News

An online auction on Tuesday will sell the assets of family-owned Art Mulder & Sons Trucking of Holland, Michigan, two months after the refrigerated LTL carrier ceased operations after 50 years.

Uber Freight is cutting about 3% of its workforce, all of the jobs coming out of its digital brokerage activities.

Steel, crude oil and refrigerated shipments rose as ports in Texas, Louisiana and Alabama recorded increased freight volumes in 2022.

Demand remains too unsteady to support multiple rate jumps, according to less-than-truckload executives.

Are falling commodity shipping spot rates the result of normal seasonality or a symptom of global economic malaise?

Three defendants who pleaded guilty in the Louisiana staged accident scam will get probation, not jail time.

After months of downward moves, used truck prices ended the year closer to pre-pandemic levels than anytime since COVID hit.

As part of Amazon’s some 18,000 job cuts, a “significant number” of employees at several drone delivery facilities reportedly were laid off.

Ondemand on WHAT THE TRUCK?!?
CNBC’s Lori Ann LaRocco
Echo’s Chris Mayberry
Traveler’s Scott Cornell
Patriot Freight Group’s Andrew Salazar

Temperature-controlled carrier R.E. Garrison Trucking announced it has acquired produce hauler Boaty’s Transport.

A letter of intent for 100 of its fuel cell trucks in Germany boosts Nikola’s global zero-emission aspirations.

Less-than-truckload carrier Pitt Ohio announced it has sped up service on numerous lanes in and out of the state of New York.

The first freight sentiment indexes in 2023 show eroded near-term freight market expectations but signs of a more balanced landscape on the way.

The government opposed a new trial for Nikola Corp. founder Trevor Milton, dismissing his allegations of juror misconduct.

The CFO of contract logistics firm GXO Logistics says labor costs are cooling but U.S. warehouse space remains tight.

This week in Borderlands: Houston’s MacroFab raises $42M to capitalize on nearshoring shift; Tesla expected to begin production of Cybertruck in Texas in 2023; Nike to open a major logistics center in Dallas; and Dana Inc. to open a new factory in Mexico.

Inventory growth in December is not a great sign for carriers who are expecting the market to bottom this winter.

James Reed is the new COO at autonomous truck startup Kodiak Robotics, possessing tech credentials unrivaled among trucking executives.

Imagine drowning in a flood of molasses that entombed you as it hardened. That’s what 21 people suffered in 1919 when the storage of molasses in Boston went awry.

Eight U.S. representatives from Iowa and Minnesota want the Surface Transportation Board to require Union Pacific to fix service issues and lift weather-related embargoes in the region.

BNSF has set a $3.96 billion capital expenditures budget for 2023.

Union Pacific’s proposed testing of one-person crews is on hold because the program can’t proceed without negotiations between the railroad and affected union members.

White House economic adviser Brian Deese points to supply chain improvements while new pressures loom overseas.

American imports remain a tale of two coasts, with continued strength in container volumes headed to Atlantic ports.

As an energy industry logistics provider, Filamar Energy’s goal is to continue to set new carbon neutral CleanMile® benchmarks that reduce lifecycle emissions and CO2 levels while bringing positive impactful change to the planet without sacrificing efficiency. 

The world’s first allogeneic T-cell therapy — a type of universal immunotherapy treatment that relies on donor blood — was approved in Europe earlier this month. This is a game changer for medicine. It is also a game changer for the logistics industry.

Ondemand on WHAT THE TRUCK?!?: Kodiak Robotics new COO James Reed; Reliance Partners Thom Albrecht; Project K-9 Hero’s Jason Johnson; FreightWaves Donny Gilbert

As valuations of SPAC-backed startups plummet, one autonomous trucking developer that avoided the FOMO and stayed private is thriving.

“Terminal49’s automation has saved us thousands of dollars a year, but more importantly it’s helped improve customer trust,” said Trade XCelerators’ Spencer Strader.

Declines expected after reaching multiyear highs in the first half of 2022.

United Airlines saw cargo revenue dip but exceeded financial expectations in the fourth quarter.

The 9,133,657 twenty-foot equivalent units the Port of Long Beach handled in 2022 were only 2.7% off the record-setting 2021.

Walmart’s hiring initiative, which began with recruiting supply chain workers, is broadened to include all associates within a 50-mile radius of hiring offices.

Trailer manufacturers took in 57,300 orders in December, the second-highest monthly total since tracking began in 1996.

Newly hired CPO Jenny Abernathy is out to change the game for CRST The Transportation Solution Inc.

South Carolina Ports moved nearly 2.8 million TEUs in 2022, the most in the state’s history.

Annual volumes at the Nova Scotia port exceeded 600,000 twenty-foot equivalent units for the first time in its history.

RoadOne IntermodaLogistics has acquired The Transporter Inc., an intermodal service provider with facilities in Houston, Dallas and Laredo, Texas.

Some 20% of Russia’s GDP comes from its Arctic region. Climate change means Russia can extract and ship fossil fuels more easily from the once perpetually frozen landscape.

Prologis says warehouse rents will step higher again in 2023.

2023 was a banner year for the Port of Virginia, with annual volumes higher year over year as more traffic went to East Coast ports.

BoxC’s data-sharing initiative with the FDA showcases the growing need for government regulators to work with supply chains to fix operational inefficiencies.

“It was a challenging year, but collaborative effort across Georgia’s supply chain ensured cargo movement remained fluid,” Executive Director Griff Lynch said.

Massachusetts-based RailState, founded by two rail industry veterans, seeks to provide customers with insights on where trains are located and a line segment’s performance over time.

Colorado startup Outrider, which transforms distribution yards into automated operations, has raised $73 million in a Series C round.

Management from J.B. Hunt sees the potential for a rebound in freight markets by the back half of 2023.

Growing evidence of ‘shopper rebellion’ Elasticities, or the negative change in sales volume in response to rising prices, has been one of the main topics in the CPG industry in […]

NASA hauls the longest heavy cargo delivery; Reefers run food to the Bahamas; Submarine cables connect the Virgin Islands.

Ryder System Inc. is set to lay off 801 employees after losing work at an Applied Materials semiconductor plant in Austin, Texas.

J.B. Hunt recorded a huge headline miss in the fourth quarter. However, excluding what may be a nonrecurring claims expense, the result was more subdued.

Mexico averaged 39 cargo thefts a day in November

Mexico exported 157,522 heavy-duty trucks to the U.S. in 2022, an 18% year-over-year increase.

Bank of America analyst Ken Hoexter now has a buy rating on most of the truckload carriers he follows.

The benchmark diesel price for most fuel surcharges continues to fall even as other key numbers are rising before a ban on some Russian imports.

XPO announced Tuesday it has hired Wall Street analyst Ali Faghri to head its strategy initiatives.

FTR Transportation Intelligence expects a competitive truck market and port activity shift to put pressure on rail intermodal in 2023.

ClearFlame’s model removes diesel from diesel engines through heavy-duty compression ignition engine modification, allowing trucks to run on a wide range of clean-burning, plant-based renewable fuels.

Truck-as-a-service startup Forum Mobility enters a $400 million joint venture to establish electric drayage truck charging sites.

Two Chinese logistics companies have started their own airlines and now have expanded their routes within China, and internationally.

Teamsters United said if the Postal Service can respect the King holiday, UPS should as well.

Early freight data and channel checks would suggest the freight market could be stabilizing and clearer skies are ahead. 

The railroads must work with other supply chain stakeholders and even consider sharing infrastructure in order to maintain an integral role within the broader freight transportation network, experts said at the Transportation Research Board’s annual meeting.

AskWaves checks on the latest FMCSA certification requirements for medical examiners qualified in the trucking industry.

This week in Borderlands: Port Laredo was the No. 2 gateway for international trade in November; Tesla acquired a massive logistics center near Houston; the Port of Brownsville set a record for steel cargo tonnage; and First Call Logistics launched a Texas logistics hub.

What conclusions can we draw from the relationship between imports and trucking?

The biggest container ships sailing on the oceans can carry more than 24,000 TEUs and are as tall as the Empire State Building.

Nikola will move battery pack manufacturing to Arizona and files layoffs notice for a former Romeo Power plant.

The U.S. Small Business Administration wants the Federal Railroad Administration to revise its analysis for the proposed train crew size rule, contending it “significantly understated” costs and the number of potentially affected businesses.

The California Trucking Association is making its pitch for another injunction to keep AB5 out of the state’s trucking sector.

Nearly 1,400 delivery drivers will split $5.6 million following an eight-year investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, which found that Parts Authority Arizona LLC and Diligent Delivery Systems misclassified its employee drivers as independent contractors.

The Transportation Intermediaries Association and the Cincinnati Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired are partnering to create brokerage opportunities for those with vision impairment.

Tenstreet’s Job Store allows clients to post their openings across major job boards, partners, and social media websites from one central platform, seriously cutting down on the amount of time companies must spend fine-tuning, managing and checking up on listings.

Ondemand on WTT: Pam Simon gets us ready for one of the biggest FreightTech conferences of the year; Tom Curee on surviving at a conference; Torc talks autonomy

Delta Air Lines carried more than $1 billion in cargo below passengers’ feet last year, setting a company record.

Volumes have continued their recovery from the winter holiday season with a surge in pent-up freight demand unleashed into the market. Naturally, since last week’s data was affected by holiday noise, the Outbound Tender Volume Index (OTVI) faces some absurdly easy comps on a weekly basis. Even still, accepted tender volumes remain below their levels of 2021 and ’22 for the time being. 

It is pretty much acknowledged across the trucking industry that a consolidation of players in autonomous trucking is coming.

1971: Londoners are able to buy American melons for the first time after test shipments to the U.K. proved successful.

Reliance Partners’ Brian Runnels says that a disorganized permit book is a red flag to roadside inspectors.

The ever-changing trucking scene in California started off 2023 with a visit from Washington and a removal of some engines from the road.

Oklahoma-based Diamond T Holdings, the parent company of truckload carrier Western Flyer Xpress, announced late Thursday the expansion of its freight network through an asset deal for the equipment and real estate of Springfield, Missouri-based Indiana Western Xpress Inc.

Deceleration in Constellation Brands’ shipment growth and disappointing margin outlook Constellation Brands, the owner of the Corona and Modelo beer brands and various wine and spirits brands, such as Svedka […]

WTT is live from FreightWaves Sales and Marketing Summit with sessions on social marketing, branding, internal and external marketing

Companies should maintain a curious mindset, creating space for feedback, to improve overall business performance.

In a blockbuster new partnership, Walmart will offer its GoLocal and Store Assist technologies through the Salesforce app.

From tragedy to unprecedented feats, the Golden Gate Bridge is an important part of American history in freight, transportation and architecture.

FreightWaves hosted its Sales and Marketing Summit, a free one-day virtual event covering all of the top strategies and technological innovations.

The contract logistics provider sees a solid demand for the next five years.

Shippers are seeing relief in freight costs for the first time in more than two years, according to the December Cass Freight Index.

A year ago, shippers were in scrums to find cargo space on airlines. The market has softened considerably and 2023 could see more declines before things get better.

Legislation aimed at “fixing the supply chain” would allow drivers under age 21 to haul freight to and from ports.

Supply chain financing is a major way that corporate behemoths keep cash flow humming. This tool is about to get its moment in the spotlight. 

Marine fuel rules have become a key factor in diesel prices, but a new set of regulations may actually push downward on the market.

Chris Grey, vice president of business development at SmartKargo, says not all delivery partners have the shipper’s best interest in mind.

Freight railroads face fierce competition

The remarkably buoyant Chicago industrial real estate market faces supply shortages and elevated rents as big investors step back, Colliers says.

Swissport, a large cargo handler at Chicago O’Hare airport, has finally complied with the city’s requirement for a labor peace agreement, ensuring uninterrupted cargo flow.

Cargo drone manufacturer and delivery provider Elroy Air hit a new high after signing a deal with Dublin-based LCI.

Things get noisy at the union’s two-day meeting to begin reviewing thousands of negotiating proposals.

Ondemand on WTT: “Candy land” director John Swab; FAA system shutdown; human trafficking awareness and more

Tesla plans to spend $775 million to expand its electric vehicle factory in Austin this year.