Volvo Group is testing a self-driving refuse truck. The truck allows a driver to walk behind the vehicle collecting refuse container. Also, it may be easier to test truck drivers for sleep apnea following a court ruling and the prospects for industry growth are perking up.
“If the thesis is that all of these small carriers who’ve been running illegally will be put out of business were they to comply with this mandate, there is no incentive for them to comply.” That is part of the reasoning that Stifel analysts have used to suggest the ELD mandate will not drive up shipping rates.
Good morning. Hope the roads are clear where you are today. As it turns out, that is not often the case for many of us. The American Transportation Research Institute reported that congestion on U.S. roadways cost the trucking industry $63.4 billion in 2015 and resulted in 996 million hours of lost productivity, which is equal to 362,243 truck drivers sitting idle for an entire year.
A boom in U.S. oil production is not only helping keep fuel prices low, but it is driving more trucking business. The addition of a 2-rig, 8-well design could drive between “5,850 to 8,905 truckloads of equipment, drilling fluids, sand, water, etc.”
FedEx said it was victimized by the massive cyber attack on Friday that hit businesses in an estimated 100 countries. Also, more venture capital money is flowing into trucking and 3-D printers may be altering the movement of freight in the near future.
This Week in Trucking, the U.S. and China have announced a trade deal centering on natural gas, financial services and beef. Also, a renewed push is on to approve hair testing in driver drug screenings and the rapid rise in last-mile delivery services is leading to plenty of new entries to the market.
While in-store sales have been declining in recent years, retail sales as a whole have not due to growth in e-commerce. That is resulting in a shift in freight movement, with more heading to a growing number of distribution centers and less heading to brick-and-mortar stores.
There has been a narrative in the U.S. that retail is dying a quick death. The reality is that is just not true. So far in 2017, there have been nearly as many store openings announced as store closings. This FreightWaves infographic details some of the trends in retail and how trucking is responding.
A Court of Appeals has granted a 90-day delay requested by EPA and NHTSA in a lawsuit brought by the Truck Trailer Manufacturer’s Association over the government’s Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas regulations. EPA requested the delay in part so that it can review the rule, throwing some uncertainty into implementation of the rule.
In a connected society, the transparency of items moving through the supply chain is a critical component of shipping best practices. From manufacturer, to trucking company, to end customer, the tracking of goods ensures timely delivery and top customer service ratings. OmniTrails is poised to lead to next revolution in this arena with its micro-location tracking solutions.
They say farm to fork, but without trucks, the farm never makes it to the stores, much less the fork. And that’s why ag haulers are so in tune with their shipping partners. When farmers suffer from crop delays for any reason – trucking is affected.
Ready or not, truck platooning is inching closer to reality. And it offers a real chance at fuel savings. Research suggests that trucks running in platoons can save between 4% and 10% in fuel depending on their position in the platoon. Read more about how Peloton is moving the industry closer to vehicle platoons: Peloton set to debut truck platoons later this year.
This Week in Trucking, Elon Musk adds some details to his electric Tesla Semi program; the U.S. trade gap with Mexico is growing larger and Amazon faces a carrier lawsuit for refusing to pay shipping fees.
The Republican health care bill has received both criticism and applause from a divided nation. But what does it do for trucking? Well, like the rest of the nation, that may depend on what side of the industry you are on.
To show off its Project Portal prototype hydrogen fuel cell Class 8 tractor, Toyota recorded the vehicle in a drag race against a similarly equipped diesel-powered tractor.
UPS has announced an expansion of its large alternative vehicle fleet with the addition of hydrogen fuel cell delivery trucks. The vehicles will be in operation in California later this year.
To highlight the impact weather can have on trucking, and to highlight their new partnership, TransFX, which is seeking to offer trucking freight futures contracts, and Riskpulse, a supply chain risk analytics firm, have produced an infographic that provides a few surprising facts about weather-related delays.
Unlike autonomous vehicles, a driver remains in ultimate control of a truck while in platoon formation. Because of this, it is likely that two-truck platooning will be available to fleets later this year.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been teasing audiences for months on the company’s secretive electric truck project. At a TED Conference in Vancouver, Musk posted this shadowed picture of what the truck may look like.
This Week in Trucking, the EPA has filed a court brief seeking a delay in a challenge to its greenhouse gas regulations, leading to speculation that the agency may review the upcoming Phase 2 rules. Also, the government has acknowledged it is lacking answers for regulating automated vehicles, Amazon jumps into the driverless vehicle arena and the economy is off to a slow start in 2017.
