Headlines
The California port crisis is shattering records when compared to the 2015 congestion caused by contract negotiations with unionized dockworkers. The 2021 crisis has lasted longer and involved more freight than in 2015 and it still is expected to last into summer.
Canada’s electronic logging device (ELD) mandate will not be enforced initially because no ELD has been certified for use in Canada yet. The mandate goes into effect June 12 and has similarities to the U.S. ELD rules due to the cross-border nature of Canadian trucking companies.
Mack Trucks has returned to producing medium-duty trucks and consumers are reacting well. Mack has released a new line, The Mack MD Series, which includes Class 6 and 7 trucks used for dry van and reefer loads but can be upfit to tanker, dump or flatbed capabilities.
FreightWaves market expert Zach Strickland reported tender volumes are still running high, especially out of the major freight market of Ontario, California. Strickland said port backups are contributing to market conditions because that congestion limits translation freight movement by the surface modes of rail and trucking.
Port report on the East Coast
Trailer Bridge President and CEO Mitch Luciano joined Midday Market Update to talk about his perspective on port congestion. Trailer Bridge keeps an eye on ports in the Caribbean, particularly Puerto Rico, and Luciano echoed the observations of tight capacity and high rates.
“Every port is having challenges with this tight capacity everywhere,” Luciano said, adding that finding the capacity for clients is the key to navigating the rough conditions.
Workhorse drama continues
FreightWaves Detroit Bureau Chief Alan Adler gave an update on the latest developments of Workhorse. You can catch an in-depth analysis of the situation of the Workhorse woes on this episode of FreightWaves Insiders with Tim Dooner.
You can find more Midday Market Update episodes and recaps for all our live podcasts here.