News

Used truck prices strengthen; trailer orders go crazy; Arizona suspends Uber self-driving; Canadian National trades at 52-week lows; aftermath of Harvey still affects Houston tanker traffic; Philadelphia freight market is heating up.

If companies wish to reduce freight costs, collecting and analyzing data may be a good place to start. 

Global food supply chains are struggling with visibility and the increasing demand of consumers. Adopting technology like IIoTs and blockchain could be the answer. 

FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez heard plenty of complaints from truck drivers over ELDs, hours of service, and parking issues during a Listening Session at Mid-America.

Detention time is a major issue for truck drivers and carriers, but Convoy is doing something about it by introducing automatic detention pay for those operating under Convoy loads.

In June, panelists at SMC³’s Connections 2018 will continue the blockchain conversation.

Cashflow Corner presented by TriumphPay …There are several basic mistakes owner-operators tend to make and each can put their business in jeopardy.

The threat of retaliatory tariffs on American agricultural products could hurt wheat exports, which are already struggling to compete on the international market. Railroad grains volumes in 2018 YTD are down, in many cases by double digits.

The Taiwanese ocean carrier turned a profit in 2017 amid significant increases in consolidated revenues and volumes as it encountered tailwinds from a recovering shipping market.

The Dubai-based port terminal operator will establish the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s first deep-water port, with the first phase of construction starting this year and taking about 24 months […]

The port terminal operating arm of Chinese state-run conglomerate COSCO Shipping reported a net profit of $512.45 million for the full year in 2017, a 183.2 percent increase from the […]

Teamsters employed with the East Moline, Ill.-based less-than-truckload carrier voted to ratify a new contract that will remain in place through March 5, 2021.

The CMA CGM subsidiary will use space on an existing loop between Asia, Mexico and the West Coast of South America, effective April 6.

Amtrak is mostly unhappy with freight railroads, but the issues raised by shippers with the railroads do not necessarily align with Amtrak’s issues.

One of the largest trends in technology today is connecting machines directly — without humans in between.

A wet pattern continues in the middle to eastern sections of the country, making it difficult for carriers to manage surging spring volumes coming out of the south. This impacts all modes of transportation including the beleaguered rail lines.  

Long-haul trucking is the most challenging duty cycle for a battery-electric vehicle to perform, given the long distances required at freeway speeds with a heavy payload in tow.

This week we are using the Cass Information Systems data to review what is happening in the economy overall. 

April 1st promises a surge of HOS violations; Uber pulls out of Southeast Asia; China starts trading oil futures; US Customs looks to upgrade their digital tools; Kansas City Southern hit by new tax bills.

Another aspect of Uber’s legacy that persists: secrecy.

The administrator said he is on an “aggressive listening” tour. 

IBM is building a computer that’s smaller than a grain of salt and is a part of IBM’s crypto anchor program that plans to use blockchain to improve supply chain transparency.

Uber Freight had a prime spot at the entrance to the show floor last week at the Mid-America Trucking Show, hoping to draw attention to its services as well as its new Uber Freight Plus program.

Love’s continues to grow, and its need for technicians is growing as well,  which is why it has created an apprenticeship program.

The KeepTruckin ELD is providing useful data that the company is turning into actionable information for customers.

Full enforcement begins April 1. How much is being enforced already?

Pricing on routes between Shanghai and the rest of the world fell another 4.3 percent last week, continuing a steady decline that began in early February, according to the Shanghai […]

Negotiators from the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), the labor union representing dockworkers at U.S. East and Gulf Coast ports, and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) spent Thursday and Friday […]

Shipment volumes for the month jumped 5.9 percent from January and 11.4 percent compared with February 2017, while expenditures grew 5.2 percent sequentially and 14.3 percent year-over-year, according to the […]

The Consumer Product Safety Commission will host stakeholders in May to examine issues related to products that connect to the Internet, including newly posed ‘non-traditional’ safety matters that could fall […]

Ross Roggio of Stroudsburg, Pa., and his firm Roggio Consulting Co. were charged with conspiracy to illegally export firearm parts and tools to Iraq for manufacturing M4 rifles.

The ocean carrier introduced a new loop connecting Hong Kong, China and Vietnam, deploying one 1,200-TEU vessel.

The sweeping $1.3 trillion omnibus spending package signed by President Trump Friday, which contains funding for various landside and waterside projects, tripled the budget for the Transportation Investments Generating Economic […]

FMCSA’s Joe DeLorenzo took plenty of questions from the audience as he tried to clear up confusion over the ELD rule during a session at the Mid-America Trucking Show.

Building out its suite of driver focused benefits, ONE20 has partnered with MDLive to offer members a virtual health insurance program and is also adding a fuel card option with discounts are large as 55 cents off per gallon.

The exemption does not apply to the wider agriculture industry, like a recent FMCSA break.

Samsara’s capital will accelerate new-product innovation and support the company’s customer growth in transportation and logistics.

General Mills is citing higher freight costs as a reason for lower than expected earning. This is not an uncommon issue in today’s marketplace. There could be solutions coming in the future. 

Chainworks announces its alliance with Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA).

Flexport is modernizing global trade through a combination of software and human expertise, bringing in greater visibility and transparency to the freight forwarding industry. 

Valuing the acquisition of IDC is the apparent source of the dispute.

Transportations companies with cross-border business are exposed to tariff risks; new home sales fall unexpectedly; the Dow crosses below its 120-day moving average; acquisition-minded trucking companies face new financial scrutiny; Target and Kroger merger rumors.

Factory orders for durable goods bounced back after a large decline in the previous month. Gains during the month were broad based in a sign that freight demand should be solid in upcoming months

ZED Connect is moving beyond just providing ELDs to collecting and analyzing vehicle data and providing insight into that data back to fleets and owner-operators.

The demand for last-mile services has increased by 50% in the last 18 months, driven primarily by the B2C companies.

Twenty years after first entering the market, BFGoodrich is reintroducing itself with two new all-terrain tires designed for the growing energy, construction and logging markets.

New 12 month price targets for FedEx stock range from $260-$310, representing 20% of the company’s value and reflecting uncertainty about how the parcel carrier will improve margins and find synergies with TNT.

With truck order forecasts continuing to rise, Mack Truck officials speaking at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville on Thursday reiterated their confidence in a strong economy through the end of this year.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney told reporters President Trump would sign the $1.3 trillion spending package passed by Congress on Friday, but Trump says he is […]

Interest is surging in making the trailer data as visible as that of the truck.

A high-rise condominium complex overlooking the Port of Miami that is currently being built has a very extensive construction supply chain.

The 15,262-TEU containership, which caught fire earlier this month, killing five crew members, is expected to arrive at the Middle Eastern port in a few weeks.

Multiple companies at the SCOPE Supply Chain & Procurement Summit in Chicago this week discussed disruptions in their supply chains, along with what they are doing to combat disruptions.

Ocean freight rates from Asia to the U.S. West Coast are following a similar pattern to last year, when early gains were followed by sustained declines after the Chinese New […]

The Soo Locks, which allow vessels to traverse the 21-foot drop between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, will open Sunday after being closed since Jan. 15.

U.S. tariffs imposed on steel and aluminum imports will have a limited impact on most international bulk trades, but could hinder containerized shipping, BIMCO Chief Shipping Analyst Peter Sand said.

Domestic truckload rates jumped 6.5 percent for the month compared to February 2017, following year-over-year increases of 6.5 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively, in January and December, according the latest […]

The Ocean Network Express – the joint container business of NYK, MOL and “K” Line – will use Union Pacific to handle all intermodal shipments for vessels calling U.S. West […]

Intermodal pricing increased another 5.4 percent for the month compared with the same 2017 period, the 17th consecutive monthly year-over-year increase, according to the latest Cass Intermodal Price Index.

Vehicle automation can be a complex topic. This infographic can help you differentiate between the five different levels of self-driving cars. 

In the dog-eat-dog world of data commercialization there are some fascinating parallels between where it’s headed and the resurgence of the gray wolf in Yellowstone National Park.

We see teaming up as a ‘2+2=5’ scenario and look forward to the coming years of continued growth and innovation,” said Scott Evanson, CEO of Smart Rhino Labs.

Clarifying the grandfathering of AOBRDs in a fleet expansion.

The tariff is aimed at curbing theft of U.S. technology and likely to trigger retaliation from Beijing and incite fears of a global trade war.

The US appears set to impose significant tariffs on China, raising the threat that the economy may find itself in a full-fledged trade war

ThreatAdvice a provider of cybersecurity education, awareness and threat intelligence announced today that it that it has been admitted into the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA).

Loss expects at leading fleets say more thought needs to go into package design to ensure cargo is well protected during transit.

Presented by Reliance Partners …As if insurance requirements are not confusing enough for truckers, there is additional insurance policies some truckers or carriers need that others do not. This includes intermodal insurance coverage

Some want to believe Tesla will succeed. Others believe Tesla will fail. Based on recent updates, you decide.

Bonuses and wages are both climbing rapidly.

Port terminals operated by the South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) handled 168,480 TEUs of containerized cargo for the month, a 4.2 percent year-over-year decline, as the authority began construction on […]

An over 2,000-page bill to keep the government funded through Sept. 30 included language to renew the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which lapsed Dec. 31, 2017.

The Northwest Seaport Alliance’s year-over-year increase in international container volumes in February offset a decline in domestic container traffic.

Michael Khouri, acting chairman on the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission, attended the Fourth Japan-U.S. Maritime Bilateral Meeting and met with regulators at the Japan Fair Trade Commission this week.

The new loop will link South China and Japan with Southeast Asia, utilizing four vessels averaging 4,754 TEUs.

The Israeli ocean carrier will drop a call at Halifax on its ZIM Container Service Pacific loop, but will launch a feeder service, dubbed the Canada Florida Express, which will […]

The American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index slipped 2.6 percent compared with the previous month, but remained 5.7 percent higher than in February 2017.

Volkswagen Group Logistics will charter the two roll-on/roll-off vessels capable of handling 6,500 vessels each from Siem Car Carriers AS.

CSX appoints a new vice president and controller, while Volga-Dnepr hires commercial director.

CFO of Kansas City Southern spoke at the Global Industrials Conference in London about the challenges faced by the U.S. railroad industry with regard to NAFTA and its prospects in the Mexican cross-border trade.

The ATA’s truck tonnage index fell 2.6% in February, and evidence from rail traffic data suggests that shippers are shifting modes for some freight

An new opportunity in an old port town is being largely ignored by the trucking community. Charleston South Carolina is showing signs of rapid expansion as the freight market cools down in the more voluminous Savannah. 

A CDL holder between the ages of 18 and 21 must do all their driving inside a state under current law.

KeepTruckin announced yesterday it secured $50 million in Series C financing—bringing the company’s total funding to $78 million.

Social networks can be treasure trove of information for carriers and shippers, helping them identify risky areas for goods movement, to finding employees who are putting the company at risk, and even finding stolen cargo.

The Uber Freight Plus fuel card provides up to 20 cents off per gallon at TA/Petro fuel stations for users, who also will receive maintenance and phone discounts in the program.

As record setting winter weather continues to disrupt all forms of transportation in America, the Northeast sees dramatic declines in freight acceptance. 

“When there’s no sheriff in town, people get killed,” said Consumer Watchdog, John Simpson. But would the collision have happened even with a person behind the wheel?

Container traffic into the Port of Seattle is down 22.6% YTD, starving the city of freight. Trucking spot rates have cratered, and turndowns have dropped 75% since their peak in October as carriers are forced to accept lower prices.

Hufbauer discussed potential implications of President Donald Trump’s Section 232 tariffs on aluminum and steel, the status of the NAFTA renegotiation, and the chances that the Trump administration could withdraw […]

The Memphis-based parcel giant reported a net income of $2.07 billion in the third quarter of its fiscal 2018 year, up a whopping 257 percent from the same period last […]

The technology firm has introduced Skylark, a cloud-based, high-precision global navigation satellite system service for autonomous vehicles.

Singapore-based port terminal operator PSA International increased its earnings 5.1 percent to 1.23 billion Singapore (U.S. $936.3 million) in 2017, as revenues and container volumes climbed 7.8 percent and 9.8 […]

The U.S. Commerce Department is scheduled to announce its final determinations on stainless steel flange shipments from China and India by June 5.

The annualized driver turnover rate at both large and small truckload (TL) carriers fell during the final quarter of 2017 compared with the previous three-month period, but rose when compared […]

Domestic container carriers ramped up capacity by adding vessels, containers and manpower to carry cargo for emergency relief and rebuilding efforts.

Zurich-based tech company Nexiot and German firm VTG Aktiengesellshaft hope to improve the way VTG’s 80,000 railcars assets are tracked by applying blockchain technology.

KeepTruckin raises $50M in a Series C financing. Plans to have 400,000 subscribers by the end of the year

President Donald Trump is blaming a “very sick individual or individuals” for a series of bombings in Austin, TX. Trump said during an Oval Office meeting Tuesday with Saudi Arabia’s […]