Stay Up to Date on the LTL Industry
Less than truckload (LTL) refers to shipping services for relatively small loads of freight (typically between 150 and 15,000 pounds). One of the main benefits of the LTL industry is cost efficiency. LTL trucking allows shippers to combine several loads going to the same facility into one truck, creating economies of scale, with each shipper only paying for the space they use. On the flip side, LTL shipping can take longer to plan and organize. Shipments may also take longer since the truck has to be filled before it leaves and may have to make multiple stops or transfers on the way to a given destination .
The explosion in online shopping sparked by the pandemic has made a marked impact on the LTL industry. As online shopping grows, demand for LTL trucking has increased significantly, putting stress on an already-burdened industry. To better understand the state of the LTL industry, we teamed up with BlueGrace Logistics to survey shippers about their approaches to LTL trucking in today’s environment.
Download our report to learn more: Evolution of LTL
Morgan Stanley said trucking fundamentals could be “bottoming” in a Monday note to clients while Susquehanna called it quits on several stocks.
Andrew Clarke, the ex-C.H. Robinson Worldwide executive, would relish the opportunity to return as its CEO, according to sources.
FedEx Freight Direct now offers returns of big and bulky items.
Less-than-truckload provider Roadrunner has announced its “biggest-ever transit improvements.”
Analysts waxed pessimistic about C.H. Robinson’s near-term outlook, arguing that the company’s culture needs to change.
Forward Air announced it will buy fellow expedited less-than-truckload provider Land Air Express in a $56.5 million transaction.
Demand for 3PL services to handle last-mile shipments of heavy goods will grow by double digits annually through 2025, according to a report by Armstrong & Associates and the National Home Delivery Association.
FedEx must convince stakeholders that it will stay the course on cost reductions.
FedEx’s 2023 second-quarter results proved its ability to quickly slash costs but also showed the damage a demand slowdown is inflicting on its top line.
Estes Forwarding Worldwide and project44 have developed a rating API that provides expedited quotes for LTL shippers.
Even though the final piece of XPO’s breakup has been put on hold, the company’s bullish growth ambitions for less-than-truckload have not changed.
Less-than-truckload carriers are hopeful a recent round of general rate increases stick on the downside of the cycle.
Yellow Corp. will modify and refile proposed network changes after meeting with local unions.
7L Freight is making truck procurement more convenient for logistics companies by combining dynamic rate management with electronic booking.
Consumers can take drop-offs to any of 2,000 FedEx Office locations
ArcBest announced CFO David Cobb will retire in October 2023.
Yellow is seeing large tonnage declines continue as the fourth quarter advances.
Asset-light less-than-truckload provider Forward Air sees tonnage fall off sharply in November.
The White House announced $36 billion in bailout money for the Central States Pension Fund that will benefit thousands of less-than-truckload drivers for Yellow and ABF Freight.
Less-than-truckload tonnage declined at an accelerated pace through November.
XPO announced it will retain its European business as capital markets abroad have weakened.
The deceleration in less-than-truckload tonnage during the fourth quarter is worse than analysts expected.
Drivers affected by FedEx Freight’s furloughs will receive return-to-work guarantees and a $300 weekly incentive while they are out of work.
AskWaves looks at how carriers are better communicating rules tariffs to customers.
XPO becomes the latest less-than-truckload carrier to announce voluntary furloughs.
Less-than-truckload demand has taken another step lower, according to carriers attending the Stephens investor conference.
The furloughs are set to begin in early December, and will be voluntary, the unit says.
In a stunning announcement, an analyst and his company that could be seen as skeptical of XPO’s prospects won’t be tracking the company moving forward.
Less-than-truckload carrier Yellow Corp. navigates second year of volume declines amid network overhaul.
The unit’s “space and pace” program will bypass the class-rates formula in favor of pricing based on dimensions and weight.
XPO announced Tuesday that it has spun off brokerage unit RXO, which is now a separately traded company.
ArcBest beats expectations in a noisy third quarter. Tonnage declines and cost inflation during the fourth quarter will put the model to the test.
Less-than-truckload carrier Saia slightly missed third-quarter expectations and noted volumes softened as the quarter progressed.
XPO Logistics’ third-quarter results were at the high end of preannounced ranges. The fourth-quarter outlook calls for continued growth but with some cost pressures.
TFI posts strong third-quarter results and boosts its dividend by 30%. But much of the focus is on the work in progress at T-Force Freight.
Forward Air highlights several growth opportunities that will push results higher again in 2023 even if the economy slows further.
Old Dominion said Wednesday that it’s likely more than half way through this volume downturn.
A single format for exchanging bills of lading data in the less-than-truckload industry will replace multiple electronic formats.
The National Motor Freight Traffic Association is moving to simplify how shipments are classified.
A Yellow Corp. plan would consolidate two of its regional LTL networks with its YRC Freight national operation.
XPO Logistics issued long-term financial targets for its less-than-truckload segment and its brokerage unit, which will be spun off next month.
While earnings estimates remain largely intact for 2022, a September slowdown pushed analysts to take another look at 2023 forecasts.
A highly regarded survey of less-than-truckload shippers showed Peninsula Truck Lines was the top overall provider based on value and loyalty.
XPO Logistics announced the spinoff of its brokerage unit has been blessed by its board with share distribution scheduled for Nov 1.
AskWaves looks at some of the challenges in the long-haul segment of an LTL network.
The ABF subsidiary ArcBest began hiring days last year to help aid in recruitment; FreightWaves was invited to one.
FedEx announces a 6.9% tariff rate increase for all of its services except LTL.
Jason Seidl of Cowen says that slowing consumer and industrial activity will be felt in third-quarter results.
R2’s LTL service is designed specifically to service small-medium-sized shippers – bringing well-rounded expertise in one platform that gives shippers the same advantages of a large shipper.
FedEx says weak international demand was the issue behind its fiscal first quarter pre-announcement. But the signs point to company-specific deficiencies.
FedEx Corp. announces most U.S. shipments must be tendered by Dec. 14, one day earlier than last year’s deadline, if they are going to arrive in time for Christmas.
Less-than-truckload carrier Yellow Corp. sees tonnage fall by mid-teen percentages in the first two months of the third quarter as it implements the first phase of its restructuring.
Less-than-truckload provider Forward Air continues to register notable revenue growth more than one year into freight swap.
More signs of slowing in the less-than-truckload industry appeared Thursday when ArcBest provided a third-quarter update.
Third-quarter updates from less-than-truckload carriers highlight a freight market that continues to slow.
AskWaves takes a look at managed transportation services in the less-than-truckload market.
The startup will hit an $11 million annual run rate in September.
Pitt Ohio initiates direct service into and out of New York state.
XPO recorded several records in its second-quarter earnings as it prepares to turn over Brad Jacobs’ CEO seat to Mario Harik.
Diesel has been sliding for weeks but it may be masking underlying tightness. Also on the podcast: Carrier Logistics on TMS.
Mario Harik will succeed Brad Jacobs following the spinoff of XPO’s brokerage business. Jacobs will become XPO’s executive chairman.
Yellow Corp.’s bottom-line numbers show solid gains despite double-digit daily tonnage declines.
Transport and logistics giant TFI posted quarterly gains across the board and raised the outlook for the rest of the year.
ArcBest reported better-than-expected results again during the second quarter.
Forward Air raised its earnings expectations again. Management believes it has the ability to generate higher results even in a recession.
Less-than-truckload carrier Saia reports record results for the second quarter and said it has no plans of slowing its growth initiatives.
Old Dominion Freight Line’s 69.5% operating ratio during the second quarter was not only a company best but a best-ever result for a public carrier.
Knight-Swift Transportation rode higher revenues and better margins in all of its divisions to a beat-and-raise second quarter.
XPO chooses RXO as the name of the soon-to-be-spun-off brokerage platform.
AskWaves chats with an industry insider about the work the less-than-truckload industry is doing to close the automation gap.
Less-than-truckload carrier Pitt Ohio announced the acquisition of assets from Teal’s Express, which will provide it coverage in New York.
Old Dominion’s latest offering is designed to provide a single rate with no surprises.
FedEx says its new operational integration will drive down costs and push up operating margins significantly.
Less-than-truckload carrier Saia continues to grow its terminal map at an industry-leading pace.
FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller assesses the potential for a “great purge” in trucking fleets.
FedEx Freight’s gains won’t make investors forget about FedEx Ground’s issues, but they help.
Roadrunner said Thursday it has completed the second phase of service enhancements in its metro-to-metro, less-than-truckload network.
XPO executives tell investors why they chose to downsize the company, and vow to significantly boost LTL capital spending.
FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller analyzes the bullwhip effect on the current retail and trucking environments.
Carere will head a new centralized group focusing on digitization.
FedEx adds Vena, a top rail executive, to its board. It also revises incentive targets and hikes its dividend 53%.
FreightWaves SONAR data can be indispensable, particularly in this environment.
FreightWaves presents the Small Fleet & Owner-Operator Summit on Wednesday, June 15.
Less-than-truckload carrier Yellow Corp. reported another drop in tonnage during May as its terminal rationalization continues.
Saia has dropped firearms shipments after a spate of mass shootings.
Old Dominion Freight Line reported a continuation in positive revenue, pricing and tonnage trends during May.
The current president of XPO’s North American brokerage unit to head the spun-off company’s most important business.
A couple of less-than-truckload carriers reported positive demand trends for the first two months of the second quarter.
Carriers should be able to price freight based on the trailer space it occupies. A machine to capture a shipment’s dimensions is one answer.
Freight all kinds classification lives on in LTL. How well it functions depends on who is asked.
Pitt Ohio’s Geoffrey Muessig says there are steps shippers can take to create a stronger and more profitable relationship with their LTL carriers.
The high-flying darlings of 2021, less-than-truckload stocks are finding their way back to earth quickly this year.
The Small Fleet & Owner-Operator Summit takes place on June 15, 2022.
AskWaves looks at application programming interfaces in the less-than-truckload industry and how far the evolution can go.
Yellow Corp. executives told analysts that the company’s plan to close and consolidate terminals won’t reduce capacity in its network.
Mehrotra said he was excluded from asking questions because of criticisms of its LTL operations.
The company beat analysts’ expectations in its first-quarter financial results and named a new head of its brokerage services operation.
FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller analyzes the impact of rising diesel costs on the spot market and the trucking industry.
Less-than-truckload carrier Yellow Corp. has begun the next phase of its multiyear transformation. A recent proposal seeks to consolidate and close terminals in the West.
Echo Global Logistics announced its first acquisition since being taken private last year. It signed an agreement to acquire temperature-controlled services provider Roadtex Transportation.
