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.
Dec - 2025 -
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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.  […]

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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 […]

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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,

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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.

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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.

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03 November
John Kingston

Judge blocks CARB’s Clean Truck Partnership enforcement

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

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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 […]

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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.

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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.

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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% […]

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John Kingston

NMFTA’s freight classification overhaul: surprising shipper preparedness

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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, […]

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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.

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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 […]

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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.

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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.

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John Kingston

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

Futures market in ULSD weakening on projections of significant oversupply.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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29 September
26 September
John Kingston

Court overturns Pamt’s victory in racial harassment suit

PAMT racial harassment lawsuit returns to lower court, challenging prior verdicts in renewed legal battles over racial harassment claims.

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25 September
John Kingston

CDL testing scam: jail time for 2 more in Massachusetts

Two participants in the Massachusetts scheme to give CDLs to unqualified candidates were sentenced to jail in separate proceedings this month. Eric Mathison, who needed a supply of drivers and plied a state trooper with beverages to help get them, received a sentence of a year and a day, according to the U.S. Department of […]

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John Kingston

Federal government fires back in court over California waiver cancellation

The U.S. government has filed its response to California’s claim that Congress was legally out of line when it yanked waivers from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that permitted various transportation-related emission policies in that state, as the two parties head toward an October 30 court hearing. Last week’s filing by attorneys for the Environment […]

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24 September
John Kingston

Small carrier’s bankruptcy spells out need for factoring

H5 transport, a North Dakota-based truckload and LTL carrier, has filed for bankruptcy protection under chapter 11 of the Federal Bankruptcy Code. It continues to operate, according to the court documents filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for North Dakota. According to the company’s data available through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, H5 is […]

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23 September
John Kingston

Diesel price stability rolls on with a minor upward move this week

The price used for most fuel surcharges rose one cent in a market that has featured stability for weeks Stability in the retail price of diesel remains the prevailing condition in the market, with the benchmark price used for most fuel surcharges moving a mere one cent this week. The Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration […]

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22 September
John Kingston

Teamsters grows influence in Amazon’s food network via UNFI success

(Editor’s note: comments from an attorney for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on the Cemex guideline have been added). The Teamsters has been battling Amazon on several fronts for several years with mixed success, and its laser-like focus on that target can lead it to invoke the online retailer’s name whenever it can, even if […]

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19 September
John Kingston

Shipping challenges on the rain-starved Mississippi…again

A lack of rain, particularly in areas that drain into the Ohio River, is leading to restrictions on barge sizes on the Mississippi River. On September 13, water levels on the Mississippi at Memphis were measured at approximately minus 4.45 feet, according to data from the National Water Prediction Service, which is part of the […]

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17 September
John Kingston

Tesla settles two California Autopilot suits after recent Florida loss

Tesla settles California Tesla Autopilot lawsuit over fatal crashes,, latest in mixed record for the auto maker.

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16 September
John Kingston

Retail diesel prices stable; futures point to surge

After weeks of up and down movement in the weekly diesel benchmark price, the numbers at the pump are right back where they were July 11. The weekly Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration average weekly retail diesel price effective Monday, published Tuesday, was down 2.7 cents/gallon to $3.739/g. That is the same level it was […]

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John Kingston

TQL opponent in broker liability SCOTUS case: let it ‘percolate’

And then there’s the other side of the argument. With a September 29 judicial conference now set at the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) for the justices to consider whether to take up the issue of broker liability, the pleadings on both sides of the debate are coming into focus. Both Transportation Quality Logistics and the Transportation […]

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15 September
12 September
John Kingston

Relay Payments expands: Circle K becomes third largest user

The Relay Payments- Circle K partnership will enhance payment services at 500 truck-friendly locations.

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John Kingston

Moody’s cuts Odyssey rating amid weak freight market

Moody’s has cut Odyssey Logistics debt rating amid weak freight market.

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10 September
John Kingston

Werner faces social media storm over Kenyan driver rumors

Werner addresses rumors about hiring Kenyan drivers amid Nebraska-Kenya trade deal buzz..

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09 September
John Kingston

Benchmark diesel moves up 2nd straight week as futures market yawns

The benchmark diesel price used for most fuel surcharges rose for the second straight week.

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John Kingston

Transportation/warehousing jobs up slightly in BLS model revision

Transportation and Warehousing jobs see a slight rise in the latest BLS revision.

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08 September
John Kingston

Amazon Teamsters Face New Challenges in NYC

An energetic Teamsters rally against Amazon in New York occurs as unionization efforts are likely to get tougher.

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John Kingston

Trump Overhauls Biden’s Contractor Rule: What’s Next?

The Trump administration is moving to replace the Biden administration IC rule through a rulemaking process.

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05 September
John Kingston

Small decline in truck transportation jobs in August, overall 5-month trend is stable

Truck transportation jobs in the U.S. remained relatively steady in August, still holding solidly above a year ago but having drifted down over the last five months. August seasonally-adjusted jobs in the truck transportation sector reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Friday totaled 1,523,000. That is down 900 jobs from July, but the July […]

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04 September
John Kingston

PAMT wound up in violation of a debt covenant at the end of 2Q: SEC filing

Money-losing truckload carrier PAMT was in violation of a lender’s covenant at the close of the second quarter.

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John Kingston

Armada will bring its two subsidiary 3PL companies under one banner

Armada is rolling up three 3PLs into one that will operate under the Armada name.

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03 September
John Kingston

Benchmark diesel price rises after five straight weeks of declines

The benchmark price used as the basis for most fuel surcharges rose after five weeks of declines.

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John Kingston

California vs. US showdown: two cases might head to same stage, and Federal Register notice posted

The battle over California’s environmental regulations that impact trucking continued right through the end of August.

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02 September
John Kingston

CDL Scandal: 6 Indicted in Louisiana Bribery Scheme

Six persons were indicted in Louisiana for operating a scheme to falsely obtain class A CDLs.

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Aug - 2025 -
29 August
John Kingston

Trimble’s Freight Marketplace snags its first shipper: Procter & Gamble

Trimble’s Freight Marketplace, touted recently by its CEO on an earnings call, signed up its first big shipper.

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28 August
John Kingston

Convenience store giant Wawa offers parking at new travel centers, but no showers

Wawa, a major convenience store operator on the East Coast, is getting into the travel center business with its first outlet.

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John Kingston

AI drive at C.H. Robinson making its way to its 4PL arm, Managed Solutions

C.H. Robinson has been leading the charge on AI, and now has a new tool in its Managed Solutions segment.

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26 August
John Kingston

Two state troopers who falsified CDL test results get short jail sentences in Massachusetts

State troopers and others who carried out a CDL licensing fraud are starting to get sentenced.

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John Kingston

BMO’s transportation numbers show slight improvement in trucking credit conditions

Credit conditions in trucking as measured by the quarterly BMO report showed some improvement.

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John Kingston

Benchmark diesel prices move lower for fifth consecutive week

The benchmark diesel price used for most fuel surcharges declined for the fifth straight week.

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25 August
John Kingston

American Trucking Associations hit with allegations of employment and race discrimination 

Three plaintiffs are alleging they were discriminated against due to their age and race after the American Trucking Association fired them in 2024. 

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John Kingston

NFI driver misclassification case in New Jersey could reach individual payouts of $50k

A settlement in a New Jersey driver misclassification case involving NFI could provide healthy payouts to some individuals.

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