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The latest Trucking News & Analysis

Inland23: US-Mexico trucking costs rising with cross-border demand

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 29, 2023, 3:42 PM EDT

Cross-border trade with Mexico is one of the few hot spots in trucking, but fuel prices and other costs are putting more pressure on rates.

SurfaceTruckingTruckloadLTL

Inland23: Intermodal providers expect unchanged rates in early 2024 bids

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Sep 28, 2023, 1:18 PM EDT

If history is any indication, it is unlikely intermodal providers will be able to implement a rate increase in 2024 contracts until the trucking market rebounds.

SurfaceTruckingIntermodal providers

Inland23: US trucking costs rising amid weak demand

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor | Sep 27, 2023, 2:21 PM EDT

Rising labor costs — both behind the wheel and at the warehouse, elevated diesel prices and cross-dock scarcity in major cities are making it more costly to run transportation networks, attendees at the Journal of Commerce’s Inland Distribution Conference were told.

SurfaceTruckingTruckloadLTLTrucking labor

Inland23: Pandemic yields rise in US truckload thefts

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor | Sep 26, 2023, 1:21 PM EDT

Solar panels and energy drinks are among the top targeted goods for truckload theft, with major markets such as Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago particularly ripe for those crimes.

SurfaceContainer shippingTrucking

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

Rising fuel costs driving US LTL, truckload costs higher

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 19, 2023, 12:05 PM EDT

Cuts in oil production and increased fuel use globally are pushing up trucking fuel surcharges and, in turn, transportation costs for US shippers.

SurfaceTrucking

J.B. Hunt brokerage acquisition deepens partnership with BNSF

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 15, 2023, 5:10 PM EDT

The division of BNSF Logistics between BNSF Railway and J.B. Hunt is aimed at helping to improve service to joint customers at a time when freight demand is weak.

Intermodal providersTruckingRail

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

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 11, 2023, 10:00 AM EDT

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.

SurfaceTruckingSupply Chain

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

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Sep 8, 2023, 9:53 AM EDT

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.

TruckingTruck brokersTransport, trade and regulation

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

Drayage industry faces technology dilemma in down freight market

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Sep 7, 2023, 3:58 PM EDT

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 technologyPortsNorth American portsTrucking

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

Targeted replenishment thins US inventories without raising freight demand

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 6, 2023, 10:39 AM EDT

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

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

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe | Sep 6, 2023, 9:24 AM EDT

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.

MaritimeForwardingTruckingInternational railAir CargoAir cargo forwardingSupply Chain

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

Southeast US ports reopen after Hurricane Idalia blows through region

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor | Aug 31, 2023, 12:25 PM EDT

Given the short duration of the port and terminal closures, impacts appeared minimal as Jacksonville, Savannah and Charleston resumed normal operations.

North American portsContainer shippingTrucking

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

Ted Prince, founder and CEO, Tri-Cities Intermodal LLC | Aug 30, 2023, 3:17 PM EDT

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 technologyTrucking

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

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

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Aug 22, 2023, 1:19 PM EDT

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 ChainSurfaceTruckingTruck brokersAir cargo forwarding

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

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Aug 22, 2023, 9:00 AM EDT

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.

TruckingLogistics technology

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

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

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor | Aug 15, 2023, 1:51 PM EDT

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 regulationContainer linesTrucking

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

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

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

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

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

Larry Gross, president and founder, Gross Transportation Consulting; and JOC analyst | Aug 7, 2023, 10:40 AM EDT

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 providersSurfaceTruckingRailNorth-American rail

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

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

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