Truckload

Several compressed natural gas fueling stations for trucks and other vehicles across the U.S. opened over the past few weeks, a sign that lower diesel prices may have slowed but not stopped the conversion of truck fleets to the alternative fuel.

The spot truckload market softened in July, typically a weaker month for freight shipping. A drop in volumes and pricing also signal gains by contract carriers as shippers lock down capacity.

U.S. truck tonnage increased at its strongest rate year-over-year since January, rising 3.7 percent in July and 2.8 percent from June. High inventories levels could set limits on future tonnage growth, unless those inventories are drawn down this fall.

The surge in freight traffic that began in April dissipated in July, as shipments dropped 1.6 percent from June, the latest Cass Freight Index shows. That's a normal seasonal trend, Cass said, pointing out that volumes are still higher than in 2013 and the early economic recovery.

Werner Enterprises has shaken up its top management, with founder C.L. Warner taking the role of chairman from one son and another son giving up his position as vice chairman.

Five straight quarters of economic growth, some hot and some not, translates to more trucks on the road. The JOC Truckload Capacity Index is up 7.4 percent year-over-year, thanks to freight demand, strong truck orders last year, higher shipping rates and driver pay. Carriers are becoming more adept at scaling capacity to adjust to demand and other market forces.

By cutting 800 higher cost older tractors from its fleet this year, USA Truck hopes to make more money with less capacity. The truckload carrier increased its net profit by $1.7 million in the second quarter to $2.5 million, while revenue dropped.

Amidst very real concerns about hackers taking control of trucks and automobiles, a new report from the FreightWatch International Supply Chain Intelligence Center says cargo thefts from trucks have actually declined.

A successful acquisition strategy, the opening of new driver schools and expanded capacity drove Celadon Group’s revenue to a historic high mark in the 2015 fiscal year ending June 30.

The lingering effects of a 2013 acquisition also pulled down second-quarter profits at truckload carrier Heartland Express, still the most profitable publicly owned truckload carrier.

Swift Transportation last year led the trucking industry in raising driver pay, and that pay raise, however costly, is paying off handsomely for the largest U.S. truckload carrier as driver retention improves and profits rise 27 percent from a year ago.

Universal Truckload Services’ second quarter profit and revenue slipped amid reduced truckload demand, but the company said volume and pricing strengthened for other businesses, notably intermodal drayage.

If U.S. shippers feel less pain when it comes time to pay freight bills this year, they can thank the worldwide oil glut. With the third quarter under way, the very significant impact of the collapse in oil and fuel prices over the past year on U.S. freight transportation is clear.

A surge in freight demand from new and existing customers pushed Landstar System's second-quarter revenue and freight volumes up, in some cases by double digits. The company's owner-operator fleet is now larger than it was at the end of 2006, before the recession.

Truckload carrier Knight Transportation increased revenue 14 percent in the second quarter to $302 million, despite lower "transactional customer demand." Net profit rose 7.3 percent to $28 million.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has declared a Kentucky-licensed truck driver an imminent hazard to public safety after his involvement in a fatal accident that claimed six lives on I-75 outside Chattanooga, Tennessee on June 25, 2015.

Strong "but not stellar" freight demand, higher rates and keen management of drivers and equipment helped generate more profit for Werner Enterprises, which is using its profits to expand capacity.

The loss of fuel surcharge revenue and a slower economy proved a drag on revenue for J.B. Hunt Transport Services, but didn't keep profits from rising at three of its four operating divisions.

Contract truckload rates climbed higher in June, while rail intermodal pricing slipped for the sixth straight month, according to pricing indices released by Cass Information Systems and Avondale Partners.

Refrigerated trucking company Marten Transport increased its profit while adding trucks in the second quarter, as dedicated revenue rose more than 60 percent.

Trucking companies such as C.R. England increasingly are using new, highly sophisticated, fuel-efficient trucks to attract drivers and as incentives for experienced drivers. Their hope is to reduce the cost of turnover and recruitment by keeping drivers behind the wheel.

U.S. spot market truck freight volumes rose 9 percent in June from May, after declining 1.7 percent that month, according to DAT Solutions. That's another sign the U.S. economy is still growing.

USA Truck is changing CEOs, but not the strategies that helped the truckload carrier return to profit last year after several years of losses.

Net orders for Class 8 trucks in North America fell in June for the fourth consecutive month, but that’s no cause of concern, according to transportation research firm FTR.

Daseke Inc., the fastest growing U.S. trucking company, is merging with Bulldog Hiway Express, an open-deck and flatbed carrier with extensive port drayage operations in the Southeast.

Jon Poelma has been promoted to senior vice president and chief operating officer of Consolidated Chassis Management. CCM manages six regional chassis pools containing more than 140,000 intermodal chassis at 240 U.S. rail and port intermodal locations.

The Michigan-based truckload carrier expects lower second quarter revenue than a year ago but better revenue than in the first quarter as the freight economy slowly expands.

U.S shippers and third-party logistics providers could see truckload rates increase by as much as 25 percent over the next two to three years, according to one of the heads of the largest privately held freight payment company in the U.S.

Trucking executives plan to invest more capital in trucks and to hire more workers over the next 12 months, a sign of their confidence in the economy and good news for shippers concerned about the availability of truck capacity in the year ahead.

Veteran transportation executive Hank Bartos will temporarily run Con-way Truckload as Con-way seeks a permanent candidate to run the $632 million carrier.

Truck drivers may be legally permitted to drive 11 hours a day, but do they? Trucking technology provider PeopleNet reviewed data from more than 200,000 onboard computers used to log driver hours and concluded many drivers don’t even come close to that limit.

The American Trucking Associations said it remained optimistic about future emissions regulations that could result in higher costs for shippers when combined with other recent regulations affecting the trucking industry.

U.S. truck trailer orders in May declined sharply as back orders have started clearing and seasonal declines took effect, signally motor carriers’ are being disciplined on adding capacity.

High demand for Mexican produce and the long-term drought in California are generating strong demand for refrigerated trucking equipment in Texas, especially on the spot market. That’s pushing up spot truck rates in states along the U.S.-Mexican border.

Ryder System is expanding its British truck rental fleet with 400 tractors equipped with Euro 6 emissions controls.

The U.S. economy is soft, truck capacity is more readily available, but contract truck rates are headed up, not down as one might expect. That’s because truck capacity is about to get much tighter, driving up truck utilization, transportation economist Noël Perry said.

Slower economic growth helped pull down U.S. spot market truck shipments in May 1.7 percent from April, pushing rates down as well. Volumes remain seasonally strong compared with almost any year but last year, DAT Solutions said.

A continent-wide roadside truck inspection program may have inadvertently pushed up spot market truck rates last week, when the number of loads far outstripped the number of tractor-trailers available. Many truckers reportedly take time off during the annual inspection blitz.

A surge in hiring and job openings at transportation and warehousing companies in April indicates logistics businesses are preparing for a stronger, if not stellar, second quarter and second half.