Economics

The out-of-control wildfires burning in California have had a dramatic impact on spot rates in the region.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has issued a letter to state attorneys general in all states asking them to review potential problems surrounding upcoming enforcement of the electronic logging device mandate.

The cleverness of the plan resides in the kind of “under-21 truckers” they’re talking about: only those with military driving experience.

Most carriers are currently coming to terms with the inevitability of the ELD mandate, and scrambling to get ready. Those carriers who are truly ELD-ready are in prime position to benefit.

Anheuser-Busch’s private fleet is among the leaders in the country when it comes to efforts to cut carbon emissions through alternative fuel use. The company is taking another step, announcing it has reserved 40 Tesla Semi electric tractors.

The growth in cargo volumes at London’s Heathrow Airport has created severe congestion across the region, which has the airport facing a dire situation due to long queues, which is increasing waiting times and thus delaying an already slow-moving air freight operation.

Following a Thanksgiving week that saw loads depressed, but not rates, the spot freight market was going full steam ahead last week with loads climbing 64% on the DAT network of load boards.

UPS has angered the Teamsters union after it implemented a longer workweek for package delivery drivers for the holidays.

As it stands, the tax bill, as it’s currently drafted, looks to benefit the industry in general, but what it means for the individual trucker is less clear.

Following on the footsteps of its European counterpart, Daimler Trucks North America will begin shipping 3D printed parts under a pilot program. Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz unit started a similar pilot in Europe last year.

Truck drivers are concerned with pay, but it’s not the most important topic on their mind when providing feedback to their employers. WorkHound compiled a list of topics drivers talked about the most, and pay only came in fourth. What was number one?

Eastern Europe’s infrastructure lags behind Western Europe, yet the logistics industry in that region has outperformed the remainder of Europe in the past year.

One of the largest elements of operational expenses in the freight hauling business is fuel, and yet there are a limited number of fleets that actively manage this cost effectively. Wisconsin-based Breakthrough Fuel is providing a way to effectively manage energy and reduce costs.

Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz Vans brand has introduced its third-generation Sprinter van at an event in Stuttgart, Germany. The van features many of the iconic attributes it always has, but has added new connectivity to further improve its utilization.

Job application fraud is a serious and significant problem in all industries. But without the time and financial resources to properly vet candidates, especially in an industry such as trucking with is facing a shortage of some 50,000 drivers, bad employees get through.

Toyota announced it is building a megawatt Tri-Gen hydrogen plant in California. The plant will produce hydrogen using renewable sources and will provide fuel for its Project Portal Class 8 hydrogen truck.

Almost every freight flow is growing. Some are growing a little and some are growing a lot, and all of them are accelerating in their rates of growth. Transports are surging as the underlying strength in both the consumer and industrial goods flow continues to improve. We see this as extraordinarily bullish for the overall U.S. economy.

Natilus, a startup based out of California, is looking to provide a drone solution that allows it to transport freight multiple times faster than when it is shipped across the ocean, at half the price of regular air freight.

Embark, Ryder and Frigidaire are testing Embark’s semi-autonomous trucks on routes running from Texas to California.

Yesterday, the Small Business House Committee heard how forthcoming ELD regulations will stifle competition, and how it won’t actually provide safety benefits.