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Trucking News

The Journal of Commerce’s trucking news and analysis encompasses full truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), private fleet trucking, refrigerated trucking, regulation, drayage, and transloading. Reporting centers on pricing, volume demand, capacity, labor, regulation, and service levels in US and Canadian trucking networks. 

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The latest Trucking News News & Analysis

C.H. Robinson opens new Laredo facility amid boom in US-Mexico freight

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Steady gains in US-Mexico cross-border truck freight have spurred the logistics provider to open a 400,000-square-foot cross-dock warehouse in Laredo, a US border entry point already bursting with freight.
SurfaceTrucking NewsSupply chain

US truckload sector picks up pace to meet rising threat of cargo theft

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Freight brokers, load boards, technology providers and law enforcement are attempting to contain the growing threat of truckload cargo theft and the fraudulent schemes that underpin it.
Trucking NewsTruck brokersTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

Underlying US LTL demand ‘relatively consistent’ post-Yellow: ODFL

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
While the country’s second-largest LTL provider gained shipments in August after the demise of Yellow, it sees no signs that overall freight demand is improving.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Drayage industry faces technology dilemma in down freight market

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
While the importance of drayage came to the fore during the pandemic, the current freight hangover is cramping the sector’s ability to take advantage of technology options on the market.
Logistics Technology NewsPort NewsNorth American portsTrucking News

US LTL carriers gain freight, but employment plummets post-Yellow

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Saia and XPO are the latest LTL carriers to report volume gains in August, a month when trucking employment dropped more than 2% following Yellow’s shutdown.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Targeted replenishment thins US inventories without raising freight demand 

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Inventories are falling, but orders and shipments aren’t necessarily climbing as US retailers seek greater “inventory productivity” by closely tracking customer demand. 
Supply chainTrucking News

Market interest ‘should be very high’ in DB Schenker sale: CEO

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
The German-based forwarder remains the largest and most attractive takeover target in a cash-rich industry where the main players are all looking for opportunities to consolidate.
MaritimeForwardingTrucking NewsInternational railAir CargoAir Cargo Forwarder NewsSupply chain

Smaller LTL fleets gain freight, add terminals post-Yellow

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Regional LTL carrier A. Duie Pyle and point-to-point trucking firm Hercules Freight are finding opportunities to expand as shippers adjust to the loss of Yellow’s capacity.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Southeast US ports reopen after Hurricane Idalia blows through region

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor |
Given the short duration of the port and terminal closures, impacts appeared minimal as Jacksonville, Savannah and Charleston resumed normal operations.
North American portsContainer Shipping NewsTrucking News

Poor IT strategy over the years contributed to Yellow’s demise: analyst

Ted Prince, founder and CEO, Tri-Cities Intermodal LLC |
An LTL carrier such as Yellow is an extremely complicated business, and similar to the railroads, the enterprise software it used was developed internally — often over decades — because there was no “off-the-shelf” solution, writes analyst Ted Prince.  
Logistics Technology NewsTrucking News

ABF’s LTL shipments, pricing jump after Yellow collapse

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
ArcBest less-than-truckload (LTL) subsidiary ABF Freight is taking on additional volume and raising rates as a broad realignment of the US LTL sector gains speed.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

M&A activity in 3PL sector continues as investment firm acquires Ascent

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Two weeks after Forward Air acquired forwarder Omni Logistics, a private investment fund has taken over expedited third-party logistics provider Ascent Global Logistics.
Supply chainSurfaceTrucking NewsTruck brokersAir Cargo Forwarder News

Estes expands use of Optym as LTL market deals with Yellow fallout

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Estes Express Lines has long used third-party software to amp up its service to customers, with an expansion of its partnership with less-than-truckload software provider Optym the latest example.
Trucking NewsLogistics Technology News

ODFL, Estes wage billion-dollar bidding war for Yellow LTL terminals

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Control of Yellow’s real estate may determine who gets to expand in the less-than-truckload (LTL) sector, and who must scramble to find property.
LTLSurfaceTrucking News

US shippers riding post-Yellow shockwaves as LTL freight shifts among carriers

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Some logistics managers report longer transit times and delivery delays, as well as higher costs, as remaining LTL providers divide the freight once hauled by Yellow. 
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Estes Express offers $1.3 billion for all of Yellow’s terminals 

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
A ‘stalking horse bid’ from Estes, a rival trucking company, would set a floor for any competing bids for the more than 160 properties owned by Yellow.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Potential buyers look to pounce on Yellow assets up for sale

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
More than 60 buyers are said to be scrutinizing the terminals and assets of defunct LTL carrier Yellow as freight volumes rise at its former US trucking competitors.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Forward Air looks to hook high-value shippers in Omni Logistics deal

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Omni’s international and US forwarding customers are expected to send more freight to Forward Air’s expedited less-than-truckload network in the US. 
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Shippers offer mixed reaction to Dye’s proposals to fix container terminal flow

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor |
The National Shipper Advisory Committee saw some good in the FMC commissioner’s ideas, but said without a clear path for implementation, businesses will continue to be hurt by detention and demurrage charges.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsContainer linesTrucking News

BNSF Logistics turns to Trucker Tools for brokerage software

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Top 30 freight broker BNSF Logistics said it will use Trucker Tools software to improve visibility and freight matching for its surface transportation customers.
Logistics Technology NewsTrucking NewsTruckloadTruck brokers

No US freight rebound until 2024: analysts 

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
The current freight downturn could continue until mid-2024, thanks to lower manufacturing output, high levels of employment and excess capacity, experts told the Journal of Commerce Thursday.
SurfaceTrucking NewsTruckloadLTL

Omni Logistics purchase to expand Forward Air’s LTL, global reach

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
The merger of third-party logistics provider Omni and expedited less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier Forward Air will create a more multimodal LTL network focused on high-value freight.
LTLTrucking NewsSupply chain

Convoy promises on-time truckload deliveries with new guaranteed product

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Targeting industrial and retail shippers that need expensive expedited services to meet stringent on-time metrics, freight broker Convoy is offering a product that guarantees shipments will be delivered within a predetermined 30-minute window.
Truck brokersTrucking NewsTruckloadLogistics Technology News

LTL carrier Yellow reports $70m H1 loss after shutting down

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Yellow lost money in its last six months as shippers moved freight elsewhere and non-operating expenses, including debt payments and interest, consumed shrinking operating profits.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTLTrucking labor

US trucking hiring slowing amid soft freight demand

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
The US economy is improving, but the gains in recent months haven’t translated into additional freight, nor an additional surge in trucking employment.
Trucking laborTrucking NewsTruckloadLTL

Market share holds key to recovery for US intermodal, truckload: analyst

Larry Gross, president and founder, Gross Transportation Consulting; and JOC analyst |
Regardless of where demand for intermodal and truckload freight transport moves over the coming months, the industry holds the key to its destiny in its own hands, writes analyst Larry Gross. 
Intermodal providersSurfaceTrucking NewsRail NewsNorth-American rail

Yellow seeks orderly ‘wind down’ amid bankruptcy filing

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
The third-largest US less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier said Sunday it plans to use debtor-in-possession financing to support the sale of assets, while CEO Darren Hawkins blamed the Teamsters union for its collapse.
LTLTruckloadTrucking labor

XPO plans to add capacity as LTL freight volumes surge

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Shipment volume at the third-largest LTL carrier in the US jumped nearly 9% in July from a year ago and 3.2% from June as shippers moved freight away from rival carrier Yellow.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Truckload carriers driving through lengthy freight market ‘bottom’

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
US truckload carrier executives say they don’t see any signs that freight demand will pick back up until the end of 2023.
SurfaceTrucking NewsTruckload

US LTL carriers expanding revenue, profitability despite ongoing consolidation

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
The number of large US less-than-truckload carriers is shrinking, but the remaining operators are more profitable, have higher revenues and play a bigger role in customer’s supply chains.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Yellow, lenders talk bankruptcy financing as stock price surges

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Hedging and short selling made Yellow a “meme stock” early this week, but experts say rumors of a comeback are as wildly misplaced as investors’ cash.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Schneider goes deeper into dedicated trucking with M&M acquisition

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Schneider's acquisition of M&M Transport underscores the ongoing popularity of dedicated transportation among shippers and carriers, even in an era of excess truckload capacity. 
SurfaceTrucking NewsTruckload

Yellow collapse seen hitting smaller, mid-sized LTL shippers hardest

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
The loss of the third-largest US less-than-truckload carrier is hitting a broad tranche of smaller, less-sophisticated shippers hard as they struggle with volatile rate hikes, logistics providers say.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTLTrucking labor

Tough market conditions slow DHL’s H1 profitability

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
A challenging operating environment pulled down revenue and earnings at DHL, but the Germany-based integrator remains in a highly profitable position ahead of an uncertain second half.
Air Cargo Forwarder NewsContainer Shipping NewsLTLLast Mile News

TForce Freight employees ratify five-year contract with Teamsters

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
US shippers gained some security in the LTL market as Teamsters at TForce approved a new contract with the LTL carrier.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTLTrucking labor

Yellow’s collapse already pushing LTL rates higher as capacity tightens

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
The third-largest less-than-truckload provider in the US stopped operations Sunday, cutting into industrywide excess capacity and increasing pressure on pricing for LTL shipments. 
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Non-union layoffs edge Yellow closer to collapse

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Word of layoffs among non-union staff at Yellow spread Friday, and shippers report less-than-truckload (LTL) pricing is already moving higher in anticipation of a shutdown of the third-largest US LTL carrier.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTLTrucking labor

Yellow looks to sell third-party logistics subsidiary as labor talks falter 

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
In its latest attempt to avert a potential bankruptcy, unionized trucking company Yellow is trying to raise funds through the sale of Yellow Logistics.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTLTrucking labor

FMC’s Dye offers fixes for container flow problems through US ports

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor |
The FMC commissioner wants to implement uniform empty return dates and define “container availability” as when the container is available for pick up, among other proposals.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsContainer Shipping NewsMarine terminalsNorth American portsTrucking NewsLogistics Technology News

Yellow survival depends on Teamsters, customers amid possible bankruptcy

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Yellow says its talks with the Teamsters union are “ongoing,” but the less-than-truckload carrier needs to keep customers to stay alive.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL