John Kingston

John has an almost 40-year career covering commodities, most of the time at S&P Global Platts. He created the Dated Brent benchmark, now the world’s most important crude oil marker. He was Director of Oil, Director of News, the editor in chief of Platts Oilgram News and the “talking head” for Platts on numerous media outlets, including CNBC, Fox Business and Canada’s BNN. He covered metals before joining Platts and then spent a year running Platts’ metals business as well. He was awarded the International Association of Energy Economics Award for Excellence in Written Journalism in 2015. In 2010, he won two Corporate Achievement Awards from McGraw-Hill, an extremely rare accomplishment, one for steering coverage of the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster and the other for the launch of a public affairs television show, Platts Energy Week.
Jan - 2026 -
19 January
John Kingston

In Flowers Foods drivers’ case, employee arbitration vs. litigation issue can’t be overlooked

The question of arbitration vs. litigation is easy to overlook in the Flowers Foods drivers’ Supreme Court case.

Read More »
16 January
John Kingston

Oops! TQL seeks return of incorrect commission payments

TQL incorrectly made higher payouts to some brokers, is clawing them back.

Read More »
15 January
John Kingston

Canada’s Titanium going private with a 40%+ bump in stock price

Canada’s Titanium Transportation is going private at a big premium to its Wednesday stock price.

Read More »
John Kingston

C.H. Robinson makes its legal written case before SCOTUS on broker liability

C.H. Robinson has filed its brief with the Supreme Court on the issue of broker liability.

Read More »
14 January
John Kingston

Abilene Motor Express being absorbed into Swift

Abilene Motor Express, owned by Knight Swift, will no longer be standalone in the company.

Read More »
John Kingston

Louisiana staged truck accident indictment widens as trials and sentencings loom

The big indictment against those charged with leading the Louisiana staged accident scam just got a little wider.

Read More »
13 January
John Kingston

Five State of Freight takeaways: tighter market is holding

The January State of Freight webinar continued with the message that the market may have made a turn that will stick around.

Read More »
John Kingston

Benchmark diesel down 8th straight week

The consecutive week streak of declines in the benchmark retail diesel price is now eight, but market conditions are suggesting it might be a challenge to reach nine. The Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration average weekly retail diesel price declined 1.8 cents/gallon in the price published Tuesday, effective Monday. The latest price is $3.459/g.  It’s […]

Read More »
09 January
John Kingston

Truck transportation jobs flat in December, lowest since 2021

Excerpt: The number of truck transportation jobs in November and December were the same, according to the BLS. 

Read More »
08 January
John Kingston

FTC charges against fuel card provider Corpay held up on federal appeal

A Corpay appeal of a lower court ruling on deceptive practices was swatted away by a 3-judge panel.

Read More »
07 January
John Kingston

3-way combo emerges for digital load matching: DAT, AscendTMS and Convoy

DAT’s purchase of Convoy’s tech stack has its first big partner: AscendTMS.

Read More »
06 January
John Kingston

How is C.H. Robinson using AI? Its CFO has a story to tell

C.H. Robinson’s CFO talked with FreightWaves about some of the specifics of its so-far successful AI strategy.

Read More »
John Kingston

Diesel benchmark falls in a post-Maduro oil market that barely moved

The key diesel benchmark fell again, but broader markets barely reacted to the Venezuelan news.

Read More »
05 January
John Kingston

Jacobs’ QXO gets big investment from group led by Apollo

Brad Jacobs’ latest venture, QXO with it plans to roll up a diffuse network of building product suppliers through acquisitions, has just armed itself with a lot more cash to do so. At its most basic, QXO is a logistics play: put a growing amount of assets of a fragmented building supply chain ecosystem under […]

Read More »
John Kingston

Amazon loses court fight over NLRB process involving DSPs

Amazon lost an appellate court case on the question of whether it can be found to be a joint employer.

Read More »
Dec - 2025 -
30 December
John Kingston

Latest decline in benchmark diesel leads to a mostly flat end-year price

The latest benchmark diesel price closed out 2025 pretty much where it finished up 2024.

Read More »
John Kingston

Amazon backs Flowers Foods at SCOTUS on delivery driver legal status

Amazon is backing Flowers Foods before the Supreme Court in a case involving delivery drivers’ legal status.

Read More »
28 December
26 December
John Kingston

17 years later, Teamsters locals will get payments into benefit trust

A strike against a West Coast LTL carrier in 2008 began a long legal battle that may be coming to an end.

Read More »
23 December
John Kingston

Love’s factoring business gets bigger, buying trio of companies

Love’s is adding to its factoring business with the acquisition of three companies.

Read More »
John Kingston

Benchmark diesel down yet again, five straight weeks of declines

Another decline in the benchmark price of diesel has sent that number down by the biggest amount in a five-week period in two years..

Read More »
John Kingston

REPOWR’s data shows it cost more in ‘25 for a short-term dry van rental

REPOWR has released data revealing trends in the market for short-term van rentals.

Read More »
22 December
John Kingston

Benesch panelists: Why 2026 could be a strong year for logistics M&A

Optimism for 2026 permeates a key conference of the movers and shakers in logistics M&A.

Read More »
19 December
John Kingston

New York City bill that targeted Amazon won’t get taken up in 2025

A New York City bill that is seen as targeting Amazon won’t get acted upon this year.

Read More »
John Kingston

Judge denies summary judgment in deaf driver applicant’s rejection

An EEOC action against a carrier that declined to hire a deaf driver will proceed after a judge’s ruling.

Read More »
18 December
John Kingston

State of Freight: a depressed trucking market suddenly comes to life

The State of Freight webinar took place for the first time in a long time in the midst of a surging market.

Read More »
16 December
John Kingston

Benchmark diesel falls against as oil market selloff picks up steam

The benchmark used for most fuel surcharges fell for the fourth consecutive week.

Read More »
John Kingston

Truck transportation jobs last month were the lowest in years: BLS

The monthly BLS report, catching up on October and November data, showed a steady decline in truck transportation employment.

Read More »
15 December
John Kingston

New Prime faces almost $40 million nuclear verdict from fatal Texas wreck

A Texas jury has handed down a roughly $44 million nuclear verdict, most of which will hit carrier New Prime.

Read More »
12 December
John Kingston

Three Teamsters locals come together to set new deal with Sysco

Three Teamsters locals have have reached a new deal with Sysco in an unprecedented regional deal.

Read More »
11 December
John Kingston

Transfix’s big move as it licenses its brokerage TMS to NFI

Longer-term deal comes following decision by Transfix to exit brokerage; NFI was its customer for that sale.

Read More »
John Kingston

Strange bedfellows as states say brokers not protected under ‘safety exception’

It isn’t often you find Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and New York Attorney General Letitia James on the same side of an issue. But that pairing and numerous others that cross the political divide among the attorneys general of red and blue states and the District of Columbia can be found over the issue […]

Read More »
09 December
John Kingston

Logistics startup founder loses appeal on conviction, 20-year sentence

The convicted founder of logistics platform Slync.io lost an appeal to a three-judge federal panel.

Read More »
John Kingston

Two-week plunge in benchmark diesel takes it down more than 16 cts/g

The benchmark diesel price used for most fuel surcharges has plummeted over the last two weeks.

Read More »
05 December
John Kingston

Ohio trucking company operator gets 30 months for income tax evasion

The owner of an Ohio trucking company has been sentenced to 30 months for income tax evasion.

Read More »
04 December
John Kingston

Trucking credit metrics at BMO slide as the business gets smaller

The 4Q credit metrics in BMO’s transportation sector, a major lender to trucking, were significantly worse in many areas.

Read More »
03 December
John Kingston

First shots fired at Supreme Court in broker liability case

The Supreme Court got its first legal arguments as it takes up the issue of broker liability.

Read More »
02 December
John Kingston

Benchmark diesel posts its biggest 1-week decline in almost a year

The benchmark diesel price used for most fuel surcharges is down 11 cents/gallon in two weeks.

Read More »
John Kingston

Inside the Amazon-Teamsters showdown: What’s next?

Amazon and the Teamsters faced off this fall in various venues, with a mixed outcome.

Read More »
Nov - 2025 -
28 November
John Kingston

Misclassification lawsuit: New Jersey truck school’s costly settlement

NJ truck driving school settlement resolves lawsuit over driver misclassification.

Read More »
John Kingston

Odyssey Logistics hit with a 2nd Moody’s ratings downgrade since September

For the second time in three months, Odyssey Logistics has seen Moody’s cut its debt rating.

Read More »
26 November
John Kingston

State of Freight takeaways: sagging volume, but capacity tightening a bit

The November State of Freight webinar took place against a continuation of a market that is showing only the slightest signs of a turnaround.

Read More »
25 November
John Kingston

Benchmark diesel price declines after four weeks of increases

The benchmark diesel price used for most fuel surcharges declined after four weeks of increases.

Read More »
24 November
John Kingston

More than 100 years old, trucking/logistics firm P. Judge files for bankruptcy 

A venerable name in New Jersey trucking heads the latest list of transportation/logistics companies filing chapter 11 in November.

Read More »
John Kingston

A ‘jobs apocalypse’: panel at Trimble eyes AI’s future in logistics

A panelist at the Trimble conference had a grim forecast for what AI might to do job levels.

Read More »
20 November
John Kingston

Trucking employment down in Sept from August, mostly flat over 12 mos

The delayed September jobs report showed truck transportation jobs declining from a month earlier.

Read More »
19 November
John Kingston

Truck cameras aren’t enough; they need policies to succeed: Moseley

A “how-to” guide on the use of cameras in trucks was on the agenda at Trimble’s Insight meeting.

Read More »
18 November
John Kingston

Trucking takeaways from Trimble: volume down, driver population sliding

A panel at the Trimble Insight conference took on the issue of trying to forecast the freight market in 2026.

Read More »
John Kingston

Four straight weeks of increases in benchmark diesel price

The benchmark diesel price used for most fuel surcharges has risen for four straight weeks.

Read More »
17 November
John Kingston

Likely 1st AB5 trucking enforcement action in California snags 3 companies

xcerpt: AB5 enforcement trucking leads to a $868K penalty for misclassification in California. Explore the implications for the industry.

Read More »
14 November
13 November
John Kingston

Two aftermarket truck parts suppliers combining into one

Two suppliers of truck parts to the aftermarket are combining into one firm.

Read More »
12 November
John Kingston

Proficient’s stock soars, and cash flow at the carrier might be a reason

Proficient’s stock climbed Wednesday and it could be that investors are looking at its strong cash flow numbers.

Read More »
John Kingston

Benchmark diesel price rises to its highest level 16 months

The benchmark diesel price used for most fuel surcharges is at its highest price since July 2024.

Read More »
11 November
10 November
John Kingston

Freight tech VC-backed Zuum files for chapter 11 protection

The growing list of bankruptcies in trucking has caught up a significant new participant from the freight tech part of the business: Zuum . The startup that has been operating since 2021 filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Federal Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California Thursday. Zuum is based in Irvine, California.  […]

Read More »
06 November
John Kingston

Wabash, tied down in a weak trailer market, gets a debt downgrade

For the second time this year, Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded the debt rating of trailer manufacturer Wabash National. The latest move takes the company’s corporate family rating (CFR) to B2 from B1. Other changes implemented by Moody’s Wednesday were to take Wabash’s probability of default rating to B2-PD from B1-PD, and to cut its […]

Read More »
John Kingston

RXO faces a rate squeeze: what it means for the 3PL

How the RXO rate squeeze is sign of larger 3PL industry dynamics and affecting logistics operations,

Read More »
05 November
04 November
John Kingston

Benchmark diesel price rises again, market showing signs of tightening

The diesel price used for most fuel surcharges rose for a second consecutive week.

Read More »
John Kingston

TFI’s Bedard sees a stronger 2026 after a weak 4Q 

TFI’s positive outlook amid revenue challenges with a focus on LTL operations and future growth.

Read More »
03 November
John Kingston

Judge blocks CARB’s Clean Truck Partnership enforcement

Federal judge halts CARB’s Clean Truck Partnership, impacting OEM compliance.

Read More »
John Kingston

Beautiful women, open doors and drivers: trucking cybersecurity risks proliferate

AUSTIN–If you’re a red-blooded male who just got hired at LTL carrier Estes Express, and on your first day you go looking to find the company’s beautiful Director of Operations whose picture you saw on LinkedIn, here’s a news flash: she doesn’t work there.  Not only that, she doesn’t exist, at least not by the […]

Read More »
Oct - 2025 -
31 October
John Kingston

New e2open owner WiseTech rocked by police search tied to founder White

Australian logistics software company WiseTech has seen its stock plummet anew due to police raid.

Read More »
John Kingston

C.H. Robinson’s AI strategy boosts 2026 financial forecast

C.H. Robinson AI strategy enhances 2026 financial forecast, driving growth in logistics.

Read More »
29 October
John Kingston

First look: C.H. Robinson again is strong, and Wall Street throws roses

The financial performance of C.H. Robinson (NASDAQ: CHRW) continued to rip higher in the third quarter, with various levels of profitability and performance improved even as there was no sign of a market turnaround as measured by some of the company’s data. Wall Street, which already has made C.H. Robinson an investment darling–up about 30% […]

Read More »
John Kingston

NMFTA’s freight classification overhaul: surprising shipper preparedness

Explore NMFTA’s freight classification overhaul and its impact on LTL shipping efficiency.

Read More »
28 October
John Kingston

Retail diesel price takes biggest one-week rise since June

The weekly diesel price used for most fuel surcharges rose the most it has increased since June.

Read More »
27 October
John Kingston

DAT execs in two forums discuss how it seeks to reshape the freight sector

With three recent acquisitions, DAT is seeking to redefine itself through the supply chain.

Read More »
24 October
John Kingston

Truckload segment at Marten again a plus 100% OR in third quarter

Marten was overall profitable in the quarter but its Truckload segment lagged.

Read More »
23 October
John Kingston

First look: Ryder’s earnings eke out a gain, revenue stagnant

First look at Ryder’s earnings shows minor revenue growth but improved profitability.

Read More »
John Kingston

Trucker Path app offers up another service: insurance agent

Trucker Path, the multi-service app that allows drivers and fleets a wide range of services on one platform, is getting into the insurance business. More accurately, Trucker Path is getting into the insurance agent business. Its new offering is called Trucker Path Insurance. And as Aaron Ealy, the general manager of Trucker Path Insurance noted, […]

Read More »
22 October
John Kingston

Factoring companies squeezed by slowing shipper payments: Alsobrooks

Factoring companies face payment delays in a weak freight market, impacting carriers’ margins.

Read More »
John Kingston

SCOTUS to decide fate of bread drivers: are they interstate?

For the second time in the last two years, the transportation of bread will be the focus of a Supreme Court case involving the rights of the drivers who deliver those loaves and other baked goods. The case is also the second transportation-related case the Supreme Court has selected for review this term. It earlier […]

Read More »
21 October
John Kingston

China expert Miller: why supply chain ‘choke points’ matter most

Explore supply chain control and its critical choke points in the US-China trade war.

Read More »
John Kingston

Benchmark diesel price down more than 13 cts/g in three weeks

The benchmark diesel price used for most fuel surcharges dropped in excess of 4 cents/gallon for the third consecutive week, with the price at the pump catching up to significant declines in futures prices from several weeks ago. The Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration average weekly retail diesel price fell 4.5 cts/g to $4.62/g, effective […]

Read More »
17 October
John Kingston

Trailer manufacturer Wabash’s nuclear verdict lawsuit settled

The nuclear verdict against trailer maker Wabash National has been settled out of court  In a recent filing with the SEC, Wabash (NYSE: WNC) said it had settled the Missouri case that when the verdict first came down last year left the trailer manufacturer looking at a judgement of more than $460 million. That initial […]

Read More »
15 October
John Kingston

How Triumph’s data reveals owner operator resilience

Discover why owner operator capacity remains strong, as revealed by Triumph’s latest insights.

Read More »
John Kingston

Bearish market: diesel prices see biggest two-week fall in months

Futures market in ULSD weakening on projections of significant oversupply.

Read More »
14 October
John Kingston

5 Chapter 11 filings in transportation in October’s first 2 weeks

The first two weeks of October have seen a significant number of bankruptcy filings in transportation.

Read More »
10 October
John Kingston

Highway & AscendTMS team up to fight freight fraud

Highway fraud prevention tools integrate into AscendTMS for SMBs, boosting security and enhancing protection.

Read More »
09 October
John Kingston

Staged accident scam: key sentencings pushed back again

Sentencings of two kingpins in the Louisiana staged accident scheme have been delayed yet again.

Read More »
08 October
John Kingston

Cox Automotive merges its fleet maintenance services into one unit

The two fleet maintenance arms of Cox Automotive are being put together under one banner.

Read More »
07 October
John Kingston

Diesel benchmark falls as talk of oil glut emerges again

The benchmark used for most fuel surcharges declined to its lowest level in about two months.

Read More »
06 October
John Kingston

Demurrage dilemma: court overturns FMC’s trucking rule 

Truckers may face demurrage charges again as court reverses FMC rule, impacting logistics industry contracts.

Read More »
03 October
John Kingston

Truckload leader Ward stepping down; successor search begins

The TCA is looking for a new chief executive with the plans of current president Jim Ward to step down.

Read More »
02 October
John Kingston

Echo Global keeps Moody’s B3 rating in tough market

Echo Global B3 rating by Moody’s highlights steady earnings despite challenges in a soft freight market.

Read More »
John Kingston

ATBS: how a driver can make it in a tough trucking market

ATBS trucking review: In a tough trucking market, drivers find success by optimizing routes and costs.

Read More »
Sep - 2025 -
30 September
John Kingston

Diesel price trends: stability continues in volatile market

Diesel price benchmark edges up, highlighting market stability amid oversupply and Chinese oil buying.

Read More »
John Kingston

California guts key Advanced Clean Fleet Rules; what’s next?

The California Air Resources Board has pulled back the core of the Advanced Clean Fleets rule.

Read More »
29 September
Loading Posts