News

American Association of Port Authorities says year-over-year cargo volumes in the first quarter could be down by at least 20%.

People might be willing to travel for business, but companies are nixing nonessential trips. Many industry conferences are being canceled as a result.

Misdeclared cargo blamed for container ship fires, including last year’s blaze on the Yantian Express.

Final-mile acquisitions continue. CRST adds to its service offering by acquiring NAL Group.

“This exception ensures that the declaration requirement fulfills the intent of the Lacey Act while reducing the regulatory burden on importers,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

Airlines are at the mercy of the coronavirus. About the only thing they can do is try to reduce operating costs and preserve cash flow until people are willing to start traveling again.

CEO John Babic says Canadian oil and gas services firm was trying to ride out a slowdown in spending in a struggling industry, but his lender ran out of patience.

When companies are moving midsize loads, it can be almost impossible to find that balance within the traditional full truckload (FTL) and less-than-truckload (LTL) models.

Trucking Freight Futures significantly down for the week as February contracts enter expiration and fears of significant supply chain disruption grows.

China’s largest ecommerce company, JD.com, not ready to completely quantify coronavirus disruption.

A proposed $1.8 billion sale of U.S.-origin air defense systems is expected to open a pathway to increased exports to the South Asian economy.

Minor freight flow disruptions in Northwest, Midwest, Northeast.

Allied Air is buying some passenger airplanes and converting them to freighters. It’s cheaper than buying production freighters.

This white paper brought to you by PostBidShip, explores how Ming’s Recycling, a California recycler, is growing a sustainable business.

DHL has decided to close its StreetScooter electric vehicle business, plus household income rises, aluminum plant likely to close, and why Americans will love self-driving trucks.

The cloud robotics company announces a new tool allowing customers to program robot movements, without outside assistance.

CCM reorganizes executive team, STEMCO picks VP of sales and marketing, and Southeastern Freight appoints Orlando service manager.

StayMetrics’ Hindes talks about retention and management of a truckload company’s human assets.

Freightliner and Western Star will still exist, but sales will be reorganized toward end use.

The tentative agreement could help bring an end to protests on the country’s freight transportation network.

The rail industry could see merger activity in the next five to 10 years should the regulatory and economic environment make them necessary.

This white paper explores how artificial intelligence can help the industry humanize analytics and achieve better outcomes.

Each week, FreightWaves will release a short video highlighting the top moving markets around the country using our proprietary datasets.

Tomatoes imported from Mexico will begin undergoing tougher inspections at the border starting April 1. The increased inspections are part of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s deal with Mexican growers to suspend its anti-dumping investigation into the produce.

Every FreightWaves article is designed to assist our readers in becoming the most informed professionals in the transportation and logistics industry. These articles may have flown under your radar this week. […]

Container shipping rates from China to the U.S. west coast and international intermodal volume out of the L.A. port complex are both at or below last year’s seasonally-weak Chinese New Year Period. Extended factory shutdowns to prevent the spread of the coronavirus may inhibit a March or April rebound.

“We’re a highly resilient industry even in the face of a potential pandemic,” Washington Trucking Associations official says even as intermodal carriers take hit from disruption of Chinese shipping to West Coast ports.

Company seeks stay from federal court while it considers Supreme Court appeal.

FreightWaves Market Expert Mike Baudendistel writes about the issues impacting rail intermodal in 2020, and the ongoing battle between the railroads and the trucking industry.

Passenger and freight traffic showed big declines this month in certain regions. Airports and airlines are moving to right-size operations to the downmarket caused by the coronavirus.

The decision to close the Chicago office was partly financial, but Ray Sciuckas, Fastmore Logistics president, says the consolidation will create “better synergy among employees.”

Mexico City-based Estafeta is one of the largest courier, express and parcel firms in the country. The company has around 6,700 employees and operates 30.5 million shipments per year.

How coronavirus will impact volumes remains to be seen

Final-mile smart lock provider BoxLock announces $4.5 million funding round.

The rule, effective on April 3, addresses concerns of shippers, particularly those involved in paper products, steel scrap and agricultural goods.

The federal court affirmed an earlier decision by the Court of International Trade, despite a challenge from the American Institute for International Steel claiming the president overstepped his authority.

The World Health Organization on Friday raised its assessment of the global coronavirus risk from “high” to “very high,” the most serious assessment in its new four-stage alert system. “This […]

Positive train control has been fully implemented on the Class I rail network, with 48% of the network able to communicate with tenant railroads.

Deutsche Lufthansa AG is moving rapidly to reduce costs and preserve cash flow as the coronavirus outbreak widens to more countries.  Three days after announcing a series of expense reductions, […]

Trucking Freight Futures tumbled on Thursday on growing fears of a global supply chain slow-down due to the continued spread of Coronavirus.

The National Treasury Employees Union tells House appropriators that Customs and Border Protection requires an additional 1,100 officers and staff to carry out its mission at the nation’s ports of entry.

Snow, wind linger across parts of interior Northeast, but worst of the blizzard gone for most places hit Thursday.

Recently opened facility will help the regional parcel carrier compete with FedEx and UPS.

The airline and airfreight industries are dealing with reduced capacity in Asia as health concerns reduce travel demand.

Good day, Uber Freight has announced a partnership with  Samsara, an electronic logging device (ELD) and fleet management solutions provider, to help carriers with six or more trucks lower their […]

Brian Aoaeh explores unforeseen shocks to global supply chains and global commerce.

Details are skimpy at this point, but a lot more refiners are going to need to account for ethanol somehow in their operations.

Chao outlines five measures aimed at protecting passenger and cargo transportation.

The chance to connect LA-area drayage drivers and containers energizes Sammi Liu, who just helped the startup raise $10.2 million in Series A funding.

TQL said the data breach was not a malware or ransomware attack and will continue to work with law enforcement and cyber security firm to identify victims.

Reliance Partners’ Brenda Wiser helps carriers prepare to interact with insurance inspectors

2019’s $1.2 billion in investments spans consumer, agricultural, industrial products industries

Ocean, intermodal and trucking data are flashing red. Don’t worry — DAT just made a bullish call on spot rates.

The coronavirus has made its first impact upon the American economy – the stock market. The novel virus is also impacting import volumes from China and the effect will quickly trickle into the trucking market. It has not yet, but will soon. This week, spot rates bounced back slightly with a bump in outbound volumes. Capacity remains very loose.

Global market uncertainty weighed down Canada’s largest container port in second half of 2019.

Though still quiet on Wednesday, activity in the Trucking Freight Futures began to return as the market deals with uncertainty.

It has been a particularly rough start of the year for tanker stocks despite exceptionally strong results.

On this week’s “Drilling Deep” podcast, we talk to the attorney who led the legal fight that has kept the law at bay in California.

Followup training would be aimed at increasing driver ranks.

FreightCar America’s fourth-quarter results highlight the weakened railcar demand environment.

Americans view foreign trade positively; Tesla records only 12.2 miles of self-driving in 2019; cab-hailing companies have an emissions problem.

Carriers were notified Thursday morning that hackers breached TQL’s IT systems and may have gained access to customers’ business information.

Section of I-90 in New York State off-limits to trucks until further notice.

Continued strength in northbound less-than-truckload pricing helps drive Canadian shippers’ freight costs in December, the latest results from the Canadian General Freight Index show.

Recent Volvo Truck innovations in the U.S., and a new truck line in Europe continue to focus on driver comfort and keeping vehicles and drivers productive.

U.S. rail traffic maintains its slump for another week

Harbor commissions sign agreement to collaborate on common issues.

“They don’t need to sleep in a vehicle. They can work in an office environment and then go home.”

FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller writes about FreightWaves third birthday, and the company’s past, present and future.

Video telematics company Lytx has introduced a risk detection tool that will identify and engage with drivers who are prone to distracted driving.

Trucking Alliance-backed analysis supports group’s push for federal testing changes.

Houston-based TPC Group will eliminate 100 jobs but work to restore production within five years at the Port Neches plant damaged during Nov. 27 explosions.

The rapid growth in online retail sales and consumer demand for fast delivery is spurring construction of giant fulfillment centers.

Expected high winds have led to a ban on hauling empty trailers on part of the New York State Thruway in western New York starting at 3 a.m. Thursday.

Program members will have several opportunities to network in Orlando next week.

Unix Line admitted that its tanker, Zao Galaxy, illegally discharged oily bilge at sea while on route from the Philippines to California’s Port of Richmond in late January 2019.

Family-owned BK Trans Inc. cites a brutal freight market, the struggle to find qualified drivers and soaring insurance costs as the main reasons the small carrier has decided to close.

PS Logistics announces that it has completed the acquisition of Southeast Logistics.

SITA committed 9,256 violations of the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations between 2013 and 2018 by providing services from and transiting through the U.S. to blacklisted Syrian and Iranian airlines.

The unit was acquired from GE Capital in 2015 and has struggled recently.

Law enforcement may have broken up protesters’ rail blockade near Belleville, Ontario, but it’s uncertain when freight rail operations will return to normal. Stakeholders along Canada’s supply chain are also still jittery over the potential for additional blockades.

No evidence yet of coronavirus-induced drop in dry bulk rates. Is it coming?

Schneider National’s new Dallas operating center set to open as the company looks to grow its active fleet.

Program members will have several opportunities to network in Orlando next week.

Purchase of Canadian port operations part of global strategy “to connect directly with customers to offer logistics solutions and remove inefficiencies in the supply chain to accelerate trade.”

Trucking Freight Futures continued treading water on Tuesday as the spot contract “roll” approaches at the end of this week.

Lowe’s sees positive sales comps in 14 of 15 regions, but full-year fiscal 2020 guidance disappoints.

United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement has the support of a majority of Canadian lawmakers even if some seem set on delaying ratification to score political points.

U.S. export licenses are required for numerous types of highly infectious diseases that are shared in the form of samples for medical research between labs around the world.

The financial chickens from the coronavirus are coming home to roost. Lufthansa is belt-tightening, other airlines might try to ease lease terms for assets.

Storm will mainly be a challenge for truckers attempting local and regional runs.

ORBCOMM lowers full-year 2020 guidance given recent coronavirus developments.

OneRail is a last-mile orchestration and fulfillment platform that consolidates the needs of shippers and retailers onto a single platform.

Simplicity — Coyote’s guiding philosophy in its quest to make the diverse marketplace easier to access regardless of the end user — has served the company well. After its founding […]

In the past 30 years railroad freight cars have been able to carry heavier loads, thanks to decisions made in the late 1980s. Read Jim Blaze’s article about what happened and how it has been very important to the railroads.

New service helps companies wade through turbulent trade waters.

The estimated range of increased prices is wide, but at $80-$100 per barrel, it’s a lot higher than current levels.

This white paper, brought to you by Flock Freight, explores the countless inefficiencies that affect sustainability within the LTL shipping industry, as well as what green solutions are available for shippers.

Yokohama is expanding in the fast-growing 19.5-inch tire market with two new offerings for pickup and delivery and other Class 3-6 applications.

Fleet Advantage is adding predictive modeling to its ATLAAS platform, giving fleets a look at vehicle replacement cost savings at specific points in time.