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The Journal of Commerce’s surface transport news and analysis focuses on landside transport movement — from railroad news to trucking news — including full load trucking, less-than-truckload (LTL), refrigerated (or reefer) trucking, flatbed and domestic and international intermodal rail, and how it connects with seaports, inland rail hubs, distribution centers and transloading operations. Reporting on the surface transport sector covers the movement of domestic shipments within the United States and international cargoes transported via domestic equipment including trailers and 53-foot containers. 

Subsections

The latest Surface News & Analysis

Domestic intermodal ‘havoc’ could give way to growth period: analyst

Ted Prince, founder and CEO, Tri-Cities Intermodal LLC  |
While the domestic intermodal market may have been in turmoil for the last several years, all stakeholders look ready to support continued growth, writes Ted Prince.
Intermodal providers

Bankrupt Yellow suspends auction of 147 leased terminals until Dec. 18

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Suspending the auction of its remaining leased properties may give defunct LTL provider Yellow time to work out difficulties with landlords over the leases of potentially valuable properties.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

ODFL Q4 operating data underscores softness in US LTL trucking market

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
The second-largest US LTL provider saw daily shipments increase less than 1% year over year in November, signaling continued softness in underlying LTL demand as the post-Yellow market settles.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

GPA lines up final funding for Northeast Georgia inland rail terminal

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The Blue Ridge Connector will have 18,000 feet of working track and an annual lift capacity of up to 200,000 containers while providing shippers with an all-rail service from Savannah.
North American portsContainer Shipping NewsIntermodal providersNorth-American rail

Big US LTL carriers reap lion’s share of Yellow terminals in auction

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
XPO, Estes, Saia and R+L collectively put up more than 80% of the $1.9 billion bid for terminals of bankrupt LTL provider Yellow, while more sites, including some major facilities, have yet to be auctioned. 
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Southern California agency to unilaterally develop emissions cut rules at rail yards

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
The South Coast Air Quality Management District says it will create rules to reduce emissions at Southern California rail yards because Union Pacific insists on including public financing as a precondition for participating in the more collaborative MOU process.
Intermodal providersNorth-American rail

Wakeo lands fresh investment in far less heated freight visibility market

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
The company, which caters to shippers like Uniqlo and Michelin, will use the new round of funding to spur a global expansion of its multimodal freight visibility product.
Logistics Technology NewsContainer Shipping NewsTrucking NewsSupply chain

US truckload rates unlikely to see major holiday bump amid tepid peak season

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
As US port volumes remain lackluster, there is not as much freight to move on trucks, causing the market to stay relatively stagnant ahead of what typically is the busy holiday season.
Trucking NewsTruckload

Roadrunner to enter Canada as K+N, Canada Cartage make cross-border acquisitions

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
The expansion of the three companies, all representing different modes across the US-Canadian border, underscores the depth of the relationship between the two economies.
SurfaceForwardingTrucking NewsTruckloadLTL

UP boosts intermodal service with new Houston connections, Phoenix ramp

Michael Angell, Associate Editor and Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
The Class I railroad sees an opportunity to tap growth at the Gulf Coast’s busiest port with new intermodal lanes, while expanding its inland reach from Los Angeles and Long Beach.
North-American railNorth American portsIntermodal providers

Control of US LTL capacity in 2024 hangs on sale of Yellow terminals

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
An auction of Yellow’s 174 owned terminals is scheduled for Tuesday, with winning bids to be disclosed on Friday while a separate battle continues over 149 leased terminals.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Ashcroft Terminal to expand railcar storage to alleviate Vancouver congestion

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor |
The project, in coordination with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, is due to be completed in late 2024 and will help move cargo faster through Western Canada.
North-American railTrans-PacificNorth American portsPort infrastructure

Soft US import volumes crimping container availability for agricultural exports

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
With peak season at hand for ag exports, shippers say weak US import volumes have constrained the supply of repositioned containers they need to send goods overseas, risking disruption to their supply chains.
MaritimeContainer linesNorth American portsNorth-American rail

European truckers brace for hefty toll hikes in Germany linked to CO2 emissions

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
The CO2 charge on commercial vehicles is aimed at incentivizing the use of green fuels and lower-emissions trucks, but it will come at a significant cost to the road haulage industry.
SurfaceTrucking NewsTruckload

New logistics center under construction to tap into Port of Savannah’s growth

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor |
The four-phase, seven-building project with CSX rail connections will support the growing needs of importers and exporters using the port.
Industrial Real Estate NewsNorth American portsNorth-American rail

 Congress steps into debate over jurisdiction of rail fees for ocean containers

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
Draft legislation would also seek to codify that rail demurrage fees be billed to the ocean carrier, which would then pass along the charge to the responsible shipper or BCO. .
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesIntermodal providersNorth-American rail

Railroads creating new services to win back market share from trucking

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
While the moves are considered more of a rejuvenation than a renaissance, railroads are doing a more effective job juggling the interests of investors while providing new products to serve shippers.
North-American railIntermodal providers

Estes commits to more technology spending after October cyberattack

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
With its systems restored, the LTL carrier plans to “lean into” technology development and investment for greater security and visibility.
SurfaceLTL

LTL carriers aim high in pricing as market continues to settle post-Yellow

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Large LTL trucking providers are raising tariff rates 5% to 8% on average, but the LTL PPI slowed its growth to under 1% in October.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Oversupply weighs heavily on US truckload market, keeping prices in check

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Although small trucking firms are folding, there is still a large supply of carriers and trucks keeping a lid on pricing amid soft demand. 
SurfaceTrucking NewsTruckload

Intermodal savings poised to remain steady through end of the year: ISI 

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
Shippers saved nearly 26% using domestic intermodal instead of highway options in the third quarter, approximately in line with long-term averages.
Intermodal providersNorth-American rail

J. B. Hunt shakes up Mexico-US intermodal market with Ferromex deal

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
The largest US domestic intermodal provider will no longer partner with CPKC on cross-border loads destined for the Midwest and West Coast, in the latest shifting of alliances on new services between Mexico and the US.
Intermodal providersNorth-American rail

Forward Air formally moves to terminate Omni Logistics merger

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
The expedited less-than-truckload provider has asked a Delaware court to let it kill the controversial deal that has caused its share price to plummet and raised the ire of activist investors.
SurfaceForwardingTrucking NewsLTL

US shippers expanding private fleets in uncertain truck market

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
The need for greater supply chain stability, not just control over on-time service, is driving growth in the number of private fleets run by shippers even in a time of cheap truck rates.
SurfaceTrucking NewsTruckloadSupply chain

Container volume decline shows trouble on Canadian-US border: analyst

Larry Gross, president and founder, Gross Transportation Consulting; and JOC analyst |
The intermodal routing option from Canada to the Midwest began to fall out of favor beginning in 2021 and accelerated in late 2022 when ISO containers moving in the lane fell below levels last seen six years ago.
North-American rail

Bid from car hauler to revive defunct Yellow has shippers skeptical

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Jack Cooper Transport wants to outbid other truckers for the assets of the bankrupt less-than-truckload provider, but it’s not clear how the bid would work.
Trucking NewsLTL

Ports America, CN launch Gulfport intermodal service targeting perishables

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor |
The new north-south service will begin next week with trial runs transporting perishable goods out of Latin America to Chicago.
Rail NewsIntermodal providersNorth-American railCool Cargo News

Weak US imports via Western Canada reveal BC port challenge

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor |
The cracks in the gateway’s attractiveness to importers and exporters out of the US Midwest were showing before this July’s work stoppage and the decline in import demand across North America.
North American portsContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesNorth-American rail

US truckload shippers urged to launch bids now to get best 2024 rates

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
An uptick in the West Coast share of Asian imports has already translated into heightened demand for surface transportation.
TruckloadTruck brokers

J. B. Hunt-BNSF launch new intermodal service to grab time-sensitive freight

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
The premium service run by the long-time partners aims to capture so-called just-in-time cargo that has historically been shipped via truck.
Intermodal providersNorth-American rail

Mobile looks to boost container terminal capacity to handle intermodal demand

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
Once fully complete by 2025, the current expansion project would allow the port to handle 1.1 million TEUs annually, up from 650,000 TEUs.
North American portsIntermodal providersNorth-American rail

‘Aggressive’ truck brokers stuck in soft market: C.H. Robinson

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
The largest US freight broker expects more companies to follow Convoy and exit the market as demand remains weak and rates stay low. 
SurfaceTrucking NewsTruckloadTruck brokers

Omni Logistics sues Forward Air to enforce completion of merger deal

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Freight forwarder Omni isn’t giving up on a merger with Forward and is moving to force completion of the deal despite Forward’s cold feet. 
SurfaceForwardingTrucking NewsLTL

Dry van truckload capacity in no hurry to exit despite bear market: analyst

Jason Miller, associate professor of logistics at Michigan State University, and Journal of Commerce analyst |
It is unlikely that supply and demand for dry van trucking will reach an equilibrium before the second quarter of 2024, and that is likely an optimistic date, writes analyst Jason Miller.
SurfaceTrucking NewsTruckload

US LTL carriers expanding terminal networks amid post-Yellow recalibration

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
With hundreds of terminals on the market, LTL trucking companies are setting their sights on Yellow’s sites and other properties as they expand and optimize networks to handle more freight.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

New chassis pool launches in Memphis to boost competition in market

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
The new pool will generate options for truckers and cargo owners moving ocean containers through the major inland market.
International railNorth-American rail

Hub Group says it lost shippers because of uncompetitive rates

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
Hub Group said its intermodal business trailed competitors in the third quarter despite a mini-peak that developed in Southern California in September.
Intermodal providersNorth-American rail

Forward Air says considering canceling Omni Logistics merger

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
The apparent change of heart from Forward management comes as Forward activist investors opposed to the $150 million deal try to oust the company’s chief executive.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

US LTL carriers gaining freight and hiking rates, but real recovery is elusive

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Less-than-truckload freight once hauled by Yellow is being “reallocated” among carriers, and rates are rising, but an underlying economic impetus for a surge in LTL demand is still missing.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Railroads wait for international intermodal rebound amid some Q3 gains

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
International intermodal volume in North America fell in the third quarter year over year, but there are glimmers of optimism among some US railroads.
North-American rail