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Surface

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

Rising fuel costs driving US LTL, truckload costs higher

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Cuts in oil production and increased fuel use globally are pushing up trucking fuel surcharges and, in turn, transportation costs for US shippers.
SurfaceTrucking News

Ocean carriers will look to ‘chokepoint’ assets for next wave of spending: analyst

Lars Jensen, CEO & Partner, Vespucci Maritime, and JOC Analyst |
Owning and operating potential supply chain chokepoints is a competitive advantage, and we should expect to see major carriers — flush with cash post-pandemic — be very active in attempting to secure such assets, writes analyst Lars Jensen.
Supply chainContainer linesPort NewsMarine terminalsRail News

J.B. Hunt brokerage acquisition deepens partnership with BNSF

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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 providersTrucking NewsRail News

Estes expands international forwarding, raises bid for Yellow terminals

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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.
ForwardingTrucking NewsLTL

Intermodal providers uncertain whether railroads are prepared for volume rebound

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
Railroads told the IANA conference they have made important operational changes that will translate into reliable service when demand picks up, but some logistics companies are not convinced.
North-American railIntermodal providers

Railroads acknowledge need to boost service to win market share from trucking

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
Railroads told the Intermodal Association of North America conference they must concentrate on providing more reliable, consistent service at a competitive rate over the long term to reverse the recent market share loss to long-haul trucking.
North-American rail

Rapid rail transit via sanctions-hit Russia has limited appeal for European shippers

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
Sanctions imposed on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine continue to limit the attractiveness of transport times as low as 12 days offered by forwarders on the China-North Europe rail network.
Rail NewsForwardingInternational rail

Domestic intermodal showing more downside risk for balance of year: analyst

Larry Gross, president and founder, Gross Transportation Consulting; and JOC analyst |
If the looming strike against the “big three” US automakers comes to pass, then domestic intermodal will surely take another big hit in an environment where there are certainly more downside risks than upside potential for the rest of 2023, writes analyst Larry Gross.
SurfaceRail NewsIntermodal providers

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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.
SurfaceTrucking NewsSupply chain

Minor peak season expected in domestic intermodal market: Hub Group

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
The intermodal provider’s CEO believes there will be a small peak season between now and early November despite data from the US Surface Transportation Board showing volumes are down compared with last year.
Intermodal providersNorth-American rail

IANA building geofencing for rail, marine terminals to track box, truck moves

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
The Intermodal Association of North America is building a geofence library for rail and marine terminals, which could provide better tracking of when containers enter and exit the terminals.
North-American rail

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

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
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.
Trucking NewsTruck brokersTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Drayage industry faces technology dilemma in down freight market

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
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 Technology NewsPort NewsNorth American portsTrucking News

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Targeted replenishment thins US inventories without raising freight demand 

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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 News

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

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
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.
MaritimeForwardingTrucking NewsInternational railAir CargoAir Cargo Forwarder NewsSupply chain

BNSF deploying cameras, drones to boost terminal cargo flow

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
BNSF is testing the use of cameras on yard hostlers, poles and drones which can read and log the location of containers in the hopes of increasing fluidity through rail terminals.
North-American rail

Smaller LTL fleets gain freight, add terminals post-Yellow

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Southeast US ports reopen after Hurricane Idalia blows through region

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor |
Given the short duration of the port and terminal closures, impacts appeared minimal as Jacksonville, Savannah and Charleston resumed normal operations.
North American portsContainer Shipping NewsTrucking News

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

Ted Prince, founder and CEO, Tri-Cities Intermodal LLC |
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 Technology NewsTrucking News

Domestic intermodal volumes jump in early days of new Mexico rail services

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
Since new services from CPKC and CN were launched in May, intermodal volume out of Mexico has surged more than 30% year over year through the end of July.
North-American railIntermodal providers

ABF’s LTL shipments, pricing jump after Yellow collapse

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Domestic container fluidity will pick up when volume rebounds: Schneider

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
Schneider believes once demand picks up for rail transportation, the intermodal industry can return to pre-pandemic levels of productivity for containers.
North-American railIntermodal providers

Pilot project aims to open more trucker slots in Los Angeles-Long Beach

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
The Harbor Trucking Association is teaming with Yusen Terminals in Los Angeles to increase the number of appointment slots each day by cutting the container receiving window from two hours to 90 minutes.
North American portsMarine terminalsDrayageRail News

NS delays Atlanta appointment system after Memphis rollout woes

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
Norfolk Southern’s launch of an appointment system for import boxes in Memphis has not been smooth, but the railroad hopes to learn from the problems to make the October rollout in Atlanta better.
North-American railIntermodal providers

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

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
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 chainSurfaceTrucking NewsTruck brokersAir Cargo Forwarder News

Intermodal savings slip in second quarter, but could rise in Q3: ISI

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
Truckload spot rates have risen slightly off the lows seen so far this year, although some trucking analysts do not expect a significant rebound in rates until early 2024.
North-American rail

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

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
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.
Trucking NewsLogistics Technology News

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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 News

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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. 
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Shippers all over the map on H2 business outlook: J. B. Hunt

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
While shippers using J. B. Hunt give conflicting answers on what the rest of this year will look like, the intermodal provider is strengthening its relationship with BNSF to prepare for the next upswing in demand.
North-American rail

Potential buyers look to pounce on Yellow assets up for sale

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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. 
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

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

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor |
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 Regulation NewsContainer linesTrucking News

BNSF Logistics turns to Trucker Tools for brokerage software

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
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 Technology NewsTrucking NewsTruckloadTruck brokers

No US freight rebound until 2024: analysts 

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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.
SurfaceTrucking NewsTruckloadLTL

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

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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.
LTLTrucking NewsSupply chain

Convoy promises on-time truckload deliveries with new guaranteed product

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
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 brokersTrucking NewsTruckloadLogistics Technology News