News

German ocean shipping company Hapag-Lloyd said its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization jumped by $7.6 billion year over year.

UPS’ CFO warns of a “bumpy road” ahead, while its CEO extends an olive branch of sorts to the Teamsters ahead of contract talks.

A program launched by Walmart to recruit drivers internally has been vastly expanded.

Truck drivers should approach bridges and underpasses with caution when the temperature hovers at or below freezing.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fined the Volvo Group $130 million for slow reporting of safety recalls.

Now that the supply chain “water line” has been largely but not entirely cleared, weakened demand and a strained economic environment have created a “recipe for the slowdown,” said OptiX executive Buddy Sexton.

It’s the end of an era for the “Queen of the Skies.” Boeing will make its final 747 delivery on Tuesday, but cargo airlines could fly them for another 40 years.

FreightWaves, the leading price reporting agency to the North American freight market and provider of high-frequency global supply chain data, boosted year-over-year revenue growth in the fourth quarter.

Logistics warehouse operator Link Logistics reports high occupancy and rents during the fourth quarter.

The benchmark diesel price used for most fuel surcharges increased this week, but trends are pointing lower.

Startup electric last-mile van developer Arrival cut 50% of its workforce as it tries to reduce cash burn and make it to production.

Container shipping rates from Europe to the U.S. are finally falling, but they’re still exceptionally high.

The National Motor Freight Traffic Association has been getting along for nearly 67 years. Now with new leadership and an expanded road map, it’s finally getting going.

Cardboard boxes are a humble but key indicator. Manufacturers are quickly halting output of this good in a spooky sign for the economy.

On demand on WTT: The logistics behind Black Rifle Coffee Company; tech solution for truck parking and more.

Less-than-truckload carrier Saia implements a 6.5% general rate to offset cost inflation and advance network investment.

A leading federal regulator says a merger between Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern would ratchet up rail noise.

Rail car manufacturer and lessor GATX sees a strong secondary market and continued demand for rail cars to help support the company this year.

Through a data-driven approach, PGT Trucking proactively corrects unsafe driving behavior before an accident occurs, leading to improvements in driver safety, retention and efficiency.

Ameriflight, an air cargo contractor for big express companies, is considering a large purchase of uniquely designed, semi-autonomous freighters from Natilus.

“Brent Blend” sounds like something Loretta Lynn’s forebears might have distilled in West Virginia.

There are encouraging signs that demand is returning to the U.S. trucking market, based on high-frequency truckload volume data from FreightWaves SONAR.

This week in Borderlands: Port Laredo ranks No. 1 for U.S.-Mexico agricultural trade; RJW Logistics to open shipping hub near Dallas; major logistics facility set for Nuevo Laredo; and Japanese air conditioning manufacturer investing $300M in Mexico.

Are supply chains already manifesting significant changes in domestic transportation patterns?

Triumph Financial hit a significant milestone in the business it built from the acquisition of HubTran, but TriumphPay’s EBITDA worsened.

The Surface Transportation Board recently took action on Union Pacific’s use of embargoes in the Midwest and rejected the Class I railroads’ request to delay a program related to smaller rate disputes.

Russian crude restrictions are having the predicted effect on tanker trades, soaking up more vessel capacity as sailing distance lengthens.

The former co-owner of an Iowa trucking company was sentenced Tuesday for orchestrating an elaborate $250,000 check kiting scheme. He is also facing unrelated charges in state court that he allowed more than 800 pigs to starve or freeze to death in his care in December 2021.

Norfolk Southern and partnering companies were involved in 159 industrial development projects in 2022 worth $3.2 billion.

On demand on WTT: NASA talks about their $425m Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project with Boeing; University of Arkansas talks higher education in supply chain

A FreightWaves webinar featuring CEO Craig Fuller looked at the current state of the freight market.

2004: The capsizing of two vessels rocks the project cargo industry.

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. 

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a 60-day notice of its plans to conduct research on front-of-package nutrition labels.

Container drayage TMS provider PortPro said it raised $12 million to expand tech capabilities on its platform.

Deliberate perfectly describes Paccar’s approach to trucking electrification. The company offers nine commercial electric trucks but skips the hype.

Trailer manufacturers posted 57,300 orders in December, the second-highest monthly intake since ACT Research began tracking in 1996.

Martinair, with the help of parent company Air France-KLM, is buying four new freighters from Airbus.

Knight-Swift Transportation’s 2023 outlook comes in as expected, potentially establishing a higher earnings trough for the carrier.

Debuting in 1936, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile was created as a marketing device and to transport the company spokesman. The unique transportation method went on to symbolize the meat brand and 21st century Americana.

After three years in operation, FMCSA’s drug clearinghouse is ‘a great source of truth’ despite alarming trends, asserts a trucking regulatory expert.

In this issue of the WHAT THE TRUCK?!? newsletter: Final mile fails, LEGO HQ moves to Boston, Tesla’s new SEMI and Cybertruck plant

American Airlines generated strong cargo sales in 2022 even as market conditions deteriorated.

Companies should utilize social media and content marketing for recruitment efforts to stay ahead.

Companies in need of supply chain visibility can now leverage FourKites data through their existing internal platforms.

Covenant Logistics Group is hopeful this cycle won’t bring a material earnings decline, which was the norm in prior downturns.

A report published Wednesday by Morgan Stanley Research highlights demand expectations and how carriers and brokers are hungry for freight.

Marten Transport had a mostly steady quarter, with some improvements and some softness.

Current battery-charging cycles could compromise LTL network efficiency, according to the president of AAA Cooper Transportation.

Authorities in Mexico reported more than 8,000 incidents of stolen cargo trucks and trailers in 2022.

Like the other Class I railroads, CSX is bracing for macroeconomic headwinds in 2023. But continuing service improvements will lend support to the company, executives said during CSX’s fourth-quarter earnings call.

Volvo Group set a fourth-quarter record for deliveries, but the OEM said supply chain disruptions and energy costs would impact business.

“It’s not a one-size-fits-all scenario. We can sit down with any merchant of any size, with any kind of commodity and really understand their needs and how both the technology and our carrier network can get that customer delivery experience they are looking for,” said Brad Noble, Passport’s new head of business development.

FreightWaves has named David Bradford to the role of chief content officer.

FreightTech startup Freightos is raising money through a public offering rather than seeking venture capital.

Covenant Logistics Group missed fourth-quarter expectations even when excluding expenses incurred onboarding equipment.

Speculation is swirling on how the end of a global container shipping alliance will affect ocean carriers and cargo shippers.

Nikola coined HYLA as the brand for its hydrogen business, and Biagi Brothers will make early fuel cell truck runs for Anheuser-Busch.

Inflation and other macroeconomic headwinds figure into Norfolk Southern’s projections for 2023. Volume growth is also a big unknown, executives said during NS’ fourth-quarter 2022 earnings call Wednesday.

A survey of nearly 1,000 drivers found that carriers generally allow them to return home whenever they want, or not to return home at all.

“Terminal and infrastructure investments are a crucial element of our strategic agenda and India is one of our key growth markets,” Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen said.

FitzMark announced Wednesday it has completed its seventh acquisition in the last four years.

Ondemand on WTT: 2M Alliance breakup; used truck bubble burst; scary robot yard dogs; how layoffs impact your team and more

1994: Those involved in response to the 600,000-gallon spill reflect on their efforts.

By the end of the week, Convoy carriers will be able to receive instant bid feedback on 98% of company-sourced loads.

To address the ongoing climate crisis and slow global warming, governments, corporations and organizations across the globe have set their sights on a greener future.

Air Canada is sticking with a Canadian, Jon Turner, as cargo chief after two Americans in that position left in recent years.

CN will adjust its operating plan to run faster and potentially shorter trains and concentrate on courting customers where network capacity is available, executives said on the railway’s fourth-quarter 2022 earnings call.

Shipping services around the globe will be reconfigured after the top two carriers end their vessel-sharing agreement.

On Union Pacific’s list of resolutions for 2023 are plans to improve rail service, enhance quality of life for craft employees and achieve productivity gains, according to executives on the railroad’s fourth-quarter 2022 earnings call Tuesday.

Tesla announced it is investing $3.6 billion to build two new factories in Nevada, including a facility to mass produce its all-electric Class 8 Semi truck.

Bipartisan legislation would provide new funding for truck drivers and truck parking while exempting ag haulers from hours-of-service rules.

Get your “easy button” with a modern, SaaS-based TMS!   A next-gen TMS helps streamline operations and automate the quote-to-cash cycle for freight transactions. But there’s other benefits too. Investing in […]

Amazon is still investing in its air cargo network despite cost cuts elsewhere in the company. Next up: India.

For just $5 per month, Prime members can choose from 52 eligible medications and have them delivered to their doorstep, free of charge.

FreightWaves has announced that its TRAC spot rates have been integrated into FreightFriend, a truckload procurement platform.

“It’s just not going to be a very fun year, and truckers need to be a little bit more realistic about it,” says Reliance Partners’ Thom Albrecht.

Paccar Inc. posted record revenue and profits across the board in the fourth quarter, belying predictions of an economic slowdown.

A new contract for pilots at Hawaiian Airlines is setting the bar for all-cargo carriers above traditional industry leaders even though the carrier has never flown freighters before.

“We are proud to be part of this first-in-history interoperability launch between eBOL platforms,” said CargoX founder and CEO Stefan Kukman.

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.