LTL

News and analysis of less-than-truckload rates, capacity, supply, demand, economics, technology, regulation, strategies

 

The latest LTL News & Analysis

US LTL shippers still juggling carriers, freight in wake of Yellow’s demise

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 22, 2023, 11:50 AM EDT

Less-than-truckload freight once hauled by Yellow is being redistributed among other carriers in waves as shippers shop for the best fit in price, capacity, technology and service.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

Estes wins battle to control sale of Yellow terminals amid tightening LTL capacity 

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 21, 2023, 4:35 PM EDT

A US bankruptcy court approved a $1.525 billion bid by Estes Express Lines to be the “stalking horse” that sets the floor price for Yellow’s terminals at auction, controlling their sale in November.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

Estes expands international forwarding, raises bid for Yellow terminals

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 14, 2023, 5:55 PM EDT

Estes Forwarding Worldwide, a subsidiary of the LTL trucking provider, is buying Superior Brokerage Services, a step that increases Estes’ ability to offer end-to-end logistics services as other providers look to do the same.
ForwardingTruckingLTL

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 8, 2023, 9:00 AM EDT

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.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 6, 2023, 2:09 PM EDT

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.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

Smaller LTL fleets gain freight, add terminals post-Yellow

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 31, 2023, 4:57 PM EDT

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.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

ABF’s LTL shipments, pricing jump after Yellow collapse

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 28, 2023, 5:02 PM EDT

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.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 21, 2023, 11:36 AM EDT

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

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 18, 2023, 10:53 AM EDT

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. 
SurfaceTruckingLTL

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 17, 2023, 4:06 PM EDT

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.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

Potential buyers look to pounce on Yellow assets up for sale

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 16, 2023, 11:04 AM EDT

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.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 15, 2023, 3:43 PM EDT

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. 
SurfaceTruckingLTL

No US freight rebound until 2024: analysts 

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 11, 2023, 2:07 PM EDT

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.
SurfaceTruckingTruckloadLTL

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 10, 2023, 2:33 PM EDT

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.
LTLTruckingSupply Chain

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 9, 2023, 3:35 PM EDT

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.
SurfaceTruckingLTLTrucking labor

US trucking hiring slowing amid soft freight demand

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 8, 2023, 11:22 AM EDT

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 laborTruckingTruckloadLTL

Yellow seeks orderly ‘wind down’ amid bankruptcy filing

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 7, 2023, 10:21 AM EDT

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 | Aug 4, 2023, 2:13 PM EDT

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.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

US LTL carriers expanding revenue, profitability despite ongoing consolidation

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 3, 2023, 9:55 AM EDT

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.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

Yellow, lenders talk bankruptcy financing as stock price surges

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 3, 2023, 9:31 AM EDT

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.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 2, 2023, 1:38 PM EDT

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.
SurfaceTruckingLTLTrucking labor

Tough market conditions slow DHL’s H1 profitability

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe | Aug 1, 2023, 10:16 AM EDT

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 forwardingContainer shippingLTLLast mile

TForce Freight employees ratify five-year contract with Teamsters

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jul 31, 2023, 12:46 PM EDT

US shippers gained some security in the LTL market as Teamsters at TForce approved a new contract with the LTL carrier.
SurfaceTruckingLTLTrucking labor

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jul 31, 2023, 11:09 AM EDT

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. 
SurfaceTruckingLTL

Non-union layoffs edge Yellow closer to collapse

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jul 28, 2023, 5:08 PM EDT

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.
SurfaceTruckingLTLTrucking labor

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jul 28, 2023, 10:55 AM EDT

In its latest attempt to avert a potential bankruptcy, unionized trucking company Yellow is trying to raise funds through the sale of Yellow Logistics.
SurfaceTruckingLTLTrucking labor

Yellow survival depends on Teamsters, customers amid possible bankruptcy

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jul 27, 2023, 2:07 PM EDT

Yellow says its talks with the Teamsters union are “ongoing,” but the less-than-truckload carrier needs to keep customers to stay alive.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

ODFL focusing on capacity, cost management in LTL downcycle 

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jul 26, 2023, 2:55 PM EDT

Freight volumes were down almost 12% in the second quarter at Old Dominion Freight Line, but the less-than-truckload carrier says it will continue to reinvest in capacity.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

LTL carrier TForce Freight moves closer to new contract with Teamsters

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jul 25, 2023, 1:09 PM EDT

Teamster local leaders endorsed a new five-year pact with LTL carrier TForce Freight, while the union eyes talks with Yellow.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

US LTL carriers plan expansion despite market uncertainty

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jul 24, 2023, 4:55 PM EDT

Several large LTL carriers, including XPO and Estes, are adding terminals as freight flows change and customers shift business among carriers as questions linger over Yellow’s future.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

Knight-Swift expects small uptick in peak season freight volumes

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Jul 21, 2023, 1:55 PM EDT

The company expects a slight increase in truckload demand during the peak season amid uncertainty about the duration of the freight recession and the potential impact of Yellow's financial troubles.
TruckloadLTL

Anxious US shippers prepare for possible UPS strike, tighter LTL market 

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jul 14, 2023, 12:10 PM EDT

A Teamsters strike against UPS Aug. 1 and a shutdown of Yellow are not inevitable, but shippers are bracing for disruption and higher costs.
SurfaceTruckingLTLSupply Chain

Creditors give Yellow more time for potential talks with Teamsters

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jul 10, 2023, 4:52 PM EDT

Yellow’s lenders, including the US government, gave the company short-term waivers for certain loan conditions, extending its “runway” for winning Teamster support for a restructuring plan.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

Knight-Swift commits to LTL expansion amid soft truckload demand

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jul 7, 2023, 9:52 AM EDT

The largest US truckload operator will continue to add terminals to its LTL network as it absorbs truckload carrier U.S. Xpress.
SurfaceTruckingTruckloadLTL

Teamster workers ratify ABF contract, UPS deal draws closer

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jul 3, 2023, 12:26 PM EDT

The ABF-Teamsters contract is the first of three major negotiations the union is conducting this summer to make it past the finish line, with UPS and TForce Freight talks still ongoing.
SurfaceTruckingLTLTrucking labor

Yellow asks Biden to help bring Teamsters ‘to the table’ 

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jun 30, 2023, 11:53 AM EDT

In a letter Thursday, less-than-truckload provider Yellow asked President Biden to intervene personally in its dispute with the Teamsters and break an impasse it claims threatens 22,000 union jobs. 
SurfaceTruckingLTLTrucking labor

Threats of an LTL shutdown, UPS strike loom for US shippers

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jun 29, 2023, 4:16 PM EDT

Time is ticking away for less-than-truckload carrier Yellow, which is suing the Teamsters while its cash reserves shrink, and UPS, which got a new deadline for contract talks from the Teamsters.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

End of freight ‘recession’ drawing nearer, but no strong rebound seen: SMC3

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jun 28, 2023, 2:50 PM EDT

US inventory levels are still high, depressing demand for trucking services and keeping a rebound in check, analysts said at the SMC3 Connections conference.
Supply ChainTruckloadLTLTransport, trade and regulation

Yellow sues Teamsters for $137 million, citing ‘breach of contract’

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jun 27, 2023, 11:11 AM EDT

The largest unionized trucking employer in the US is taking its restructuring fight with the Teamsters to court, claiming union leadership is agitating for its demise.
SurfaceTruckingLTL

Roadrunner adds new LTL lanes, expanding cross-country reach

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jun 21, 2023, 4:38 PM EDT

Freight demand is supporting a buildout of Roadrunner’s direct LTL network after cutbacks in 2022, with new lanes connecting shippers with Las Vegas and the Port of Virginia.
SurfaceTruckingLTL