Truckload Freight

Market Expert Anthony Smith provides insight into the all-important housing market as 2020 gets underway.

What does it mean to be “energy independent?” The President of the United States thinks the country is there now. On this week’s Drilling Deep podcast, host John Kingston talks […]

Zonar has enabled over-the-air updates for Cummins engines, plus key freight index rises and Connecticut senator asks mapmakers to include truck-specific warnings for low bridges.

Chris Henry runs fleet profitability benchmarking and analytics for FreightWaves and facilitates the TCA’s TPP program. If you are interested in benchmarking your fleet’s performance with the best operators, join […]

Seth Holm of FreightWaves Freight Intel Group writes about the impact of nuclear verdicts on the trucking industry. Will 2020 be a tipping point for these huge awards?

Trucking market cools but remains healthy

A number of readers responded to Brian Aoaeh’s 12/26/19 “Commentary: Trucking industry observations heading into 2020.” His current commentary features some of those responses and information from Anthony Campo, a trucking industry veteran.

Lumper payments can tie up cash for weeks as carriers wait for reimbursement, but Convoy is now automating the process, guaranteeing payment with the touch of a button.

A host of issues, from regulations to overcapacity, are coming together to place unanticipated stresses on carriers just as 2020 begins.

Outlook for future improvement to earnings is still hazy as Morgan Stanley analyst lowers fourth-quarter estimates for most transportation companies.

Major weather events such as hurricanes, blizzards, and historic flooding can produce immediate volatility as well as lasting effects on supply chains, depending on where they hit.

Market Expert Zach Strickland provides timely advice for shippers that need to choose either a carrier or a 3PL.

Trucking fundamentals still strong as peak season ends

Despite a tough 2019 market, shippers face increasing price volatility around intermodal drayage as rail becomes more cost competitive compared with over-the-road trucking. Last year was one that intermodal marketing […]

Most big rigs in the U.S. have tanks that range in capacity from 120 gallons per tank up to 150 gallons and depending on the radius of operation, may have one tank for shorter hauls or two tanks for longer ones.

Some of the most congested roads in Texas are not necessarily all that bad for truckers.

By R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which covers nine States including California, recently affirmed a decision by the National […]

If you are planning to create a freight brokerage, here is a basic checklist you can use to get started.

Big rigs are limited by federal regulation to a maximum loaded weight of 80,000 pounds including cargo, so the actual amount of cargo a big rig can carry really depends on the type and weight of the truck when empty.

While the truckload carriers are happy to turn the page on 2019, investors in truckload stocks may be hoping for more.

The flatbed and oil field service carrier was subject to a class action lawsuit for not paying overtime.

The carrier operated in two markets that have suffered in 2019: flatbed and oil service.

Freight load board is back in service after ransomware, which was more frequent in 2019.

New group will be the first of it’s kind in transportation The TCA Profitability Program (TPP), an exclusive business performance improvement initiative provided by the Truckload Carriers Association, is pleased […]

Market Expert Anthony Smith writes about the factors that will affect the U.S. economy in 2020 and what that willl mean for business.

FreightWaves Market Expert Chris Henry provides a look into truckload’s year that was and commentary on a possible path toward consistent profitability.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is trying to take its so-far-unsuccessful battle over Pennsylvania tolls to the U.S. Supreme Court.  At the heart of the effort by the OOIDA […]

The operating realities of long-haul, for-hire trucking translates into working conditions that require both employee and independent contractor drivers to be away from home, and alone for days and sometimes weeks at a time. This combined with transit delays (both on the road and at customer facilities), and lifestyle-related health pressures (sleep deprivation and poor eating choices) are the primary causes of both short and long-term turnover.

TCA Vice President of Government Affairs, Dave Heller and TCA Manager of Government Affairs, Kathryn Sanner As 2019 comes to a close and 2020 kicks into gear, now is a […]

FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller writes about the issues the trucking industry dealt with in 2019 and what is ahead in 2020.

Builder’s Transport was once the second largest truckload carrier in the U.S. In 1998 it filed bankruptcy and was then acquired by Schneider National.

Ben Thrower writes about what most in the trucking industry know – 2019 was a tough year for almost everyone.

ELDs generate thousands of data points, but who owns that data, and how concerned should carriers be that the data will be used against them?

Truckstop.com reported that the company is making progress in bringing operations back online.

Market expert David Faulkenberry explains the details of final mile delivery.

Brian Aoaeh writes about key trucking events in 2019 and looks ahead to 2020.

The waterfall theory of freight governs how freight will be routed

One of the leading load boards shuttered since Friday forcing customers to find workarounds.

Update: Major load board remains out of service since last Friday with no update as to when it will be online.

In the over-the-road truckload for-hire market, there are two major types of trucking rates: contract and spot

On the evening of Friday, December 13, TCA Chairman and Trekker CEO Josh Kaburick and Pilot Flying J’s Wendy Hamilton, recognized nearly 100 professional truck drivers during the 2019 Wreaths […]

In this week’s wrap-up, FreightWaves spoke to Larry Mullne of Allied Alloys in Houston to get insights into pre-holiday operations.

Planned merger could create largest tank truck carrier in U.S. Heniff Transportation and Superior Bulk Logistics to merge.

The biggest truckload carrier in the U.S. Knight-Swift cuts its fourth quarter 2019 earnings outlook again. The company plans to “revise” its first quarter 2020 guidance in January.

Kayla Matthews writes about best practices to manage fleets during the holidays.

Cass freight data shows softness again in November. While shipment declines extend to a full year, the rate of the declines may be moderating.

Liquid and dry bulk carrier TransWood, Inc. announces the acquisition of Kane Transport and its fleet of more than 150 tractors.

Less than a year after automating the load-matching process, Convoy is now automating the brokerage side in select markets.

Truckstop.com’s Book It Now feature is available through Redwood Logistics’ LoadRunner TMS, giving users of both services more options and a streamlined booking process.

TCA Vice President of Government Affairs, Dave Heller and TCA Manager of Government Affairs, Kathryn Sanner In just a few short weeks, our industry will be graced with one of […]

Peak season has arrived

Morgan Stanley eyeing truck capacity constraints and higher rates in 2020, potentially reaching 2018 levels or higher.

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel Employers may be well aware of the application of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in situations where an employee or applicant is “disabled” […]

Lyboldt urges Washington to take action to repair subpar roadways.

225 employers have posted close to 500 jobs and counting.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) has announced The Wall That Heals national tour schedule for 2020. The Wall That Heals exhibit includes a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial […]

Last Friday, December 6, FreightWaves reported that Celadon intended to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy and now the company has made it official. On the surface, it sounds like Chapter 11 […]

The sudden closure of Celadon has left thousands of lives impacted. To help those employees find work, FreightWaves has created a free job board where employees can post resumes and recruiters and fleets can post jobs.

The official announcement followed a chaotic weekend of credit, customer, and driver issues,

Celadon Group was Scrooge for its drivers with the Christmas holidays around the corner, but the trucking community is stepping up to help in the season of giving.

The billion-dollar truckload carrier’s failure is one of the largest in industry history.

Tepid volumes with an upside breakout in tender rejections

A number of trucking companies are expanding and/or upgrading their terminal systems.

Truckload stocks get an upgrade at Goldman Sachs. Analyst cites “bottoming” fundamentals and the likelihood that the trucking downturn is nearing the midway point as reasons for the upgrade.

FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller chats with J.B. Hunt Chief Commercial Officer Shelley Simpson.

by FreightWaves’ Linda Baker A limited supply of Christmas trees in Oregon, the country’s No. 1 producer, continues to drive up wholesale and retail costs. The pricetag for Noble Firs […]

TCA and our for-hire carrier members have repeatedly affirmed our support for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) electronic logging device (ELD) mandate. Unfortunately, others in the trucking industry […]

Market Expert David Faulkenberry writes about the increasingly important “final mile” and why estimates of its size vary so widely.

The Truckload Carriers Association’s Truckload Academy has unveiled the next generation of its Fleet Manager Certificate Program. Produced in partnership with CarriersEdge, the new program includes updated content and a […]

Set to go live on Jan. 6, 2020, the drug & alcohol clearinghouse will change the way truck drivers and carriers monitor drug testing.

Potential strategy to increase efficiency in a down market

Schneider National has added a tool called Load My Truck that allows third-party carriers to instantly book loads at a click of a button. Also, Mexico has installed a recycled highway, and the Huawei controversy highlights cybersecurity concerns in the supply chain.

Freight volumes sluggish despite Thanksgiving distortions

Moving to a fixed quarterly RFP program with brokers has added consistency, accuracy and reliability to Bumble Bee’s relationship with intermediaries

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel We have previously discussed the Boeing decision of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). In that decision, the NLRB changed its approach to determining […]

by John Kingston, FreightWaves The data is in and it shows pretty clearly what everybody has assumed: In the Southeast at least, the size of the verdicts against trucking companies […]

The survey covers just the states of the Southeast but the numbers are still sobering,.

Jim Blaze writes about the Alameda Corridor in Los Angeles, that takes some of the freight from the harbor to distribution centers. Is it still economically viable?

Freightquote by C.H. Robinson brings Robinson’s information advantage, capacity, and technology to small businesses.

Meet David Faulkenberry, FreightWaves final mile market expert, who joins the company’s deep bench after a storied career at XPO Logistics, 3PD, HomeDirect, GeoLogistics and more.

The latest Cass outlook signals “economic contraction,” but the heads at some of the nation’s largest truckload carriers see a different path.

This is the final installment in a series of videos produced by FreightWaves and SmartDrive, recorded at the recent SmartDrive Customer Conference in Atlanta. FreightWaves editor-at-large John Kingston discussed several […]

The Truckload Carriers Association, in conjunction with the TCA Profitability Program (TPP), offers a new, virtual, interactive learning experience available to all professionals in the trucking industry. The Truckload Live […]

Hunt thinks that an additional 7 to 11 million loads per year could shift from the highway to intermodal.

Founded by Dan Lewis, CEO, and Grant Goodale, CTO, in 2015, Convoy has closed a $400 million Series D round of funding, bringing total funding to $668 million to date and valuing the company at $2.75 billion.

Mark Rourke, CEO of Schneider National, right, told George Abernathy, president of FreightWaves, that a series of regulations hitting the industry will affect expenses or cut capacity, during his time on stage at FreightWaves LIVE Chicago.

For anyone in and around the Corn Belt in 2019, the lasting effects of this spring’s flooding are still front and center in everyone’s mind. The economy has been impacted […]

Daseke, Inc. reports a large loss amid operational restructuring and weaker flatbed demand. The company announces new initiatives as its reorganization continues.

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel In a recent Legal Comment article, we discussed how the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) went back to following a rule established by the […]

Peak season in question

Almost half of fleets are using in-cab video or dash cams as well as a growing number that utilize video services, according to a new survey on fleet’s technology use.

Driver training doesn’t have to be stale and programmed, and in fact, it shouldn’t be if fleets want to get the most out of the sessions.

TCA Vice President of Government Affairs, Dave Heller and TCA Manager of Government Affairs, Kathryn Sanner On October 21, the public comment period closed for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety […]

This is another in a series of videos produced by FreightWaves and SmartDrive, recorded at the recent SmartDrive Customer Conference in Atlanta. FreightWaves editor-at-large John Kingston discussed several key issues […]

Titanium Transportation Group sees weaker trends in the quarter, but manages to post a modest profit.

Uber Freight sees loads more than double on a year-over-year basis, but the division’s losses increased as well. Investors will now likely mull over these results as the company’s stock lock-up expiration approaches.

Freight volumes hint we may have a peak season after all

ArcBest posts weak third quarter numbers for asset and non-asset units

U.S. Xpress cites a weaker spot market and compressed brokerage margins as reasons for the third quarter loss. However, the decision to grow its fleet, a portion of which is reliant on the spot market, drew several questions from analysts on its call.

A leading economist on the question of driver economics will join us on FreightWaves Radio.

Convoy is now offering direct-from-shipper loads on its platform, giving carriers many more choices for hauling freight.