Newsletters

In this edition: What happens if Yellow and UPS stop delivering? And acquisition is Redwood’s game. 

Your latest info on all things cold chain

Daimler Truck forecasts a sunny outlook for its business, especially in North America and Europe.

The first meeting of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Truck Leasing Task Force (TLTF) discussed and drafted recommendations on Tuesday regarding limiting or eliminating the power a trucking company has over lease purchase agreements with drivers.

In this edition: When the pipeline turns to people; reefer markets take off; and Yellow lives to see another day. 

Your latest info on all things cold chain

British Columbia port workers’ strike ongoing and UPS Teamsters threatening to strike at month’s end.

In this issue, trucking market enters dog days of summer; Nikola sales numbers; Yellow talks intensify; and more.

The freight recession’s impact on small fleets and owner-operators gained mainstream media attention on Monday with an article by Shannon Pettypiece, a senior policy reporter for NBC News. The article related the story of Arnesha Barron, a 39-year-old driver who in 2021 became an owner-operator after working at a trucking company for six years.

In this edition: One state has over $20 in fireworks per resident; Yellow struggles with negotiations; and a double broker AMA hits Reddit. 

Your latest info on all things cold chain

Negotiations between the Teamsters union and Yellow Corp. remain ongoing, with the fate of the nation’s third-largest LTL carrier hanging in the balance. Yellow is facing stiff resistance from the Teamsters over proposed operational changes that would consolidate operations between purchased regional carriers New Penn and Holland and integrate them into Yellow’s nationwide network.

In this edition: It might be time to change the password; new Container Atlas findings; and is it double brokering if it’s “responsible”?

Your latest info on all things cold chain

Consulting firm Kearney recently released its 34th annual Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) report, “State of Logistics 2023: The Great Reset.” A major theme of the report is the great rebalancing from the carrier-dominated market of the past two years to a shipper-focused one as freight volumes fell against a backdrop of higher truckload capacity. The report notes that total U.S. logistics costs rose 19.6% in 2022 to a record $2.3 trillion or 9.1% of U.S. gross domestic product.

In this edition: The FMCSA has issued final guidance on the broker and agent divide and there are big doings in the West Coast labor talks.

Your latest info on all things cold chain

Battery chemistry will play a critical role in advancing electric trucking beyond regional and drayage hauling.

A proposal by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to alter and expand reporting categories for crashes is drawing criticism from the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which argues the FMCSA should take stronger action to protect driver safety records.

In this edition: Comparing freight broker commission rates; Stopping corn at the border; and some C-suite shuffling. 

Your latest info on all things cold chain

Megawatt charging is too much for pretty much every electric truck save for the purpose-built Tesla Semi. But that is slowly changing.

Inside the WHAT THE TRUCK?!? newsletter: Why trucks sales are up in a freight recession; Optimus returns; glue spills; Tesla supply chain exec jumps to Rivian

At the recent UBS Global Industrial and Transportation Conference, Heartland CEO Mike Gerdin and Vice President of Finance Josh Helmich highlighted freight market weakness and outlined the retention impact of their driver minimum pay program.

In this edition: West Coast labor union talks get ramped up a notch; Canada goes head-to-head with Mexico; and C.H. Robinson finds a new CEO. 

Your latest info on all things cold chain

Class 5 electric trucks have a broad customer base and a lot of manufacturers chasing the space where regulation comes soon.

Using the California Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule, the Biden administration’s proposed Phase 3 truck rule sees the EPA potentially imposing stricter standards on carbon dioxide emissions for truck makers and buyers.

New regulations could force CPGs to revise product formulas to eliminate common ingredients.

In this edition: Brake Safety Day results released; noncompetes return to the limelight; and Nikola has to get creative.

Your latest info on all things cold chain

School buses qualify for a lot of incentives to go electric, but are the vouchers and grants enough to make a difference?

In this issue, Southeast heats up; trucking goes hybrid; Lego Mack; and more.

On Wednesday, FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller sat down with Zach Strickland, FreightWaves’ head of freight market intelligence, to discuss freight market conditions and expectations.

In this edition: How influencers need a 3PL; noncompetes come for the C-suite; and the first installment of double broker red flags.

Your latest info on all things cold chain

Transportation startups that went for easy SPAC money never thought times would turn so ugly – certainly not so fast.

Load board fraud is gaining attention after The Wall Street Journal reported Truckstop, a leading load board provider, found reports of fraud increased 400% from Q4 2021 to Q4 2022, the highest level since 2004, when it began tracking the data. This article prompted Craig Fuller, CEO and founder of FreightWaves, to write an article on Tuesday arguing for massive load board providers to take greater responsibility for instances of fraud that take place on their platforms.

A proposed revision to FTC regulations would make canceling subscriptions as easy as signing up.

The latest news for every retail supply chain nerd Attention shoppers and all you retail supply chain nerds. Welcome to Point of Sale: The Newsletter! Here you’ll find all the […]

The latest news for every retail supply chain nerd Attention shoppers and all you retail supply chain nerds. Welcome to Point of Sale: The Newsletter! Here you’ll find all the […]

In this edition: Earnings season highlights, the rise in flatbed demand and Roadcheck starts Wednesday.

Your latest info on all things cold chain

Once the flywheel that is electric trucks gets spinning, there will be no slowing it down. But as former college football coach Lee Corso is fond of saying on ESPN […]

In this issue, used truck prices and spot rates fall; Pete’s new truck; self-driving data hogs; and more.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is holding its annual International Roadcheck next Tuesday through Thursday.

Upcoming revisions are likely to impact CPG ingredients, packaging and labeling.

In this edition: International Roadcheck is around the corner — prepare now; quiet quitting won’t die; and Alaska is the new frontier.

Your latest info on all things cold chain

The Advanced Clean Transportation Expo has grown so large that organizers kept a waiting list for exhibitors.

In this issue of the WHAT THE TRUCK?!? newsletter: market recovery looks grim; yard dawgs; Flexport’s Shopify buy and more.

SONAR ocean container booking data suggests that the predicted freight rebound in the second half of 2023 may be increasingly unlikely. Import and ocean container booking data is typically used as a leading indicator for future truckload volumes, as containers are offloaded in ports and transferred into intermodal or truckload orders.

Inside this edition: Gen Zers enter the workforce knowing their worth and not settling for less, Mexico continues to boom, and California comes up with another rule about trucks.

Your latest info on all things cold chain

Electric infrastructure and fuel cells are two areas where old ideas form the basis of new approaches.

In this issue of the WHAT THE TRUCK?!? newsletter, load board fraud rises, freight recession, dangerous states for truckers and kids crawling under trains.

The demand for skilled technicians to keep shops and maintenance terminals running continues to challenge recruiters due to high demand. A major source of lost utilization for fleets on the road is getting their vehicles repaired in a timely manner. A lack of technicians continues to plague shops, creating extra downtime and work order backlogs.

Inside this edition: Appeals court rules in favor of Landstar

The latest info on all things cold chain

One of the drawbacks of hydrogen adoption as a transportation fuel is the lack of infrastructure. Guess what? A network of hydrogen fueling already exists.

Inside the WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Newsletter: Have truckload markets found the floor; taking a semi to prom; 420 for truck; and more.

Earnings season is upon us and the freight recession lingers worse than salmonella-carrying potato salad at a tailgate party. Wisconsin-based truckload carrier Martin Transport reported its Q1 2023 earnings Tuesday. While operating revenue improved 3.7% from $287.3 million in Q1 2022 to $298 million this year, the actual operating income declined from $35.9 million to $29 million.

Inside this edition: It’s never too late to adopt sustainable choices; head on to the blue markets; and the battle rages on for TravelCenters of America.

Predictive maintenance analytics for autonomous trucks could provide a reverse benefit for human-driven trucks.

Your latest info for all things cold chain

Trucking safety advocates are at odds with corporate-backed attempts at implementing a roadside safety exemption for autonomous trucks. For those unaware, current regulations require drivers to use three emergency reflective triangles, or at least six fusees or three liquid-burning road flares, if they stop on the road for reasons other than traffic.

Amid lower commodity costs, retail CPG prices should stick, leading to margin recovery.

Inside this edition: West Coast port labor talks continue; sustainability initiatives increasing stock prices; and another acquisition on the books.

Your latest info on all things cold chain

Proterra Inc. and Ouster Inc. are just two of many technology startups and growth-stage companies struggling financially.

At the market The year for beauty Some Dollar General stores are expanding their beauty products and that just seems like the right move to me. Supermarket News says the […]

It has been just over a year since Craig Fuller, CEO and founder of FreightWaves, wrote an article titled “Why I believe a freight recession is imminent,” published March 31, 2022, in which he predicted the U.S. trucking market was heading toward a significant downturn.

Some supply chain issues remain, but moderating inflation helps margins recover.

Startups aim to help CPGs achieve clean labels while governments revise health regulations.

Inside this edition: What a 32-hour workweek looks like for the supply chain; the weight of Easter candy; and Mexico collects another auto manufacturer.

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

TuSimple plans driverless trucking on a commercial basis in Arizona next year – without a manufacturing partner.

Rachel Premack, editorial director at FreightWaves, was interviewed Tuesday about her article on the impact of the ELD mandate five years later.

At the market What’s going on here? It seems every week some company is laying off more and more of its staff. Last week, Walmart announced layoffs of 200 people, […]

Inside this edition: The battle over broker transparency might finally be over; carrier retention helps in the long term; and the claim for TravelCenters of America gets another player. 

Here you’ll find the latest information on warehouse news, tech developments and all things reefer madness-related.

Production of palm oil, a common CPG ingredient, is associated with deforestation and human rights abuses.

Inside this edition: Sustainability measures become costly; fully automated warehouses could be the answer; and Walmart’s freshest collab.

The latest news for every retail supply chain nerd Attention shoppers and all you retail supply chain nerds. Welcome to Point of Sale: The Newsletter! Here you’ll find all the […]

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

Negative headlines about Nikola Corp.’s finances raise justifiable concern. Visiting its electric truck plant tells a different story.

Last month, CloudTrucks surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults about general perceptions of truck drivers and if they have heard of the truck parking shortage. The results, published in CloudTrucks’ 2023 Truck Parking Shortage Survey, highlight that while Americans generally have a positive view of truck drivers, most respondents didn’t know that the parking shortage had a major impact on their quality of life.

Most food emissions come from ingredients, but the impact of packaging redesign is more immediate.

Inside this edition: Mexico hits back-to-back trading partner win; omnichannel the next big move for 3PLs; and big developments in the land of C.H. Robinson.

The latest news for every retail supply chain nerd Attention shoppers and all you retail supply chain nerds. Welcome to Point of Sale: The Newsletter! Here you’ll find all the […]

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

How confident is Kodiak Robotics of the safety of its autonomous system? How about cutting a sensor cable while the truck is running?

Inside the WHAT THE TRUCK?!? newsletter tracking recycled sneakers; Optimus vs bullies; MoLo shake up and more.

A plan to allow 18-to-20-year-old truck drivers to haul interstate cargo got a sharp rebuttal at the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) conference by Knight-Swift President and CEO David Jackson. The plan was conceived as a way to address the driver shortage and is strongly supported by the Biden administration and the American Trucking Associations (ATA).

Automation benefits go beyond productivity and extend into food and worker safety.

Inside this edition: the Amazon Effect on the supply chain; AI’s role in forecasting; and some acquisitions and growth sweeping the nation.

The latest news for every retail supply chain nerd Attention shoppers and all you retail supply chain nerds. Welcome to Point of Sale: The Newsletter! Here you’ll find all the […]

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

Falling spot rates, falling contract rates and falling revenues create rising stress and blood pressure in truckload operations teams.

Walmart and Target look to save shoppers from the indignity of checkout counters