News

Jack Hellmann, chairman, president and CEO of short-line and regional railroad operator Genesee & Wyoming, said the company is continuing to evaluate various acquisition and investment opportunities across its global […]

Seaspan names new chief executive officer; Wen-Parker Logistics appoints key account manager and director of finance; and ContainerPort Group President passes away.

Rolls-Royce envisions a future of autonomous cargo and naval vessels controlled from futuristic shore facilities. Click through to watch their sci-fi style film about how a Finnish shore control center responds to losing contact with one of its ships.

DAT Solutions has joined the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance (BiTA). The Alliance is promoting blockchain technology and standards in the transportation industry. DAT operates North America’s largest digital freight marketplace.

FleetPal is looking to help smaller businesses with a comprehensive directory for truck maintenance solutions. “The idea of FleetPal is to bring everyone together on a single platform – the truck repair vendors, truck parts vendors, fleet owners, and the drivers themselves,” says Milko Valnev, co-founder.

Agriculture industry representatives are still waiting for a response from the U.S. Department of Transportation regarding a delay for agricultural carriers concerning electronic logging device (ELD) rule enforcement.

Heightened tensions in the South China Sea over territorial disputes threaten $5T in shipping and $1.2T in US-only imports and exports.

Chances are pretty good you got into trucking to make money. Some carriers, though, continue to suffer through lean year. They are always running short of money, and can never seem to get ahead. Their problem may be their hauling rate.

FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) took a tumble in August, the firm said, dropping to a negative 6.7 reading. Most of the decline was due to the short-term fuel cost increases because of disruptions due to Hurricane Harvey.

There are some things that money can’t buy. For everything else, there’s Mastercard even for blockchain as reported by ZDNet. This opens up new opportunities for merchants and financial institutions alike to apply this technological trend to their own e-commerce-related foray into cloud-based solutions.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a second $213 million contract to Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. to carry out the remaining dredging of Charleston Harbor’s entrance […]

In other news, China COSCO Shipping’s tanker unit, COSCO Shipping Energy Transportation, will order 14 tankers, according to a report from maritime news outlet Splash 24/7.

The $10 million gateway facility at O’Hare Northeast Cargo Center joins DHL’s two other Chicago facilities as the German forwarder expands its operations in the U.S. Midwest.

NYK Line and “K” Line got back into the black during the six months ended Sept. 30 after posting losses in the same 2016 period, while MOL’s earnings took a […]

Californians are about to see huge increases in the fuel taxes they pay at the pump. California’s Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown (D) in April and will begin taking effect this Wednesday with a 12 cent jump in the gasoline base excise tax and a 20 cent spike in the diesel fuel base excise tax.

Dole, Driscoll’s, Golden State Foods, Kroger, McCormick and Company, McLane Company, Nestlé, Tyson Foods, Unilever and Walmart are teaming up with IBM Blockchain to identify vulnerabilities in the food supply chain in order to prevent the effects of tainted food before they occur.

eCapital, a leading supply chain financial services provider, announced today that it has been selected as the newest member of the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance (BiTA). BiTA was formed by experienced tech and transportation executives to create a forum for the development of blockchain standards and education for the freight industry. View member companies here.

Last Friday afternoon, Stifel Financial Corp.’s John Larkin hosted a conference call with Blockchain in Trucking Alliance (BiTA) Founder Craig Fuller, President Chris Burruss and 228 industry participants to discuss how BiTA will work as a forum to create standard protocols and procedures for supply chain participants as the industry shifts to blockchain over the next 3-5 years.

In the tussle to improve conditions of the freight marketplace for both the carrier and shipper community, a lot has been left to be desired for the truck driver fraternity. A community-driven application named Road Hunter is now trying to take center stage – helping truckers on the road with essential information on truck stops, fuel stations, repair shops, and even weather updates.

The trailer portion of EPA’s Phase 2 greenhouse gas regulations will be on hold following a federal appeals court hearing on Friday. The court, with the support of EPA which did not challenge the ruling, stopped implementation of the rule that affects trailers.

Between Amazon’s rapid growth and unpredictability, third-party logistics providers say it is definitely a looming concern as to whether the e-commerce giant will be a threat to their business in […]

The North Atlantic port handled 573,458 TEUs in September, a 15.2 percent increase from 12 months prior, back when 18,000-TEU ships were not able to sail beneath the Bayonne Bridge.

Germany’s Finance Ministry said in a document that a complete or partial sale of Schenker AG, the logistics arm of state-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn, could be taken up again, […]

Chicago-based freight broker and third-party provider Echo Global Logistics recorded a net income of $2.4 million on revenues of $509.5 million for the quarter, according to the company’s most recent […]

The Jacksonville, Fla.-based asset-light provider of integrated transportation management solutions recorded earnings per share (EPS) of $1.01 for the quarter, surpassing the street consensus estimate and Q3 2016’s EPS of […]

The North Liberty, Iowa-based trucking and logistics provider recorded a net income of $7.9 million on revenues of $182.1 million for the quarter, according to the company’s most recent financial […]

Airfreight wholesaler Air Menzies International will utilize Crowley Logistics’ CrowleyFresh refrigerated warehouse as a consolidation center, while Crowley will also provide truck delivery and pre-screening services for export cargo.

The Lake Oswego, Ore.-based railroad transportation equipment manufacturer’s revenues for its fiscal fourth quarter, ending Aug. 31, 2017, increased 39 percent from the previous quarter while fiscal year revenues dipped […]

In order for the current short-term bounceback in the container market to turn into a true recovery, carriers must stop ordering new larger vessels and continue high levels of ship […]

One of the largest financial exchanges in the world has partnered with DAT and Chattanooga-based TransRisk to launch a futures contract based on trucking spot rates. The venture brings together the benchmark pricing index with one of the largest financial exchanges in the world. 

The recent run up in bitcoin price has not kept the critics at bay. One thing that most agree is that blockchain technology, the underlying technology of bitcoin, promises real-world applications and game-changing outcomes. 

Penn State issued its 22nd annual 3PL study and the overriding theme was about the importance of data transparency in the supply-chain. Shippers are demanding more transparency in all of their vendors, but since logistics is the life-blood of a supply-chain, 3PLs must accelerate their investments and offerings for shippers. 

The future of transportation is not found in Silicon Valley or Detroit. Singapore will lead the next century of transportation innovation. 

Thanks to the emergence of e-commerce retail platforms through increased online purchases, retail websites may be selling similar products, but the online retailer that can get items delivered to their customers the quickest with the lowest shipping cost possible usually wins, The Loadstar reports.

Stifel sees stable, strong market fundamentals across transport. Click through for a recording of Stifel’s Friday afternoon BiTA conference call.

Founded with the purpose of addressing volatility for brokers, carriers and shippers in major shipping lanes through risk-management solutions, TransRisk is one step closer to doing just that. The company, along with DAT Solutions and Nodal Exchange jointly announced an agreement to develop, market and list the first and only trucking freight futures and options on futures contracts.

Winter is coming. The National Weather Service is call for several inches of snow to blanket Minnesota, Wisconsin, and parts of the Dakotas this weekend, with over 90% confidence.

For the past 15 years, if a carrier needed some assistance getting over a rough time financially, there has been help available from lenders who specialize in transportation finance. One of those companies is Marquette Transportation Finance, which just surpassed a milestone of sorts: It’s lent more than $15 billion to companies large and small.

One of the early pioneers of aerial drone use in agriculture is now looking to grow his business in more ways than one. Steve Edgar, founder of Empire Unmanned, is investigating the Pocatello Regional Airport in Pocatello, Idaho, for future use as the first-ever unmanned air-freight hub.

Trucking companies that have not installed electronic logging devices (ELD) are in a race against time to get them installed on their trucks before the Dec. 18 deadline. Omnitracs and Samsung Electronics are giving drivers another option to meet the regulation, according to Reuters.

In its simplest form, the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate is designed to replace paper logbooks to better track drivers’ Record of Duty Status (RODS) and ensure compliance with hours-of-service (HOS) requirements. In theory, these rules help improve driver safety and reduce fatigue, but fleet managers can’t expect the rule to eliminate driver fatigue.

Cargo and passenger vessels on the high seas face a multitude of threats and risks that affect decision-making, from delays at canals to illegal migrant traffic, major weather events, and even disease outbreaks. A new emergency notification system is hoping to reduce those dangers.

The American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index dropped slightly in September, falling 0.9%. ATA also revised its August Index down to a 4.7% gain from a reported 7.4% increase.

On the Shanghai to Europe trade, spot container rates have finally stopped their weeks-long slide, rising 9.3 percent since last Friday to $744 per TEU as multiple carriers plan to […]

The Class I railway recorded a net income of $1.2 billion for the quarter, up 6 percent year-over-year, amid a 5 percent boost in operating revenues that came despite a […]

Global Logistic Properties (GLP) has dispatched to shareholders the scheme document in relation to the company’s proposed privatization and expects a full vote on the plan at a Nov. 30 […]

Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, said it’s time to dismantle the longtime regulation that requires at least 50 percent of the nation’s overseas-bound food aid […]

The departments of Commerce and Homeland Security have entered an agreement to work together to facilitate international e-commerce and strengthen enforcement of U.S. customs laws related to these shipments.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch called acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan “one of the best witnesses to come before the committee in a long time” and […]

China COSCO Shipping’s port terminal operator arm increased profits 53 percent for the quarter as throughput and revenues rose from the third quarter of 2016.

Trump clears regulations for commercial drone flights in the US, ushering in a new age of airfreight drones. 

Hyliion announced the availability of its tractor electrification system at the American Trucking Associations’ MCE show in Orlando this week. The system uses regenerative braking to collect energy and store it for later use by the tractor.

If you live in an apartment complex you know. Packages pile up in stairwells, landings and hallways. You especially know which of your neighbors avidly use their Amazon prime memberships. Amazon is now building delivery solutions designed for this scenario.

There is no requirement for cargo insurance, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have it. As you search for motor truck cargo insurance, you will find various plans at various price points. Like those homeowner’s policies, no two are the same. So how do you know what you should be looking for?

The process of matching freight is complicated – with many parameters involved in exploring thousands of different possible combinations in real time and in identifying the best possible match to the parties involved. TGMatrix, a startup based out of Oxford in the United Kingdom, is working on creating an intermodal freight matching engine.

McKinsey & Company has issued a landmark report predicting sweeping changes amid steady growth in the container shipping industry over the next 50 years.

Ontario-based Geotab has been collecting data and helping fleets solve operational challenges for years. It is now hoping to broaden its customer base even further thanks to its latest offerings.

Class 8 same dealer used truck sales volumes rose by two dozen units in September, according to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research.

The purchase of 72,000 53-foot chassis from rival TRAC Intermodal expands Direct ChassisLink, Inc.’s (DCLI) asset base as the company builds a single platform to manage marine and domestic chassis.

The increase in net income at the Norfolk, Va.-based Class I railroad was driven primarily by an 11 percent rise in income from railway operations, according to Norfolk Southern’s most […]

The integrated freight matching and transportation execution platform that originally launched for carriers and shippers has expanded to include third-party logistics providers (3PLs) and brokers.

The Commerce Department has preliminarily determined that steel wire rod from Italy, South Korea, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom are being dumped on the U.S. market […]

Stifel Capital Markets will be hosting a dial-in conference call on Friday, Oct. 27, at 11 a.m. ET. Entitled “The Blockchain in Trucking Revolution,” the call will feature Craig Fuller, CEO of TransRisk and co-founder of the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance, and Chris Burruss, president of the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance.

In addition to Brad Jacobs, CEO of trucking and roll-up third-party provider XPO Logistics, the Containerization & Intermodal Institute (CII) will also recognize the Port Authority of NY & NJ […]

CargoLogicAir appoints new CEO, while TIACA names chairman and vice chairman, and the Intelligent Transportation Society of America appoints new president and CEO.

As a complete overhaul of U.S. infrastructure looms, private investment in once far-fetched ideas and alternative technologies like Hyperloop might be the freight industry’s best chance at revamping outdated and […]

There were a number of companies that presented new and updated products this past week at the American Trucking Associations’ MCE 2017 conference in Orlando, FL. Here is a rundown of some of those products.

Fullbay, a cloud-based management platform for independent truck shops, has joined the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance (BiTA), formed by seasoned logistics and technology professionals who will work together on the first set of transportation and trucking blockchain standards.

Since 2014, Edge Logistics has searched for new, innovative and time-saving ways to create better efficiency and transparency with its carrier network and to continue that tradition, the company has joined the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance.

The purchase of 72,000 53-foot chassis from rival TRAC Intermodal expands Direct ChassisLink, Inc.’s (DCLI) asset base as the company builds a single platform to manage marine and domestic chassis.

The EPA is preparing to formally rescind the requirements that glider kits comply with Phase 2 greenhouse gas emissions rules.

In the future, trailer pools may no longer be the domain of truck large truckload fleets. Could they disrupt the LTL market as well and might brokers and 3PLs be able to take advantage?

One of 2017’s biggest stories in the emerging autonomous vehicles industry—Waymo’s $2.6B lawsuit against Uber over stolen trade secrets—revolves around a single piece of technology that is currently fueling a frenzied global competition for investment dollars, engineering expertise, and manufacturing capacity.

PeopleNet made several new product announcements this week at the American Trucking Associations (ATA) Management Conference & Exhibition in Orlando. A new gateway, fault intelligence, document scanning program and wireless trailer camera were on display at the company’s booth.

Montreal, Canada-based Class I railway Canadian National (CN) saw its net income drop 1 percent year-over-year to C$958 million (U.S. $750 million) in 2016 on revenues that rose 7 percent […]

Despite impacts from Hurricane Harvey in August, Port Houston’s year-to-date container and cargo volumes remained strong as the U.S. Gulf Coast port moves forward with its $700 million modernization plan.

The Interagency Committee on Trade in Timber Products, which was stood up as part of the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement, has ordered CBP to block shipments from Inversiones Oroza after […]

Proponents of project labor agreements (PLAs) say they help keep infrastructure development works on time and on budget, as well as benefiting the community through local hiring requirements, but detractors […]

Whether you own a car, pickup or tractor-trailer, it’s a decision that we all face at some point: Should I just buy a new vehicle or continue to repair my current one?

The move to a digital supply chain is leaving many organizations behind, according to a new report from Fujitsu. The Digital Transformation PACT surveyed 1,625 business leaders globally and found that 84% say customers want them to be more digital but 71% believe they lag their competitors.

We need NAFTA. That was the general consensus from Bob Costello and Derek Leathers on Sunday during a general industry update session at the American Trucking Associations’ MCE 2017 conference in Orlando.

U.S. government regulators have found no antitrust violations with the proposed merger between liner carriers COSCO Shipping and Orient Overseas (International) Ltd., according to a joint statement released on Monday […]

The North Florida port’s public seaport terminals experienced record growth in containerized cargo, as well as vehicles and overall tonnage for the 2017 fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30.

Mack Trucks said that it would renew its commitment to the American Trucking Association’s (ATA) Share the Road campaign and in so doing, would donate a 2018 model Mack Anthem 70-inch stand up sleeper model.

The driver shortage has surged to the most important issue facing the industry, according to the latest top ten critical issues survey, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), said.

The annual State of the Industry address at the American Trucking Associations’ MCE conference is a time for the president to highlight all that is good about trucking. Delivering his second address as president, Chris Spear noted some of the legislative accomplishments of the association, took aim at some of the industry’s critics, and called for unity.

Port Freeport names CFO; Jaxport’s board of directors elects new officers; ACI selects chairman and vice-chairman of the ACI World governing board; and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public […]

Delivering a speech that was warmly welcomed by attendees, Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta said the Trump Administration was removing barriers to getting work done and improving healthcare for Americans in general, but for the trucking industry specifically.

The provincial government of Sichuan in China is pulling out all the stops to promote development of alternative energy vehicles even as sales of heavy trucks in the country climb to record highs.

Container shipments from North Europe to North America have picked up in 2017 thanks to Mexico’s growing demand for auto parts, according to a recent analysis from shipping research and […]

The Belgian port handled 167.1 million metric tons of cargo during the first nine months of the year, fueled by growth in the container, liquid bulk, conventional breakbulk and roll-on/roll-off […]

Earnings per share at GATX for the quarter surpassed analyst expectations despite declining from last year, as challenging conditions persist in the North American railcar leasing market.

Grapevine, Texas-based construction equipment manufacturer Kubota Tractor Corp. will purchase 203 acres at Edgerton, Kans., on which it will construct its new North American logistics operation, the company said in […]

The U.S. Postal Service could deploy autonomous vehicles as soon as 2025, according to a paper prepared by the Postal Service to explore possible use cases for autonomous technologies. USPS and the University of Michigan are working on a self-driving mail delivery truck, the Autonomous Rural Delivery Vehicle (ARDV), the paper said.

Truck safety could take a big leap forward if drivers could see in their blind spots. Many companies are offering radar that looks down the vehicle and transmits that information back to the cab, but one company has decided the best approach is to eliminate the vehicle’s mirrors altogether.

The driver shortage is increasing, according to Bob Costello, chief economist of the American Trucking Associations, but it’s not as bad as many people believe.

International announced it has created a 24/7 center to manage customer support to help speed the time it takes to get vehicles back on the road.

Many fleets are devoting 10% of their operating budgets to maintenance, but it doesn’t have to be that high, suggests Jim Buell, EVP of sales & marketing for FleetNet America. “If you talk to most people, they think maintenance costs are like death and taxes, you can’t do anything about it,”

SafeKey is debuting a new personal protection device for drivers this weekend at the American Trucking Association’s MCE 2017 show in Orlando. The device, the SafeKey Protector, is a simple push button that triggers a call to SafeKey’s Security Operations Center (SOC), which summons law enforcement.

As its Tractor AeroKit continues to gain acceptance – it is now installed at the factory by three truck OEMs – FlowBelow has continued to look for new ways to improve aerodynamic performance of tractor-trailer units.