the way for sustainable progress.

Trailer Bridge’s Indie Bollman describes the company’s efforts to remain engaged with staff and provide opportunities for growth amid a restricted work environment.

No end date is in sight as the wreckage removal proceeds nearly 16 months after the roll-on/roll-off vessel capsized off the coast of Georgia.

Workhorse Group booked its biggest order for its electric delivery vans, but the deal requires the company to come through on time starting this July — maybe.

Benjamin Hartford joins Marie Colbert and Derek Nelson to fill out Mastery’s top executive ranks.

From narrow lanes to sheer old age, these are some more bridges that truckers fear the most.

Missouri-based Boomerang Tube lays off 185 workers from its manufacturing operation in Liberty, Texas.

Retail analyst Andrew Cox makes five predictions for retail supply chains in 2021. First and foremost: An inventory correction.

Former executives at Forward Air along with an activist investor have been acquiring shares since October in efforts to make changes to the management team, board and capital allocation strategy, which may include divesting “non-core assets.”

1994: Despite its effectiveness in catching contraband, Customs pulls the plug on X-ray procedures at Tacoma.

Dana Inc. spotted the trend toward zero-emission commercial vehicles four years ago when China offered incentives for battery-powered buses. That led the Tier 1 supplier to start buying and partnering with companies to build an all-in approach to electrification.

XPO gets most of K + N’s U.K. contract logistics business.