News

The benchmark diesel price dropped again but may face headwinds from rising futures prices.

Small fleets make up 90% of the nation’s carriers. Waymo Via and C.H. Robinson used beer runs to familiarize them with autonomous trucking.

Cathay Pacific Cargo is sending cautionary signals about the peak shipping season but still wants new freighters from Airbus or Boeing.

A bipartisan proposal increases minimum tonnages for agricultural products exported by the U.S. government.

Atlanta is seeing consistent levels of outbound volume, retaining the majority market share with 4.1%. Diesel prices are decreasing at a faster rate than they increased over the summer.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services said Monday it has expanded its transloading capabilities to include Seattle and Laredo, Texas.

Trinity Rail Group will supply a mix of 15,000 tank and freight railcars to GATX over a span of six years.

Lone Star Dedicated of Haslet, Texas, will be closing its doors in October with nearly 90 company drivers losing their jobs hauling refrigerated food nationwide.

On a reservation in rural southeastern Oklahoma, the Choctaw Nation is building the future of drone delivery.

The ports of Halifax and Saint John in Atlantic Canada seek opportunities to bolster volumes and greening efforts.

Reliance Partners’ Brian Runnels reacts to the results of this year’s International Roadcheck. He ponders whether drivers should take all the heat, but also says greater action can always be taken to mitigate violations.

Werner Enterprises announced its third acquisition since last summer on Monday, adding Baylor Trucking to its one-way operation at an undisclosed price.

Panelists at Amazon Business’ Reshape 2022 conference talk strategies and advice to succeed with ESG initiatives.

BNSF is planning to invest more than $1.5 billion to develop a Southern California facility aimed at easing congestion at the West Coast ports.

California’s legal victory allowing it to impose workplace rules on flight attendants has some cargo airlines worried about states regulating their operations.

Measures of supply chain bottlenecks, cargo transit times, bookings and spot rates are all down, yet inflation remains historically high.

This week in Borderlands: This week: US challenging Mexico’s import ban on corn; Sprint Transport set to build new headquarters in Texas; FleetPride acquires Sam & Sons Truck Equipment; and Laredo border officers seize narcotics worth $11.5M.

Carriers and brokers tend to have the weather on a TV somewhere in their facilities throughout hurricane season because of the dramatic impacts storms can have on their operations and bottom lines. Ian hit at a time when trucking will not be as reactive to this devastating storm.

This week: XPO driver reaches 4 million safe driving miles, Walmart opens a new facility in Illinois and donates to local charities and Getir donates over 80,000 pounds of food to nonprofits.

The federal agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination has sued a New York-based trucking company for not hiring females.

Prosecutors rested their federal fraud case against Nikola founder Trevor Milton on Friday after three weeks.

Analysts are predicting that carriers won’t experience a typical peak season. That’s bad news for the trucking industry.

Norfolk Southern names new leaders to transportation and network operations team. BNSF and California passenger rail explore green technologies to power trains.

The port of Savannah imported more than 200,000 TEUs in September, and truckload volumes in Denver plunged to a two-year low.

On demand on WTT: Edison Motors electric truck heads for production; freight visibility with Convoy; cutting out the empty calories in freight and more

Since the pandemic started, many shippers found their existing contracts unable to ensure carrier compliance. Supply and demand were especially volatile, and so spot rates, which are more sensitive to changing market conditions, handily outpaced contract rates.

GigaCloud Technology’s last-mile and white-glove service will reach the entire contiguous United States.

Flatbed carrier Daseke said Friday it would repurchase $40 million in stock, following an April request from an activist investor to do so.

The imbalance of the supply chain now is based on human error and port congestion. We know trade is slowing down, but the congestion skews the reality of the pullback in orders.

Here’s the latest on Ian’s supply chain impact from FreightWaves’ team of reporters and market experts.

McClellan Trucking and Duran Transfer, which contract with the U.S. Postal Service to haul mail, have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Daimler Truck CEO Martin Daum has strong opinions on cabovers versus conventional trucks, fuel cells and other issues.

Without a clear idea of what technological breakthroughs in alternative fuels may be coming, ocean carriers are left searching for a path forward as they look to build vessels.

A new 80-page handbook from DOT gives local planners detailed information for planning and designing truck parking facilities.

Many companies believe machine learning is the solution to their problems, but it can’t overcome bad data and metrics.

“When we first got started here, probably 75% of my day was answering emails and phone calls asking for updates. Now that all that is being sent directly from the drivers to the customers, it gives me a lot more time to handle planning and other issues that come up.”

Airlines are pushing governments and energy producers for more sustainable fuels. And the cargo sector is helping create more market demand for them.

Indra Nooyi refocused PepsiCo during her tenure as CEO, turning the company from one that made fun products to one that produced good-for-you products.

The Federal Trade Commission plans on getting involved in questions of independent contractor status.

Supply-demand dynamics that supercharged pandemic-era rates are now “exactly the opposite,” says Maersk CEO Soren Skou.

Hurricane Ian is forecast to take a northwest turn Thursday night and make a second landfall along the South Carolina coast on Friday.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has asked for a halt to the U.S. border vaccine mandate.

Lots of questions remain about how California’s AB5 law will impact the trucking industry in other states.

Steamship lines sometimes offer an included chassis for trucking companies. Similarly, non-vessel operating common carriers sometimes offer a chassis program linked to the chassis pools for their carrier partners. While these offers may sound attractive, is a typical “chassis deal” really a deal at all?

Federal regulators are considering loosening driver work-rule restrictions for propane haulers during periods of peak consumer demand.

Rail companies can save on labor by eliminating the conductor role. But workers believe it would make their jobs more dangerous.

Major carriers are temporarily suspending service in some Florida ZIP codes as downgraded storm rages on.

One area that carriers have emphasized this year is “ugly freight” – or non-conveyable shipments. These are packages that are hard to put through their automated systems.

Hurricane Ian came ashore in Fort Myers, Florida, just before noon Wednesday. Transportation is starting to feel the impact, with road and port closures in effect.

“There is a lot of innovation coming out of these new therapies, and our customers were afraid they had created the best medicine in the world but could not deliver it,” said Tive’s Alex Guillen.

With more choices than ever, shippers must come up with a plan for choosing — and evaluating — their carrier partners.

Kodiak Robotics and Werner Enterprises completed a 152-hour autonomous freight trucking pilot between Dallas and Lake City, Florida.

As more business purchasing moves online, Amazon Business is positioning itself to be the leader in the category.

The Biden administration has approved a controversial Jones Act waiver for Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Fiona.

Logistics real estate operator Prologis said Wednesday that its planned acquisition of Duke Realty has received shareholder approval.

Rail workers with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers have voted to ratify the union’s labor agreement with U.S. Class I railroads.

Reefer volumes in Fresno, California, continue a decline as September closes, while both inbound and outbound volumes in Memphis, Tennessee, are consistently trending upward.

Ian came ashore as the fifth strongest hurricane to hit the United States, tied Laura and Ida.

DHL Express is the first customer for Eviation Aircraft’s electric aircraft, which made its first flight on Tuesday.

Patriot Rail Company announced it is acquiring fellow short-line operator Delta Southern Railroad.

On demand on WTT: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida, Waffle Hose Index, freight impacts, logistics hiring, and FreightTech for temperature control

Conventional wisdom says that drones are best for small-payload deliveries, but Sabrewing would beg to differ.

“Using the TruckCoinSwap mobile and web apps — and TCS Token — transportation companies can now receive free invoice settlement and get paid sooner. TCS is helping to write a new chapter in blockchain and Web3,” says CTO Jake Centner.

Clean Energy opened a renewable natural gas station in Groveport, Ohio, as part of an agreement with Amazon.

CEO Doug Waggoner says Echo Global Logistics’ growth will exceed its plan for both gross revenue and profitability as the company continues to look for acquisitions.

A nonprofit trucking group is partnering with a volunteer-run disaster-relief organization to collect and deliver critical supplies as Hurricane Ian intensified into a Category 4 system and is expected to pound Florida’s southwest coast late Wednesday morning.

Mexico’s proximity to the Americas and favorable operating environment has made it an attractive location for many U.S. companies wanting to expand or move their manufacturing operation.

While more B2B buyers are looking online, challenges persist, including missing product information and a lack of visibility into sustainably sourced products.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin has introduced the Reliable Rail Service Act in response to calls from shippers’ groups and the unions to help restore the nation’s rail network capacity.

Hurricane Ian could slash the flow of Florida products to companies and consumers in the United States and abroad.

A new survey from BigCommerce looks at the future of shopping, including NFTs and the metaverse.

The EU is going to ban imports of Russian crude and petroleum products. It still has a long way to go to find replacement supplies.

Echo looks to push aggressively into the managed logistics solutions category.

Hurricane Ian has shifted its track slightly east, with landfall now expected to be south of the Tampa Bay area.

Port officials and carriers prepare for hurricanes and other emergency situations year-round.

FEMA released a list of the first steps it is taking to prepare for relief efforts tied to Hurricane Ian.

“Their truck-first mentality is the right approach to win the highly fragmented road freight industry,” says a Founders Fund partner on its recent investment.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 19 has reached a new agreement with the U.S. Class railroads, one that modifies an agreement initially rejected by the group.

Atlanta is seeing a sharp rise in outbound volume, and markets in Florida, southern Georgia and Alabama increase inbound volume in preparation for the hurricane.

IMI’s Bob Bortner steps through the MILCURE wheel refinishing process on FreightWaves’ WHAT THE TRUCK?!?

Bestpass’ Jason Walker says although it’s not the first priority of most fleets, tolls are something they must get under control in order to focus on the things they were actually hired to do.

The Georgia Ports Authority’s board on Tuesday agreed to spend $60 million on further development at the Colonel’s Island Terminal.

Federal regulators are easing training requirements for UPS truckers who want to drive double trailers.

When the floor on auction prices of used trucks is reached late this year, they will still be 20% higher than pre-COVID prices.

Amid threats like Hurricane Ian, shippers should consider inventory positions, risk tolerance for specific commodities, transit times and associated costs.

Prologis has named Dan Letter president to run global operations, and Gene Reilly will take on a new role as senior adviser to CEO Hamad Moghadam.

XPO Logistics announces board members for RXO, its brokerage unit that will be spun off in the fourth quarter.

The U.S. Coast Guard has closed three key ports around the Tampa Bay area in anticipation of Hurricane Ian’s landfall.

Blue Yonder has released two new offerings, Warehouse Execution System and Adaptive Fulfillment & Warehousing.

“Movement is the future. It’s multidimensional, where each facet presents a unique perspective tailored to the user’s requirements,” says project44 CEO Jett McCandless.

A Canadian whistleblower wants STB to press CP on how it plans to operate its private police force in the U.S. after its merger with Kansas City Southern.

GXO Logistics has opened a new facility for Bayer Crop Science under its flexible warehousing option GXO Direct.

Turkish Airlines Cargo put Turkey on the map for air cargo, but companies like MNG Airlines and Air Anka are adding to the competition.

Two key diesel prices came in Monday at levels that hadn’t been seen since March.

The G-7 plan to squeeze Russia’s oil profits hinges on the EU revising its own sanctions. Those revisions face opposition.

Watco and Telegraph are collaborating in an effort to provide rail shippers with more information on where their railcars might be located on Watco’s network.

Truckload volumes in Ontario, California, decline as the ports hit their lowest market share in decades, and Port Houston sees a drop in imports.

On demand on WTT: Ford needs badges for 40k vehicles; Nikola recalls all of their electric trucks; OOIDA fights for OT pay and more

As the trucking industry prepares for Hurricane Ian, FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller offers advice to truckers interested in hauling FEMA loads.

Netradyne’s Adam Kahn suggests the most effective way to train and retain drivers is to review their performance in full — both the good and the ugly.