Truckload

News and analysis of trucking, including full truckload, less-than-truckload, private fleets, refrigerated, regulation, supply and demand

The latest Truckload News & Analysis

BNSF Logistics turns to Trucker Tools for brokerage software

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Aug 14, 2023, 2:41 PM EDT

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 technologyTruckingTruckloadTruck brokers

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

Convoy promises on-time truckload deliveries with new guaranteed product

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Aug 10, 2023, 10:55 AM EDT

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 brokersTruckingTruckloadLogistics technology

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

Truckload carriers driving through lengthy freight market ‘bottom’

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 4, 2023, 10:20 AM EDT

US truckload carrier executives say they don’t see any signs that freight demand will pick back up until the end of 2023.
SurfaceTruckingTruckload

Schneider goes deeper into dedicated trucking with M&M acquisition

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 2, 2023, 1:59 PM EDT

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. 
SurfaceTruckingTruckload

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

DAT, Convoy settle dueling lawsuits once seen as marker for load board industry

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Jul 18, 2023, 2:55 PM EDT

DAT and freight broker Convoy had challenged each other in federal court over business practices related to Convoy attempting to set up a rival load board.
TruckloadTruckingTruck brokersLogistics technology

Truckstop acquires freight matching platform to target ‘high-quality’ carriers

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Jul 18, 2023, 2:22 PM EDT

Truckstop is building on its 2022 purchase of carrier monitoring provider RMIS with the acquisition of freight-matching technology provider FrieightFriend.
TruckloadTruckingTruck brokersLogistics technology

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

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

US truckload spot rates likely nearing bottom: analysts

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Jun 7, 2023, 2:52 PM EDT

Trucking analysts believe the downward pressure on rates has ended — or is close to ending, but an upward surge isn’t necessarily on the horizon, either.
Truckload

C.H. Robinson taps Ford executive Bozeman as new CEO

Teri Errico Griffis | Jun 6, 2023, 10:10 AM EDT

The appointment of a new CEO for the US’s largest logistics provider comes six months after the dismissal of ex-CEO Bob Biesterfeld, who was let go amid slowing freight demand, rate declines and investor unrest.
SurfaceTruckingTruckloadSupply Chain

Large US truckload carriers reined in capacity in Q1: Journal of Commerce index 

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | May 31, 2023, 12:07 PM EDT

An index based on truck counts at large truckload carriers dropped nearly 5% in the first quarter from late 2022 as those carriers adjusted to a softer market and lower contract and spot rates.
SurfaceTruckingTruckload

US truckload market ‘bouncing’ along pricing bottom: analysts

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | May 30, 2023, 11:16 AM EDT

The long drop in truckload spot market rates has eased, revealing a soft bottom for pricing, but more demand is needed to fuel any upswing benefiting truckers, observers say.
SurfaceTruckingTruckload

Late US produce season boosting spot reefer truckload rates 

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | May 22, 2023, 5:30 PM EDT

Pricing for refrigerated truckload service is shooting up along the US-Mexico border and outbound from California, in some cases by more than 20 cents per mile from April’s averages, as fruit and vegetable crops start moving to market.
SurfaceTruckingTruckload

Pandemic-induced trailer dislocation still hampering US truckload carriers

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | May 19, 2023, 2:59 PM EDT

Trailer marketplace technology provider vHub estimates a quarter of truckload trailers are out of network for the nation’s carriers, with an abrupt shift in demand exacerbating that dislocation.
TruckloadTruckingLogistics technology

Capacity oversupply keeps US truckload rates in decline

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | May 12, 2023, 2:48 PM EDT

Excess capacity is lingering in US freight markets because fewer carriers than expected have gone bankrupt so far this year, analysts say.
Truckload

US trucking adds jobs in April as manufacturing expands

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | May 8, 2023, 5:02 PM EDT

US trucking companies added jobs for the second straight month, but the employment wave hasn’t reached package delivery firms or warehouses.
SurfaceTruckingTruckloadLTLTrucking labor

Mexico, Houston port volumes boosting US Southwest trucking: U.S. Bank

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | May 1, 2023, 12:46 PM EDT

Shippers are moving more freight in the US Southwest, and paying more to do so, despite weak trucking markets elsewhere in the country, according to U.S. Bank.
TruckingNorth American portsTruckloadLTL

Court hands freight broker Convoy procedural win in legal battle with DAT

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | May 1, 2023, 10:56 AM EDT

Transportation observers believe the dueling complaints could have implications for the US spot truckload market because DAT is a primary source of available loads that brokers and carriers use to fill their pools of owned or third-party capacity.
Truck brokersTruckingTruckloadLogistics technology

Truckload appointment standards group adds heavyweights to drive adoption

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | May 1, 2023, 5:00 AM EDT

Echo Global Logistics, Coyote Logistics and prominent transportation management system vendors Oracle and e2open are among new members adding momentum to a truckload appointment scheduling initiative.
TruckloadTruckingTruck brokersLogistics technology

NFI, RoadOne expand networks with acquisitions in Canada, US

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Apr 18, 2023, 3:15 PM EDT

Transportation and logistics companies continue to grow by acquiring competitors, and although the wave of acquisitions may have crested there is still plenty of opportunity in a soft market.
SurfaceDrayageTruckingTruckload

US manufacturing data offers mixed bag for truck carriers: analyst

Jason Miller, associate professor of logistics at Michigan State University, and JOC analyst | Apr 18, 2023, 12:29 PM EDT

Despite negative trends being felt in some parts of the US manufacturing landscape, it’s not all bad news for trucking because other sectors are poised to have volumes at or above 2022 levels, writes analyst Jason Miller.
SurfaceTruckingTruckloadFlatbed

US truckload carriers look to fill revenue gaps as rates fall

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Apr 17, 2023, 5:43 PM EDT

With contract rates down as much as 16 percent in March, producer price index data indicates truckload carriers are making more use of accessorial charges.
SurfaceTruckingTruckloadLTL

Shipper-paid spot US truckload rates still dropping

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Apr 13, 2023, 11:28 AM EDT

The market bottom remains untouched as the all-inclusive average spot rate paid by US truckload shippers fell again in March, declining in lockstep with other truckload pricing measures.
SurfaceTruckingTruckload

JOC Rankings: US trucking sector keeps breaking revenue records

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Apr 12, 2023, 9:02 AM EDT

The 50 largest US trucking companies maintained a two-year double-digit growth streak and may add to that in 2023, despite a slower US economy.
TruckingSurfaceTruckloadLTL

Truckers entering US freight market keeping capacity abundant: DAT

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Apr 11, 2023, 3:51 PM EDT

The number of for-hire trucking firms entering the US market is nearly as large as the number leaving on a monthly basis, which is helping to keep capacity loose despite the departures.
SurfaceTruckingTruckload

US trucking market still seeking bottom, but a bounce is expected

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Apr 10, 2023, 9:00 AM EDT

There is still room for spot rates to fall, but rates and freight demand are likely to turn later in the second half, analysts say. 
SurfaceTruckingTruckloadLTL

US trucking firms adding jobs ahead of expected freight demand

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Apr 7, 2023, 4:02 PM EDT

In preparation for produce season and retail sales, for-hire trucking companies are adding to their payrolls for the first time since October, although warehousing employment is still declining.
SurfaceTruckingTruckloadLTL

Knight-Swift to buy truckload carrier U.S. Xpress for $808 million 

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Mar 21, 2023, 12:54 PM EDT

Knight-Swift, the largest US truckload provider, will substantially expand its reach and scalability for shippers with the purchase of U.S. Xpress, the country’s ninth-largest truckload carrier.
SurfaceTruckingTruckload

Shipwell arms ‘underserved’ smaller shippers with automated bidding tool

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Mar 16, 2023, 6:00 AM EDT

Shippers that often use spreadsheets and small transportation teams to bid and execute freight shipments are the target of a new software tool from technology provider Shipwell.
Logistics technologyTruckingTruckloadLTLTruck brokers

US truckload rates drop sharply in February, but not LTL pricing: PPIs

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Mar 15, 2023, 4:13 PM EDT

Trucking is a tale of two sectors in early 2023, with truckload carriers making more significant contract rate concessions than less-than-truckload companies, according to the US producer price index.
TruckingTruckloadLTL

US truck tonnage levels better than expected in January

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Feb 23, 2023, 2:21 PM EST

An actual decrease in truck tonnage last month was masked by a seasonal adjustment to an American Trucking Associations index, but US freight volumes aren’t yet on the road to recovery.
TruckingTruckloadLTL

Leaf Logistics using technology to create dedicated truckload fleets in key US markets

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Feb 21, 2023, 6:00 AM EST

Freight coordination software provider Leaf Logistics is working with a number of shippers and truckload carriers to build flexible, dedicated fleets to allow for continuous moves in big US markets.
Logistics technologyTruckload

Cass sees US freight shifting to truckload as costs drop

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Feb 14, 2023, 4:08 PM EST

Lower rates and ample capacity are drawing more freight to the US truckload sector, particularly the dedicated and contract markets, according to the Cass Freight Index report.
SurfaceTruckingTruckload

US truckload capacity still abundant despite recent motor carrier exits

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Feb 13, 2023, 2:08 PM EST

Smaller trucking firms are leaving the market at a faster rate, but plenty of truckload capacity remains, especially at larger fleets that are just short of record truck counts.
SurfaceTruckingTruckload

Zero-carbon fuel crucial in meeting EU truck emissions targets: transport groups

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe | Feb 10, 2023, 10:37 AM EST

Meeting the EU road emissions targets will not be achieved by focusing exclusively on electric vehicles, with the combustion engine likely to play a significant role over the next two decades.
TruckingForwardingTruckload

3PL Echo moves to expand LTL business with new executive hires

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Feb 8, 2023, 1:24 PM EST

Primarily an industrial transportation sector, the LTL business is moving into retail and is also becoming more involved in transloading at US port cities. 
TruckingTruckloadLTLLogistics technology