The Daily Dash is a quick look at what is happening in the freight ecosystem. In today’s edition, as 2020 drew to a close, freight rates boomed, jumping 12% in the fourth quarter according to new data. Plus, Amazon wants to help truckers build their own business as part of a plan to add capacity, and Knight-Swift makes an interesting acquisition.
End-of-year rate increases
Shippers spent 12% more per mile for dry van truckloads on average through most of the fourth quarter of 2020 than they did in 2019.
Zach Strickland digs into the numbers: Trucking contract rates up 12% year-over-year
Amazon to help truckers build their own company
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) likely needs more freight capacity than it can find. Its solution: Help people build their own trucking companies.
Mark Solomon has more on the venture: Amazon to build incubator for startup trucking companies
Knight-Swift – a technology company?
Knight-Swift (NYSE: KNX) has taken a majority stake in a provider of driver-directed software, Eleos, which will continue to operate as a stand-alone company.
John Kingston explains the reason for the purchase: Knight-Swift grabs majority stake in driver software Eleos
Eliminating foreign influence
President Joe Biden is preparing to make good on a campaign promise to review critical supply chains and reduce American dependence on imports for pandemic-related equipment and materials.
John Gallagher has more: Biden readies critical supply chain review
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Saia Q4 easily outpaces forecasts
COVID broke Peloton’s supply chain – can $100M fix it?
Tesla invests in Bitcoin and may sell vehicles for cryptocurrency
Fuel cell startup Hyzon Motors appears in line for SPAC windfall
NFI driver reflects on 30-year career, 6 million safe miles
Convoy improves auctions with new pricing and timing transparency
Old Dominion charting service center growth in 2021
Did you miss this?
A Tennessee lawmaker said he would look into the potential for making vaccines available at a major truck stop operator after hearing about concerns faced by small-business truckers.
John Gallagher has more on the plan: Tennessee lawmaker to pursue vaccines at truck stops
Hammer down, everyone,
Brian Straight
Managing Editor
Click for more FreightWaves articles by Brian Straight.
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