Trucking

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

The latest Trucking News & Analysis

LTL demand now rising at standalone XPO

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Nov 2, 2022, 3:25 PM EDT

Tonnage began increasing year over year at XPO late in the third quarter and continued to rise in October as the less-than-truckload carrier expands capacity.
LTL

MyCarrier offers lifeline to shippers affected by Kuebix closure

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Nov 2, 2022, 8:30 AM EDT

Shippers affected by the closure of a free less-than-truckload transportation management system in October have been given a pathway to migrate to another system connected to 15 LTL carriers.
Logistics technologyLTLTrucking

Newtrul nabs funding to expand load board ‘search engine’

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Nov 1, 2022, 4:10 PM EDT

The truckload market is still searching for a single platform that aggregates shipper loads and carrier capacity, a role that investors are backing Chicago-based Newtrul to eventually fill.
Logistics technologyTruckingTruck brokers

US trucking market on rough road to ‘equilibrium’

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Nov 1, 2022, 3:18 PM EDT

Regional stress is running through US truckload markets as demand softens, with price and capacity fluctuations that challenge shippers and carriers.
TruckloadTruck brokers

US trailer demand defies economic downturn

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Oct 28, 2022, 2:01 PM EDT

Growing use of equipment pools and power-only trucking support long-term demand for 53-foot trailers that transcends short-term economic trends, manufacturer Wabash says.
Truckload

US truckload spot market likely at a bottom: Schneider

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Oct 27, 2022, 3:10 PM EDT

Schneider says the peak season will be muted because shippers moved inventory into warehouses earlier this year, but the weaker volumes do not necessarily mean steep rate cuts for shippers in 2023 contracts.
Truckload

Lower Q3 volumes point to softer LTL market: ODFL

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Oct 26, 2022, 4:18 PM EDT

Less demand for its customers’ goods is cutting into tonnage and shipments at Old Dominion Freight Line, but not the company’s revenue or profit.
LTL

Bumpy spot market forces US truck shippers to reroute

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Oct 25, 2022, 8:00 AM EDT

Freight congestion, now at inland distribution sites such as warehouses and intermodal rail terminals, and on-time delivery continue to be problems for shippers despite falling trucking costs.
TruckingLTL

US LTL group launches standard digital BOL

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Oct 24, 2022, 5:24 PM EDT

More than two years in development, a standard electronic bill of lading for less-than-truckload shipments promises to streamline the flow of data, providing greater visibility to shippers.
LTLLogistics technology

US LTL market softening, but not by much: 3PLs

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Oct 24, 2022, 1:31 PM EDT

US shippers will find LTL savings in 2023, but the biggest savings will go to those who can accurately forecast demand and fit freight to carrier networks, according to BlueGrace Logistics.
LTL

Strong trucking earnings temper shift in pricing power

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Oct 20, 2022, 5:02 PM EDT

US shippers will win transportation savings in 2023 bids, but large truckload carriers haven’t lost all pricing muscle.
Truckload

J.B. Hunt says US supply chain remains slow, but worst could be over

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Oct 19, 2022, 2:30 PM EDT

J.B. Hunt believes BNSF Railway’s service has improved in recent weeks, which could lead to faster turns of containers and lower costs for shippers; but when that happens is still an open question.
Truckload

Industrial rebound pushing up US truck tonnage

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Oct 18, 2022, 4:59 PM EDT

An increase in US manufacturing output is putting more freight in trucks this fall, contributing to an increase in truck tonnage as measured by the American Trucking Association and others.
TruckloadLTL

US truck demand rises, but so does capacity

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Oct 14, 2022, 9:46 AM EDT

A series of freight activity indexes, including the Cass Freight Shipments Index and a for-hire trucking ton-mile index, show shipments are still higher than a year ago, despite recession fears.
Trucking

Faltering stock market halts Transfix’s public listing plans

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Oct 13, 2022, 4:23 PM EDT

A weakening freight market and growing investor unease with holding companies designed to take early stage companies public have led Transfix to put a public listing on ice.
Logistics technologyTruck brokersTrucking

US LTL costs rose in September after summer decline

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Oct 12, 2022, 1:31 PM EDT

LTL costs to shippers rose 0.3 percent in September and were up 15 percent year over year while truckload costs declined more slowly, according to the latest US producer price index.
TruckingLTL

International logistics providers targeting US trucking

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Oct 11, 2022, 4:22 PM EDT

US shippers should expect more international acquisitions of domestic US trucking operations as logistics companies work to provide more end-to-end services and visibility.
Truckload

US truckload spot rates stabilizing after summer slump

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Oct 10, 2022, 4:29 PM EDT

Spot US truckload rates continued to cool through September, but there are early signs that prices are bouncing back in October.
Truckload

Procurement adaptability trumps truckload pricing predictions: software providers

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Oct 10, 2022, 1:44 PM EDT

Shippers need to rethink the entire truckload procurement process, not just use technology that marginally decreases costs by relying too much on predictive pricing, according to a trio of procurement technology experts.
Logistics technologyTrucking

US for-hire trucking employment takes a plunge

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Oct 7, 2022, 4:09 PM EDT

Real, unadjusted jobs in trucking dropped by 21,200 in September, an unusually high number, as contract and spot truckload rates declined.
TruckloadLTLTruck brokers

Ian recovery will exacerbate Florida truckload rate imbalance: analyst

Jason Miller, associate professor of logistics, Michigan State University, and JOC analyst | Oct 6, 2022, 9:14 AM EDT

The long recovery from Hurricane Ian will drive up the ratio of Florida inbound and outbound loads, pushing up southbound truckload spot rates while relief supplies flood the state, writes JOC analyst Jason Miller.
Truckload

Overhaul wades into insurance technology market

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Oct 5, 2022, 4:52 PM EDT

Overhaul has joined a growing group of visibility providers aiming to connect real-time shipment data to cargo insurance solutions.
Logistics technologyTrucking

US truck shippers rethinking spot strategy: analysts

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Oct 5, 2022, 4:02 PM EDT

More shippers are returning to the truckload spot market as rates drop, but experts say they’re using that market more strategically than ever before to reduce transportation costs.
TruckloadTruck brokers

LTL industry wrestles with next stage of technology development

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Oct 5, 2022, 12:54 PM EDT

The less-than-truckload industry is reaching its technology inflection point, which it will need to capture rising demand from shippers seeking operators that are easy to do business with.
Logistics technologyLTLTrucking

Domestic chassis balance likely to come in 2023: equipment providers

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Sep 29, 2022, 3:12 PM EDT

While there are delays in the production of 53-foot chassis, a slowdown in domestic intermodal demand will likely bring supply and demand into balance in 2023, say domestic equipment providers.
Truckload

Defeat of truck-only tolls to ease transportation costs in US Northeast

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 22, 2022, 12:11 PM EDT

A US court ruling that declared Rhode Island’s truck-only tolls unconstitutional will save tens of millions of dollars in operating and shipping costs yearly for truckers and their customers.
TruckloadLTL

Truck tonnage surge shows crack in freight gridlock

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 21, 2022, 1:37 PM EDT

US for-hire truck tonnage jumped 2.8 percent in August from July, according to the American Trucking Associations, as consumers and the US economy remained resilient despite inflation.
TruckingLTLTruck brokers

Convoy wades into visibility market with new tools

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Sep 19, 2022, 5:00 AM EDT

Convoy is attempting to differentiate itself within the competitive freight broker landscape by using data gathered from its driver-mandated app to provide more execution-focused visibility insights.
Logistics technologyTruckingTruck brokers

Steady improvement forecast for US chassis market: IEPs

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor | Sep 16, 2022, 2:19 PM EDT

Equipment providers believe the chaos caused by two years of chassis shortages will end sometime next year as excessive street dwell times diminish and new domestic and foreign chassis manufacturers enter the US market.
Truckload

Lower costs for US shippers seen in trucking PPIs

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 15, 2022, 5:02 PM EDT

The US producer price indexes (PPIs) for trucking dropped in August as contract pricing cooled and fuel prices and surcharges came down.
LTL

MyCarrier rides growing LTL needs to new funding round

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Sep 13, 2022, 6:00 AM EDT

MyCarrier has created automation partnerships with 15 less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers and will handle more than $1 billion in shipper freight spend, factors that induced venture firms to invest $22 million in the company.
Logistics technologyLTL

US manufacturers producing higher truck volumes

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 12, 2022, 5:26 PM EDT

The average manufacturing shipping volume rose 1 percent in August year over year, while other industries saw their truck shipments drop 4.6 percent, according to FourKites.
TruckloadLTL

Vancouver delays clean truck program amid ongoing pushback

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor | Sep 12, 2022, 3:13 PM EDT

About 20 percent of the 1,800 vehicles serving the Port of Vancouver would be phased out under the clean truck program that has been delayed for a second time.
Trucking

Spot truckload rates dropping from US ports

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 9, 2022, 4:41 PM EDT

The decline in outbound per-mile spot rates from US ports dropped more than the US average in August as normal seasonality and abnormal gridlock crimped demand, a JOC analysis shows.
Truckload

US Xpress reorganizes, emphasizing contract business

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 8, 2022, 5:26 PM EDT

Stung by lower tractor utilization rates and rising costs, truckload carrier US Xpress pares back its technology team and real estate, and focuses on adding truckload contract business.
Truckload

ODFL’s LTL volume takes seasonal dip in August

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 7, 2022, 1:12 PM EDT

LTL shipments at Old Dominion Freight Line fell about 3 percent year over year in August, following a more seasonal pattern than August 2021 when shipments jumped 17 percent.
LTL

US transport hiring rises, but not at warehouses

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 2, 2022, 4:59 PM EDT

While trucking makes hiring gains in the US, unadjusted warehousing and storage employment has fallen in four of the past five months, contributing to supply chain bottlenecks.
Trucking labor

US shippers fine-tune search for warehousing space

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 2, 2022, 12:33 PM EDT

With US warehouses full or filling up, shippers are rethinking broader distribution strategies and basic practices such as how they stack and track goods to find the space they need.
Industrial real estateTrucking

US extends truck driver hours exemption ahead of expected COVID surge

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 1, 2022, 12:47 PM EDT

The HOS exemption has been extended five times since it was put in place in 2020 by a presidential emergency order, and it has been modified as the pandemic evolved.
Transport, trade and regulationTrucking

XPO isn’t braking for economic slowdown

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 30, 2022, 5:46 PM EDT

The incoming CEO of XPO Logistics is intent on adding capacity in the form of terminals, trailers, and drivers to meet long-term demand for less-than-truckload services.
LTL