Shrugging off any potential disruption due to trade war, FedEx Corp. executives were upbeat about the outlook for 2019 for both the general economy and FedEx’s operating units during its fiscal 2018 fourth-quarter and year-end earnings call on Tuesday.
Kangaruu creates a persistent, organized communication tool to manage logistics between shippers and brokers in the $45 billion spot market
Millennials are helping drive the current economic cycle, which is showing no sighs of slowing down.
The economy remains strong, and capacity tight, although buffeted by some headwinds.
The world of transportation is changing and changing fast. After decades of little innovation, the past five years or so have ushered in a sea change and it will profoundly impact the way people and goods move.
No longer just a tire company, Michelin is quickly becoming a “solutions” company as it positions itself as a business its customers can rely on regardless of their needs.
Most may not associate the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) with freight movement, but the organization is working hard to change that and the industry, launching a new transport decarbonization tool on Wednesday.
Imagine the worst boss you’ve ever had looking over your shoulder all day and telling you what to do, and then once 14 hours have elapsed since you drove to work, you have to drop everything, stop work and take a 10-hour break regardless of the time of day.
Investors are flocking to the freight industry with million-dollar investments for startups, but what do those investors look for in companies before making an investment?
Parcel giant UPS announced plans to increase fees for overweight shipments as the company continues to try and discourage shippers from dumping their large items into UPS’ network designed from small packages.
A panel of financial experts were mixed when asked whether the industry would see higher spot rates one year from now, but continued capacity issues was not in debate.
Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) today announced it has joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance.
BiTA announced it would be forming Think Tanks to help identify industry pain points that blockchain could help solve. The Alliance also said the first BiTA Standards should be out before the end of 2018.
Scroll Network announced its affiliation with the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA).
Roadrunner Transportation Systems announced today that it has joined BiTA, a group dedicated to implementing standards for the digitalization of the supply chain.
As fleets adopt more advanced safety system, the issues of initial and ongoing driver training become the primary vehicle to the success of those system.
Trucking interests, led by LTL carriers, have been pushing legislation that would allow 33-foot double trailers on American roadways. Opponents are ramping up efforts to stop it.
The Freight Movement is in partnership with Arrive Logistics …Moving freight to its final destination starts with the ability of a shipper or broker to find available capacity. That load tendering process is rapidly changing.
Less than 2 inches of rain has fallen across much of West Texas since last October, compared with an average of about 10 inches over the same period last year.
FreightOptics, the freight auditing and optimization software with business intelligence, cost allocation capabilities, and a web-based transportation management system, announced today it has been admitted to the Blockchain in Transportation Alliance (BiTA).
Brokers continue to see more business and higher revenue, according to the latest data compiled by DAT.
After setting one record high after another in the early weeks of 2018, the weekly DAT Dry Van and Reefer Barometers have finally pulled back slightly, before stabilizing in a strong growth range.
Realizing the power of blockchain technology, dexFreight has joined BITA.
Kansas City Southern (KCS) (NYSE: KSU) announced today it has joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA).
This week we are using the Cass Information Systems data to review what is happening in the economy overall.
Zurich-based tech company Nexiot and German firm VTG Aktiengesellshaft hope to improve the way VTG’s 80,000 railcars assets are tracked by applying blockchain technology.
Amsterdam-based TMA Logistics has officially unveiled its investment in the New Silk Road Initiative.
The current level of freight strength would be notable if it were June, September, or October, but it’s not. It’s February data. It is impossible to predict exactly how long this will last, but at least through 2018 we expect capacity to remain tight.
Aria Logistics, a women-owned logistics company located in the northeast, is proud to announce its partnership with the Blockchain in Transport Alliance.
DLT Labs announced today that it has joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance, a forum for the development of blockchain standards and education for the freight industry.
The Owner-Operators Independent Drivers Association has joined efforts to change the current hours-of-service rules to allow drivers to stop driving when they are tired.
BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) recently became the first Class I railroad to join the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA).
BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) recently became the first Class I railroad to join the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA).
Logistics Plus Inc. (LP), a leading worldwide provider of transportation, logistics and supply chain solutions, is proud to announce that it has joined the Blockchain In Transport Alliance (BiTA) to help develop and set standards for blockchain technology within the transportation industry.
Parcel volumes associated with e-commerce continue to show outstanding rates of growth, with both FedEx and UPS reporting strong U.S. domestic volumes, but the current strength is more than just the ongoing growth of e-commerce.
China-based, state-owned shipping behemoth China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) has acquired a 49% stake in a landlocked port under construction in Kazakhstan, the New York Times reports.
For fleets that spend time operating on load boards, the high spot rates are a blessing. For shippers, though, it’s been a challenging time as they have been forced to adjust to a new era in trucking.
A combination of factors continued to drive dry van trailer orders as 2017 came to an end, with December orders up 38% year-over-year, according to FTR.
RoadLaunch, a startup based out of Ontario, Canada, has developed a solution that digitizes the available capacity of trucks and trailers to make the process of getting freight quotes and managing fleets a seamless process.
Losing your job is a painful experience, and buyers of transportation who can’t get things picked up and delivered on time lose their jobs.
Trucking and logistics have grabbed a share of the spotlight this year at the Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas. None, though, has grabbed more attention than Toyota’s E-Palette concept and alliance that includes such big names as Amazon, DiDi, Mazda, Pizza Hut and Uber.
A weather bomb hit the East Coast over the past two days and it has left a mark that will take shippers several days from which to recover.
The latest weekly and monthly DAT Trucking Freight Barometers are continuing to surge strongly into even more positive territory, and proving our September prediction that “the ‘fall surge’ is happening for the first time since 2007,” has come to pass.
As the flagbearer of capitalism and a lynchpin example of consumerism, it is clearly understood where the growth of the U.S. economy lies. It is estimated that consumer-driven spending accounts for nearly 70% of all economic growth in the country.
Dry van spot rates hit a 3-year monthly high in November, according to data compiled by DAT Solutions. The November rate was $2.07 per mile, the highest monthly average since December 2014, the firm said, and 5 cents above October levels.
Cowan Systems, a Transport Topics Top 100 for-hire carrier and Top 50 Logistics provider, announced it has joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA).
Van and refrigerated spot rates remain near historic levels, according to the latest data from DAT. The firm said the national average van rate fell 1 cent to $2.06 per mile, but remains just 3 cents below the post-hurricane peak of early October.
For the first time since DAT began reporting its data in the current format, the monthly spot rate has exceeded the contract rate at the same time in all three modes. And the latest DAT Trucking Freight Barometers are continuing to signal that the ‘fall surge’ is happening for the first time since 2007. Now is a good time to have secured capacity and a bad time to be locked into contract rates.
Thanks to the emergence of e-commerce retail platforms through increased online purchases, retail websites may be selling similar products, but the online retailer that can get items delivered to their customers the quickest with the lowest shipping cost possible usually wins, The Loadstar reports.
CargoNet, a Verisk Analytics company specializing in averting cargo theft, has launched a new app to boost its theft risk identifying properties according to a Verisk press release. The company’s RouteSearch app is available to registered CargoNet members only at this time.
The never-ending story of whether port truckers should be contractors or employees is facing a new battlefront as two councilmen for the city of Los Angeles have introduced a bill that would bar trucking companies from serving the ports if they use independent contractors.
Hyperloop has been touted as a way to move passengers long distances quickly, but it is most likely going to find its footing first in the freight world, according to those working to develop the technology.
With the freight marketplace widening exponentially every year, the growing communication divide in the community is also significantly felt. Fr8Hub, a digital freight marketplace startup is looking to improve peer-to-peer interaction by creating transparency and injecting efficiency in freight hauling.
In the rush to develop autonomous, long-haul trucks (and trains) that could double productivity – driving for 24 hours a day with no need for rest – it may turn out that the competition for freight may really be in the sky.
With the freight industry being one of the largest contributors to the U.S. economy, it is imperative that it makes way for technology infusion. San Diego-based startup LoadExpress is looking to disrupt the way logistics is handled in the industry right now.
FreightWaves adds a startup directory to the site to help startups identify partners, investors, and talent in the emerging FreightTech space.
There remains plenty of industrial activity to support continued strength for the general economy and freight demand in particular, says Jonathan Starks of FTR, in the firm’s August market analysis.
To solve inefficiencies in the supply chain, project44’s goal since day one has been to focus on the automation, optimization, and visibility of the freight movements by replacing legacy technologies with its “one-to-many” connectivity.
This is the latter part of the summer and it so happens to be among the busiest times for truck drivers. The vacation season is coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean the fun is over, for some, it’s just getting started.
Preparations for Great American Eclipse are continuing, with some trucking associations along the path of totality (the 70-mile wide stretch where the eclipse will be fully visible) pushing education campaigns and others bans on certain types of loads.
The National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) has made changes to the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC). The changes, which took effect on Aug. 5, will impact how some items are packaged and costs to shippers, particularly those shipping via less than truckload.
Hyperloop One completed a high-speed test of its pod on its Nevada track test at the end of July, moving it closer to its target speed for its planned pilot in Dubai.
Shippers trust carriers to move their goods, but how do they know the carrier they have chosen can get the job done? A new Cerasis blog post lists the 12 data points every shipper should monitor when choosing a less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier.
C.H. Robinson’s second quarter earnings report missed Wall Street estimates, in large part because of the rise in spot rates in the quarter which compressed margins, even though the company reported a rise of truckload and less-than-truckload volume.
Freight, orders and optimism continue to populate the minds of many carrier and shipping executives these days as more data points suggest the economy is continuing to improve. And it’s optimism that even uneven retail sales and consumer confidence can’t hide.
When the U.S. auto industry came roaring back to life, it was a boon for carriers who made their business hauling autos and related products. But as sliding sales in 2017 show, nothing lasts forever. And it’s possible that the future is even murkier for carriers who rely on the auto business for their livelihoods.
Multiple reports have indicated that Walmart has threatened to withhold business from any trucking company that continues to haul goods for Amazon. Walmart has denied making any such threats, but the mere suggestion of it raises questions that carrier executives need to address.
It’s so simple, that it’s somewhat surprising someone has already come up with the idea. Einride, a Swedish startup, has developed an electric-powered, self-driving box on wheels. The T-pod made its debut this week with a promise to revolutionize cargo movement.
A new market analysis by Noel Perry, truck & transportation expert for FTR Transportation Intelligence, argues the economics of 33-foot doubles – and, based solely on economic reasons, there is a valid case, Perry says.
DAT has been one of the leading data providers for load and rate information for years thanks to its large database. Now, the company’s data is being used in even more ways, reinforcing the value the overall dataset provides.
Facing increasing pressure from investors, Uber CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick stepped down Tuesday night from the $70 billion ride-sharing and transportation company.
In its latest State of the Freight webinar last week, FTR experts laid out their expectations and timelines for freight disruption, and as expected, sections were devoted to NAFTA and autonomous trucks.
The battle between Amazon and Walmart took another turn when Amazon announced it would begin offering discounted Prime memberships to those on U.S. government assistance. That could pull shoppers, and freight, from Walmart.
Walmart is testing a program where store associates will deliver online purchases, which could have a major impact on package delivery companies. Also, Waymo is testing a self-driving truck and monthly freight index climbs.
If it seems that freight brokerage – both digital and traditional services – are popping up on a daily basis, it could be because they are, or it at least it seems that way. Digital freight matchers (DFMs) include familiar names such as Convoy, CargoMatic, Haulfox and HaulHound. But what if you want to enter the space? Here are some tips on how to be successful as a DFM.
While in-store sales have been declining in recent years, retail sales as a whole have not due to growth in e-commerce. That is resulting in a shift in freight movement, with more heading to a growing number of distribution centers and less heading to brick-and-mortar stores.
There has been a narrative in the U.S. that retail is dying a quick death. The reality is that is just not true. So far in 2017, there have been nearly as many store openings announced as store closings. This FreightWaves infographic details some of the trends in retail and how trucking is responding.
From Chattanooga to Birmingham, from Memphis to Atlanta, Freight Alley is home to a growing number of freight and logistics companies. But who is calling the area home? You can read more about Freight Alley here: When freight moves it moves through Freight Alley. This graphic is updated as new companies are identified. To see the most updated map, click the graphic.
Since the dawn of the shipping industry, brokers, carriers and shippers have struggled with rate price swings, sometimes due to conditions outside their control, such as weather or politics. TransFX, a Chattanooga-based company located in Freight Alley, is trying to help change that by offering “freight futures contracts.”
As President Donald Trump ramps up the pressure on Mexico and U.S. companies doing business there, at risk is billions of dollars of freight that moves between the countries.
The U.S. has pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. But is that a wise decision? Experts differ on the manufacturing impact in the U.S.
