Truckload Freight

There are plenty of conflicting data points on the direction of the economy, which might suggest that everything may be just fine in the near term.

Flip a switch. Seems easy enough, but for those fleets that think that’s all they have to do with their ELD come December 16, 2019, they may quickly find their truck driver sitting idle, which is why now is the time to start the transition from a legacy AOBRD.

Chris Henry, Program Manager, TCA Profitability Program (SOURCE: SHUTTERSTOCK) “Empowerment is not giving your people the ability to make decisions. Empowerment is the giving your people the ability to mistakes” […]

Hwy Haul is a freight logistics startup that uses data science and optimization algorithms to connect carrier capacity with freight volumes over a digital trucking marketplace.

Ashley Coker IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK Detention time has climbed over the last couple of months, in conjunction with a stabilizing freight market. FreightWaves’ SONAR shows a sharp decrease in outbound tender […]

IMAGE: VVMF The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) presented awards to recognize the efforts of Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) members who volunteered their time and equipment to haul The Wall That […]

Kenya-based startup Lori has built a logistics platform that is revolutionising the cargo-transport value chain in Africa by seamlessly connecting cargo owners, shippers and transporters via a digital freight marketplace.

Heavy snow melt and rains have caused historic flooding in 16 states and the FMCSA has lifted certain regulations as a result.

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK By TCA Retention Coach Ray Haight Recapping what we have learned so far from this series of articles would have us remember step one, which was creating a […]

Ashley Coker IMAGE: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES Some highlights from this month’s J.D. Power Commercial Truck Guidelines industry update: Volume at auction on the rise The number of trucks sold at auction […]

Bendix is now making its advanced safety systems available for retrofit for models where it was not factory-installed. Plus, U.S. finds little support for postal rate changes, detention time increasing and air cargo boom may be over.

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel IMAGE: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently issued an important decision related to the classification of workers as either employees or […]

Joseph Lipsey III, the now former chief executive officer of Lipsey Logistics Worldwide, has relinquished his ownership shares in the company.

IMAGE: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES By Steve Hitchcock, COO of Duncan and Son Lines I’ve read a couple of books recently that made me happy: “Factfulness” by Hans Rosling and “Enlightenment Now” […]

While propane doesn’t pack quite the punch diesel does, it does produce enough power to handle many of the tasks at a fraction of the overall cost, advocates say, so why is not a more popular fuel for commercial operations?

Brian Snell, a professional truck driver for Pottle’s Transportation of Hermon, Maine, has been named the 2018 Highway Angel of the Year by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) and its […]

Revenues are falling at Roadrunner Transportation Systems, but management remains confident the company is heading in the right direction.

The nominees have been announced and voting is now underway in the inaugural FreightWaves Shipper of Choice awards. The Shipper of Choice Award is in partnership with Convoy.

Volvo has started testing connected vehicle technology in California, plus Michigan governor pitches fuel tax hike, California legislator wants to phase out diesel engines and Alibaba buys into delivery company.

Modern transportation management systems (TMS) have lowered the cost while increasing the power of the solutions, opening doors for shippers of all sizes to benefit.

IMAGE: JIM ALLEN / FREIGHTWAVES Central Oregon Truck Company, Inc. of Redmond, Oregon, Searcy Specialized of Harrison, Ohio, and Meritor, Inc. of Kansas City, Missouri were recognized for their contributions […]

In partnership with Reliance Partners …What occurred in Alabama and Georgia is devastating and something that can happen suddenly in any area of the U.S. prone to this type of weather. It’s important to consistently communicate with drivers on how to remain safe under such conditions, as we can’t control the weather regardless of how much we monitor it.

Ashley Coker IMAGE: JIM ALLEN / FREIGHTWAVES TCA Retention Coach Ray Haight will speak at the National Recruiting and Retention Symposium in Ontario, Canada next month. The symposium, powered by […]

Smaller fleets see best growth in driver capacity, but shippers only tap them once in a while, creating more volatility.

Innovations in last-mile delivery continue, but each faces challenges to widespread adoption, although UPS, which will trial Thor electric trucks, encourages fleets to test out new technologies.

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel IMAGE: JIM ALLEN / FREIGHTWAVES The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which is based in Philadelphia and has federal jurisdiction […]

UPS’ Carlton Rose, president of global fleet maintenance and engineering, said he expects electric power to be the long-term solution in medium-duty, but it isn’t there just yet.

(PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK) By Ray Haight, TCA Retention Coach An old saying goes “Silence speaks louder than words” and this can be especially true if your company doesn’t have an effective, […]

Truck Spot is an app that helps truckers sub-lease parking spots on an hourly or daily basis and make sure they do not run out of options to park their trucks at the end of their HOS, or when they want to take a break.

Ashley Coker IMAGE: JIM ALLEN / FREIGHTWAVES It is no secret that truck driving can take a toll on one’s physical wellbeing. From obesity to smoking, drivers consistently experience more […]

Flashback Fridays previews the soon-to-open Freight Alley Haul of Fame and showcases four trucking companies that contributed to the history of trucking.

Technologies can help prevent rollovers, but a new startup company believes influencing driver behavior is the best approach to preventing rollovers.

IMAGE: JIM ALLEN / FREIGHTWAVES By TCA Vice President of Government Affairs Dave Heller & TCA Manager of Government Affairs Kathryn Sanner February saw the start of Congress’ work on […]

Protecting market share is part of the battle over longer trucks.

Chris Henry, Program Manager, TCA Profitability Program (PHOTO: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES) One of the most frequent questions I get asked is, “What are the best KPIs that we/I should be tracking […]

dexFreight introduced the Early Adopters Program, through which companies that sign up will have exclusive access to early release versions of the dexFreight platform, and have the opportunity to interact with dexFreight’s development and product teams. 

Compliance issues can result in large fines for companies, which is why some companies find outsourcing compliance programs to experts can be a financial win.

World’s largest ocean freight forwarder continues to grow volume, but impact of liner alliances also take toll on margins.

Ashley Coker IMAGE: WIKIPEDIA COMMONS About 40,000 pounds of broccoli was scattered across a metro Atlanta freeway after a truck overturned earlier this month. The broccoli was not met with […]

The Motiv EPIC all-electric chassis will be installed on Ford F-59 glider chassis at a Detroit Custom Chassis plant. Also, Colorado passes bill lowering the commercial truck driving age and the Port of Long Beach sees near-record volumes.

Sponsored by Redwood LogisticsThe deployment of technology solutions requires many steps, but using a provider that offers an open systems architecture approach can help ease the transition, eliminating both time and cost.

Ashley Coker IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK Colorado Governor Jared Polis has signed a bill that will allow drivers between the ages of 18 and 21 to operate a commercial vehicle for the […]

Microdea is an Ontario-based company that digitalizes documentation and automates back office processes to make them more efficient, seamless, and less wasteful.

It is said that moving freight is all about relationships. If that is true, what value does a routing guide provide? A great deal, it turns out.

BlueGrace Logistics celebrated its 10-year anniversary on February 22. Founded in 2009 with only eight employees, the company currently has 600 employees and is one of the largest third-party logistics (3PL) providers in the United States.

Today, everything about your business – your brand, all your customer sales and service interactions, your transparency and accessibility – are part of the consideration set of the customer, and that means a different approach to selling.

Ashley Coker IMAGE: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES New York has banned empty tractor trailers from portions of the New York State Thruway and some interstates in the western and central parts of […]

At least 40 percent of drivers are still using AOBRDs, and nearly 80 percent of those don’t plan to switch to ELDs until the second half of 2019, just ahead of the deadline.

(PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK) Guest Authors: Tim Almack – Partner – Katz, Sapper & Miller (KSM) & David Roush – President – KSM Transport Advisors (KSMTA) This is the second article in […]

UPS has sued a pot delivery company in California saying the company is infringing on hits trademarks; also FreightWaves announces a War on Detention, Connecticut wants to add tolls, and Ford leaves South America.

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel IMAGE: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES The third-party logistics provider (“3PL”) in this case had a clause in its Motor Carriage Services Contract with a non-exclusive trucking […]

Class 1 railroad plans ongoing projects at intermodal facility which is near major shippers and new warehouse space.

The FreightWaves Research Institute, in conjunction with industry partners, universities and technology vendors announces the “War on Detention Pledge” – a promise for companies involved in the freight transportation ecosystem […]

Shippers responded to tight capacity and high rates in 2018 by turning to managed transportation providers, and if the predictions for 2019 come true, they will likely continue down this path.

Cargo thefts fell 19 percent in 2018 compared to the year before, according to SensiGuard. Plus, the EU cuts a deal on truck emissions and another trucker protest is planned for this week.

Ashley Coker IMAGE: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES Food and beverages were among the top commodities targeted in North American cargo theft incidents last year, according to a recent report from BSI Supply […]

When Daimler Trucks North America introduced its 2020 model year Freightliner New Cascadia. all attention was focused on the eye-opening headline: it is a Level 2 autonomous truck. While that is the sexy part of the truck, an even sexier headline for fleets should be the advances in fuel efficiency in the new model.

PHOTO: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES By TCA Retention Coach Ray Haight So far we have talked about setting your retention and recruiting efforts up for success. We have also discussed the TPP […]

The 2020 model year Freightliner New Cascadia features technologies that qualify it as a Level 2 autonomous, but drivers shouldn’t be scared off by that.

Chris Henry, Program Manager, TCA Profitability Program (SOURCE: SHUTTERSTOCK) Nothing irritates me more than a poorly designed order / checkout process on a website. The causes of frustration can be […]

(PHOTO: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES) By TCA Vice President of Government Affairs Dave Heller & TCA Manager of Government Affairs Kathryn Sanner By now, you have undoubtedly read the news that a […]

An intersection in New Jersey has been deemed the worst for truck bottlenecks, plus Nikola Motor may be adding a purely electric truck; GM and Tesla are working together, and FedEx Express signs on to a new cargo terminal.

(SOURCE: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS) The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has partnered again this year with the Alliance for Toll Free Interstates (ATFI). ATFI is a national coalition comprised of individuals, businesses, […]

Ashley Coker (PHOTO: TRUCKSTOCKIMAGES.COM) Forbes has named Covenant Transport (NASDAQ: CVTI) one of America’s Best Employers For Diversity in 2019. Coming in at number 463, Covenant was the only truckload […]

January used to be known as the worst month for freight, but consumer trends are starting to change that.

Some $726 billion in annual spend on U.S. surface transportation faces daily price swings, but futures aim to mitigate the volatility.

Fleets participating in the TCA Profitability Program (TPP) gain access to benchmarking data that can help them improve operations.

Strong Q4 drives full-year performance.

Marten Transport and other public truckload companies could make a good stock investment if historical trends hold, says an analyst from Stephens.

Green New Deals are the rage in Washington, with benefits – and costs – for trucking.

The key benchmark OTRI sounded the alarms about weaker markets, but other indicators were telling a different story.

Ashley Coker CHART: TCA DATA HOUSES INSIDE FREIGHTWAVES’ SONAR Average length of haul has been trending up since October 2018, according to TCA data housed inside FreightWaves’ SONAR. The data […]

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel (PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK) The Union in this case sought to represent a unit of drivers at one of the carrier’s facilities.   Under the Union’s petition […]

The earnings were accompanied by a strong report from Cowen on the company’s outlook.

A new petition is seeking White House help to get two bills that would exempt most small trucking companies and owner-operators exempted from the ELD requirement reintroduced to Congress.

Convoy is now matching 100 percent of loads automatically in major markets, effectively eliminating the need for any person to call or communicate between the shipper and carrier.

(PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK) In Part One, we talked about the delusion of the industry, the sales job to the “inside the walls” personnel, and a little about apathy. The next step, […]

Ruckit specializes in trucking management software for the heavy construction and materials marketplace and brings transparency by networking the TMS systems of the stakeholders involved in a hauling process.

Not a gangbusters quarter for Saia or Schneider. But the numbers were strong for both and Merrill Lynch thinks the Schneider stock is undervalued.

With the growing complexity of supply chains, the technology advantage that managed transportation providers can provide becomes a key value-add for many shippers.

Small, yet powerful satellites can now be deployed for just a fraction of the cost of more traditional satellites, potentially changing the way logistics companies access location and other data for assets.

Ashley Coker (PHOTO: YELL COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT) A professional truck driver attempted to cross a wooden bridge in rural Arkansas despite posted weight limit signs last week. Both […]

Electric vehicle makers can learn from some of the lessons that natural gas developers faced when introducing that fuel source to trucking.

JUSDA, a supply chain platform that spun off Foxconn Technology Group, has raised $356 million in its Series A round.

Ashley Coker (PHOTO: JOHN WESTON, CHALLENGER MOTOR FREIGHT, 2017 WINNER OF HIGHWAY ANGEL OF THE YEAR, AND NASHVILLE RECORDING ARTIST LINDSAY LAWLER, THE OFFICIAL SPOKESPERSON OF THE HIGHWAY ANGEL PROGRAM) […]

In partnership with Reliance Partners …When incurring demurrage and detention charges, shippers and carriers lose out on hundreds of dollars per diem. Optimizing drayage operations and dispatching cargo as quickly as possible could help in reducing the burden, especially during unanticipated port delays.

Uber Freight is giving drivers the opportunity to rate shipper facilities. The information can be used by both shippers to improve conditions and drivers, who will see the details of a facility before accepting a load.

Ashley Coker (PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK) After a record-breaking year of nominations , the Truckload Carriers Association announced the 2019 Best Fleets to Drive For. The competition, hosted in conjunction with CarriersEdge, […]

Asset-light transportation manager sees results in-line with expectations, but softer rates coming up ahead.

(PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK) By TCA Vice President of Government Affairs Dave Heller & TCA Manager of Government Affairs Kathryn Sanner The more we hear about the detrimental effects of detention time […]

The operating ratio in every trucking segment of the company was improved and its outlook for 2019 is solid also.

Chris Henry, Program Manager, TCA Profitability Program (PHOTO: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE) Five years ago, I first read a book called The Power of Habit: Why We Do What […]

New truck and trailer purchases currently include a 12 percent federal excise tax, adding tens of thousands of dollars to the purchase price. A new coalition is looking to lobby for the repeal of the tax.

Used truck pricing and volumes posted big gains in 2018 as a combination of factors, including a booming economy and limited availability of new trucks played a role.

KeepTruckin recently nabbed the talents of Jairam Ranganathan, formerly Uber’s senior director of product.

Driver detention has been causing headaches and lost wages for years, but the ELD mandate has shone a spotlight on the issue like never before. For the first time, carriers […]

As of December 16, 2019, anyone running an AOBRD must switch to an ELD. There are steps that can be taken now to ensure the changeover will be painless.

Ashley Coker (PHOTO: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE) While most fleets along the East Coast are focused on keeping equipment and drivers well-equipped to handle winter weather, there’s another threat […]

The numbers that have come out so far are showing few signs that there had been a significant fourth quarter slowdown.

Hard commodity volumes were mixed, but intermodal and coal are better; pricing is the best in seven years.