News

The seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index equaled 149 in August, up 7.1 percent from July and 8.2 percent from August 2016, according to the American Trucking Associations.

As the Congress works on developing legislation aimed at regulating self-driving vehicles, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao is looking to guide that legislation with less of a regulatory hand, according to Bloomberg.

The less-than-truckload carrier Old Dominion Freight Line has commenced operations at a new service center about 40 miles west of Chicago in Montgomery, Ill.

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission is preparing to hold public hearings related to a petition filed by the Coalition for Fair Port Practices about when it’s reasonable for ocean carriers […]

The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey names chief security officer, USA Truck appoints vice president of maintenance, TIACA adds two new members to its board of directors, […]

The Fed announced today that it will allow $10 billion of Treasury and mortgage-backed securities to mature each month without buying new ones as it cautiously approaches the wind down to avoid another financial collapse.

As Nikola Motor continues to develop its hydrogen-electric Class 8 tractor, the company continues to evolve its design. The latest is the introduction of an eAxle developed by Bosch.

No need for those extra extension cords just yet; electric vehicles are not about to take over the world. That is one of the points that Lars Stengvist, CTO of the Volvo Group and EVP of Volvo Group Truck Technology, made to a select group of reporters during a roundtable discussion on truck technologies

Truck tonnage rose in August and driver turnover jumped in the second quarter according to the latest data from the American Trucking Associations.

A.P. Moller-Maersk has made another move to free up resources in order to focus future growth on container shipping, ports and logistics by signing an agreement Wednesday to sell Maersk […]

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission’s staff has updated the way it reviews agreements filed by container carriers and marine terminals.

During a wide-ranging panel discussion at the 2017 IANA Intermodal Expo in Long Beach, Calif. on Sept. 19, a handful of industry insiders suggested instituting an appointment system and a […]

The category 4 hurricane was 15 miles ESE of Arecibo, Puerto Rico as of 11:00 a.m. eastern standard time, with maximum sustained winds of 140 miles per hour.

The new Defense Department budget includes funds set aside to study blockchain and the impact of the technology in the hands of either the good guys or bad. This could be a good thing for the US logistics industry, as some of the research will probably make into the private sector. 

The annualized driver turnover rate at both large and small truckload carriers increased sharply between the first and second quarter of 2017.

While it appears the East Coast dodged a bullet with Hurricane Jose, the next 10 days look to be a busy time for transportation interests along the coast as Hurricane Maria’s track remains uncertain and there is still potential impacts from that storm early next week.

Small carriers and owner-operators have capacity to offer, but those that need it most – larger, Fortune 1000 shippers, don’t have access to that capacity because it is not cost-effective to onboard small carriers hauling just a few loads. Sudu, though, is changing that dynamic.

Celadon Group has sold its flatbed trucking division to PS Logistics as it seeks regain its footing a leading trucking provider. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Anyone that has ever bought a house or vehicle knows how much of a pain it is and that is assuming you have a clean title. If not, all bets are off. With blockchain, the transfer of assets could be instant and without the risks normally involved in buying and selling. 

Representatives from the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association and Harbor Trucking Association aired their grievances with the Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach […]

CSX Intermodal Vice President Dean Piacente explained how the Jacksonville, Fla.-based railroad came to suffer through the well-known service interruptions that plagued it during in the weeks and months leading […]

The Dubai-based port terminal operator entered into deals to acquire Maritime World LLC, the 100 percent owner of Dubai Maritime City, for $180 million and 100 percent of Drydocks World […]

With the opening of CSX’s new rail terminal in Pittsburgh earlier this month, the Port of Virginia is now able to offer rail service to Western Pennsylvania and Northwest Ohio.

XPO Logistics names chief executive officer of XPO Logistics Europe and managing director-supply chain, Europe; 3Gtms appoints managing director, EMEA; and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) names new chairman […]

Bitcoin has been on a wild-ride and some people think the future is zero. This will be a good thing for commercial blockchain applications. 

TMW Systems sees enormous potential with blockchain technology, but notes that successful implementation requires a “strong partnership with a technology provider that understands its intricacies and potential applications.”

The United Kingdom’s Department for Transport has commission the release of a new code of practice for vessels with regard to maritime cyber security, Transport Minister Lord Callanan said during […]

The trucking and logistics company completed the disposition of all assets associated with its flatbed trucking division to a subsidiary of PS Logistics, LLC.

The German ocean carrier is expecting to bring all of the refrigerated (reefer) units into service during October and November, a company spokesperson told American Shipper.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) conducted a three-truck platooning test in Centreville, VA, last week, along I-66. The test, using Volvo Trucks, was designed to the effectiveness of autonomous and vehicle-to-vehicle communications technologies.  

In recent years, players in the transportation industry have embraced technology and this has greatly helped in solving the many challenges associated with manual operations, and the future is even brighter in the years to come.

The Omaha, Neb.-based Class I railway revealed it is redesigning its marketing and sales organization “to align with evolving customer needs.”

Hong Kong International Airport attributed the 10.1 percent year-over-year boost in cargo volumes during the month primarily to an increase in exports.

Leidos Innovations Corp. has won a cost-plus-award-free contract from NASA to provide pressurized cargo packing and unpacking for the International Space Station Program.

The East Coast could see two back-to-back hurricanes hit over the next ten days. With an already-steteched national supply-chain, it will test our logistics infrastructure. 

Few people get to experience what the journey of a global container goes through and what its like being on a ship as it makes the trip. With over 90% of global cargo moving via ship, its an important part of our world economy. See what you are missing. 

Digital freight brokers are using “Daily-deal” tactics to get revenue growth. They sold themselves as a platform to change the inefficient trucking industry, but have found it difficult to find quality sources of high-volume freight. These platforms have resorted to aggressive pricing tactics using investor capital. What will find is that as soon as they change prices, shipper loyalty will evaporate. 

For the second time in just over a month, Canada’s TFI International has chipped to help the relief and rescue efforts of those devastated by a hurricane in the U.S.

Larger fleet owners that have been looking forward to autonomous trucks to solve the pesky driver shortage may find themselves unemployed too 

Google’s has invested more than $1.1B dollars in driverless technology. The number was revealed in court documents involved in the lawsuit between Uber and Google over its handling of Otto and self-driving IP

The ongoing and future transformation in the industry will not only benefit the carriers, truckers and shippers, but also the controlling authorities as well as positively impact other industries in the market and the economy at large. Here are a few of the technologies already impacting the industry.

The trucking industry, working in partnership with major retailers and consumer package goods companies respond to the recent devastation by delivering much needed relief supplies. 

After several years in development, Daimler Trucks unveiled its electric Mitsubishi Fuso eCanter yesterday at a ceremony in New York City. The first trucks have been delivered to UPS and four New York City-based NGOs.

As blockchain transactions begin to take hold in the general economy and the supply chain in particular, there is a growing question of how to speed financial transactions. According to Coin Telegraph, the answer may be tokens.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and livestock groups have delivered a petition to Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao requesting a waiver from complying with the upcoming electronic logging device (ELD) rule.

Mack Trucks released its first new on-highway truck since 2005 this week. Here’s a brief look at the Anthem. For more on the truck, read: Mack introduces its Anthem.

There are many things that fleets do to attract drivers, and certainly plenty of options that drivers look for when choosing a fleet. When Mack Trucks was designing its new Anthem highway tractor – it’s first new on-highway model since the introduction of the Pinnacle in 2005 – it turned to drivers.

The legislation calls for the establishment of a National Freight Mobility Infrastructure Fund, which would be supported through a 1 percent fee on the shipment of freight cargo, to administer […]

The French ocean carrier recorded a net income of $219 million on revenues of $5.55 billion for the second quarter of 2017, with volumes rising 33.3 percent year-over-year.

Spot container rates from Shanghai to Europe and the Mediterranean declined since last Friday, while rates increased from Shanghai to the United States.

A 1 million British pound (U.S. $1.34 million) resurfacing project is currently underway at Scotland’s largest container port and is scheduled to be completed next month.

Blockchain has taken center stage in 2017, and we are only at the beginning. But before everyone declares blockchain the solution to all the world’s problems, two authors note that there needs to be standards and governance to make it work.

The U.S. State Department has imposed a $400,000 civil penalty against Bright Lights USA of New Jersey for exports of unauthorized defense components and technical data in violation of the […]

Catapult International appoints new chief executive officer, while Air Transport Services Group and NorthPoint Logistics each name chief operating officer.

Delphi CTO says that autonomous vehicles will come to cities and ports long before they will ever go into the highway or over-the-road trucking markets 

The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday extended a rare one-week waiver of Jones Act rules in an effort to help deliver petroleum products to hurricane-impacted areas along the Gulf […]

Elon Musk has been teasing the world for nearly a year about his Tesla electric semi. Information has been coming out mostly via cryptic messages and tweets from Musk himself, but no definitive announcement. But Wednesday, Musk tweeted that the semi will be unveiled on Oct. 26 in Hawthorne, CA.

Short line regional freight railroad holding company Patriot Rail Co. has combined with Diversified Port Holdings to expand their respective business offerings in rail and maritime port services.

Ask an over-the-road truck driver what their biggest concerns are and you won’t have to go far down the list before finding a safe place to park appears. But a new company is hoping to change that, allowing drivers to reserve a spot ahead of time at a nominal fee.

One of the biggest trends in the field of freight logistics is the digitization of the trucking industry, which has a market of over $700 billion every year.

Bellevue, Wash.-based Radiant Logistics has finalized various acquisitions in recent months, and Bohn Crain, Radiant’s founder and chief executive officer, said the company is searching for even more acquisition candidates.

Third-party logistics provider Kuehne + Nagel has introduced its KN BatteryChain service, which it says offers an end-to-end solution for safe, reliable and efficient mass transportation and storage of lithium […]

DHL Express has expanded its operations in Hungary by recently opening two new air cargo processing facilities at Budapest Airport with a combined 60,000 square meters of space.

Lineage Logistics hires chief financial officer, OmniTRAX names president of OmniTRAX Energy Solutions and Ervin appoints executive vice president of sales.

Analysts have revealed their various projections on just how much recent hurricanes Harvey and Irma will cost the United States economy, and it appears the consensus is that the nation’s […]

Brad Jacobs sits down with Jim Cramer and talks trucking, XPO, and the state of the economy. He makes a provocative prediction that will turn some heads that we could see fully autonomous trucks in less than a decade. 

Mack Trucks has a new Anthem that incorporates all that the Mack Bulldog stands for – strength, loyalty, and American made. Mack introduced the new Anthem model, complete with its own song, at a special unveiling event in Allentown. 

Proponents of autonomous trucks found plenty to be happy with during Wednesday’s Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation hearing on the technology.

TMW acquires truckload visibility aggregator, 10-4, continuing a trend of FreightTech acquisitions in the market transparency space. 

China’s vice minister of industry and information technology, Xin Guobin, said the government will set a deadline to end the production and sales of fossil-fuel-dependent vehicles during a Sept. 9 forum in Tianjin.

Following passage of a House bill last week that set the framework for autonomous automobiles, trucking gets its chance to state its case today in front of a Senate committee.

In the past two decades, more than 90% of the nation’s pollinators – from bees to butterflies – have disappeared. That’s why companies like Bee Downtown are working so hard to save the honeybee, and trucking is playing a critical role in its survival.

The numbers are startling: 250,000 U.S. drivers fall asleep at the wheel each day; 83,000 drowsy-driving related crashes occurred between 2005 and 2009, and there is a drowsy-driving related crash every 25 seconds. For trucking companies, the costs can be staggering.

Howard “Skip” Elliott, former vice president of public safety, health and environment with Class I railway CSX, was nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials […]

The U.S. Export-Import Bank will extend financial assistance to exporters and financial institutions located in the Texas Gulf coast and Louisiana, as well as Florida, which were negatively impacted by […]

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is scheduled to meet on Dec. 12, 2017 in Washington, D.C. to determine the probable cause of the October 2015 sinking of the TOTE […]

The containership owner signed time charter extensions with CMA CGM for two 2,207-TEU vessels.

The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) appoints new board chairman, Tiger Cool Express names chief executive officer and the Prince Rupert Port Authority’s president and CEO retires.

There are certain practices in trucking that are not above board and cause a lot of strain on the companies in the space. Will the implementation of blockchain smart contracts, these practices could be ended, ushering in transparency and fairness for all involved. 

In the future, blockchain infrastructure will help mitigate the effect and scope of cyberattacks through its two fundamental characteristics: decentralization and cryptography so events such as last week’s Equifax breach don’t happen.

The Truckload Carriers Association and CarriersEdge are accepting nominations for the annual Best Fleets to Drive For survey. Nominations for the 10th annual survey will be accepted until Oct. 31, 2017.

Although several southeastern ports across the United States have resumed full or partial operations after being affected by Hurricane Irma, others still remain closed.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has agreed to the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones’ request to delay the electronic FTZ admission (e214) in the Automated Commercial Environment to Dec. […]

Ports covered by the National Retail Federation’s Global Port Tracker handled 1.78 million TEUs of imports in July, the highest monthly volume recorded since the report began in 2000, but […]

The key to making a profit in the shipping industry is managing fleet growth to ensure the balance between supply and demand is just right, according to Peter Sand, chief […]

Global airfreight volumes in July increased 11.4 percent from 12 months prior, while available airfreight capacity rose 3.7 percent, according to the latest figures from the International Air Transport Association […]

There were 2.74 million combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations last month, up 2.6 percent from August 2016, according to recent data from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is actively recruiting officers for its port locations in Boston and northern border crossings in Vermont and Maine.

The United States and Kuwaiti governments signed a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA) on Sept. 7, taking steps to collaborate on security and trade facilitation.

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) plans to wrap up work on its industry-based supply chain innovation project and present the results in a report this fall, according to FMC […]

The Class I railroad has begun double-stacked intermodal operations at the Pennsylvania site, which was first announced in October 2013 at part of the rail line’s National Gateway Initiative.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is preparing for the release of its new electronic customs broker exam at more than 48 test locations nationwide on Oct. 25.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a $54,000 fine against a French company and a $50,000 penalty against a North Carolina shipper for undeclared hazardous air shipments.

As Hurricane Irma continues to move through the Southeast, some of its impacts are now being assessed, and they are likely to disrupt operations for many for days and weeks to come.

Skepticism over hyperloop technology has been expressed by Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson. Business Insider quoted Anderson as saying that the technology is not “realistic right now.”

FreightWaves adds a startup directory to the site to help startups identify partners, investors, and talent in the emerging FreightTech space. 

International has made several enhancements to its flagship LoneStar truck to make it more driver-friendly and serviceable.

A natural disaster can rarely be called a benefit, but there are positives for the transportation industry and its investors from the double hit the nation took from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. From higher stock prices to higher rates, trucking may be poised to reap many benefits from the storms.

The electronic logging device (ELD) mandate, scheduled to take effect Dec. 18, 2017, requires that ELDs be installed on all interstate commercial vehicles model year 2000 and newer.