Truckload Indexes

TCA Vice President of Government Affairs, Dave Heller and TCA Manager of Government Affairs, Kathryn Sanner The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has been in high gear in recent weeks. The Agency has several pending regulations which are currently open for public comment and which could dramatically impact the truckload segment of the trucking […]

Cody Crisler and Kenneth Meekins, professional truck drivers with Henderson Trucking, have each been named Highway Angels by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA). Both men are being recognized for their willingness to stop and assistance a young family whose baby was accidentally locked in their vehicle. On June 7, Henderson Trucking colleagues Jessica Graham, Crisler, […]

Minimum coverage would increase from $750,000 to almost $5 million.

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel A federal trial court in Iowa recently ruled in favor of a carrier in a sexual harassment case. The basic factual allegations are all too familiar: a male driver and a female driver are driving together in a truck, and alleged sexual harassment occurs. The carrier here prevailed because […]

Information related to the national load tender volumes for the last full week of July comes from FreightWaves SONAR.

E-commerce packages are flooding the U.S. The vast majority contain legal products, but U.S. Customs and Border Patrol worries about those that contain illegal or dangerous products.

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel PHOTO CREDIT: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES On July 22, 2019, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the Department of Labor (DOL) issued an opinion letter as to whether the time a driver spends in his or her truck’s sleeper berth qualifies as compensable hours worked under the Fair Labor Standards […]

Companies may not be doing enough to secure their cargo from their own employees.

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel A trucking company retained two drivers to serve as independent contractors and, on that basis, the company was allowed to make wage deductions, including for insurance, membership dues, and truck lease payments.  The lower court disagreed that the drivers were independent contractors but ultimately determined that the deductions were […]

Ashley Coker PHOTO CREDIT: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has extended its comment period concerning its possible pilot program that would allow non-military drivers under 21 to drive commercial vehicles across state lines.  The previous July 15 deadline has been pushed back to August 14, giving people an extra month to […]

The combination of volume weakness, excess capacity, declining rates and formidable year-over-year earnings comparisons have resulted in the public carriers finally waving the white flag and acknowledging that 2019 will be a struggle.

The transportation and logistics industry is evolving at breakneck speed, and keeping up has never been more important.

The trucking industry’s technical recession is causing real-world impacts to the used truck market, where sales continue to fall and even sought-after low-mileage rigs are under pressure. Preliminary used Class 8 same dealer sales fell 8 percent in June compared with May, according to ACT Research. Used truck sales were down 25 percent compared with […]

Ashley Coker IMAGE: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES Carriers steering clear of Louisiana due to precarious weather conditions can start accepting loads into the state again. While Hurricane Barry caused serious flooding over the weekend, most of the damage was limited to rural areas with little freight activity. “Most of the damage occurred in rural areas where there […]

ACT Research says the trucking industry meets the definition of being in a technical recession as all major metrics it tracks have declined for two consecutive quarters.

The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) announced its support of S. 2033, The Cullum Owings Large Truck Safe Operating Speed Act of 2019. The bill would require new trucks weighing over 26,000 pounds to be equipped with speed limiters set at a maximum speed of 65 mph. Existing trucks already equipped with the technology would be required […]

Ashley Coker PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK Small business owners across the nation slipped off their rose-colored glasses last month. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Optimism Index fell 1.7 points to 103.3 in June, reversing May’s gains.  The NFIB Optimism Index is intended to track small business sentiment and is released each month. The index takes […]

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel The employer ejected two union organizers from its public cafeteria where the organizers were meeting with employees.  The union organizers challenged these actions and won before an administrative law judge. Following an appeal, however, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) overruled the administrative law judge on two of the […]

Guest post by FreightWaves’ Noi Mahoney More than $400 billion in freight crossed in both directions through the United States-Mexico border by truck in 2018. In Laredo, Texas, alone, more than two million trucks carried goods across the border last year. While President Donald Trump’s trade wars with Mexico and China have destabilized business markets, […]

Job growth rebounded nicely in June as the economy added 224,000 workers to payrolls during the month. The transportation and logistics sector was one of the many areas of strength in June, led by improved gains among parcel and trucking companies.

Guest post by FreightWaves’ Alan Adler Class 8 new truck orders rose in June from a three-year low a month ago, but the first six months of the year accounted for the slowest first half since 2010. June orders of 13,100 were 69 percent below one of the peak months of a 2018 ordering spree, […]

IMAGE: TCA Professional truck drivers Scott Wagner of Spartan Direct, based in Pevely, Missouri, and Robert Barnette of Swift Transportation Company, based in Phoenix, Arizona, have each been named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA). They are being recognized for their willingness to drive nearly an hour to rescue a colleague stranded […]

TCA Vice President of Government Affairs, Dave Heller and TCA Manager of Government Affairs, Kathryn Sanner IMAGE: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES The day of reckoning is finally upon us. On June 13th, Canada’s Minister of Transportation, the Honorable Marc Garneau, announced that Canada’s electronic logging device (ELD) mandate will take effect on June 12th, 2021. This means […]

PHOTO COURTESY OF OTAY MESA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Post by FreightWaves’ Noi Mahoney Business is good at the Otay Mesa port of entry, California’s largest commercial land port of entry, which tallied a record $50 billion in two-way trade with Mexico during the last fiscal year. For June, the latest SONAR data shows outbound tender […]

Agency wants to reduce time and costs for driving schools and applicants

BiTA’s Patrick Duffy informs committee of blockchain approaching critical mass

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel The employee here requested intermittent leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) but was instead forced to go out on continuous leave. Under the FMLA, “intermittent leave” is taking leave in separate blocks of time for a single qualifying reason. Reducing the employee’s usual weekly or daily […]

Daimler AG announced a “high-three digit million” hit to second quarter 2019 earnings related to ongoing expenses to remedy its diesel emissions woes.

Guest post by FreightWaves’ Kevin Hill Amazon’s entry into online freight matching is being met with skepticism and unease by much of the logistics industry, according to a market research report from the FreightWaves Freight Intel Group.  The report, Amazon and the Logistics Industry, builds on the news FreightWaves broke on Amazon’s beta version of its online […]

Guest post by FreightWaves’ Todd Maiden The Cass Freight Index Report showed further deceleration in the freight markets in May. Donald Broughton, Founder and Managing Partner of Broughton Capital and author of the report, warns an economic contraction could be underway. Cass’ May 2019 report shows signs of weakness with both the shipments and expenditures data sets […]

Ashley Coker CHART: FREIGHTWAVES’ SONAR Volumes out of the Tifton, Georgia market have been moving upward since the beginning of the month, with FreightWaves’ SONAR Outbound Tender Volume Index (OTVI.TMA) showing a 33 percent surge since June 2. Outbound rejection rates (OTRI.TMA) have been climbing over the same period of time, increasing 274 bps from […]

The negative data and commentary centered on the lack of a seasonal increase in demand is forcing analysts to meaningfully lower earnings estimates and the outlook for the sector.

DREAMSTIME by FreightWaves’ Chief Economist Ibrahiim Bayaan Economic data from the goods side of the economy showed some signs of life in May, as growth in retail sales and industrial production exceeded expectations during the month. This is an encouraging sign that activity may be stabilizing in the second quarter, though details in manufacturing point […]

TCA Vice President of Government Affairs, Dave Heller and TCA Manager of Government Affairs, Kathryn Sanner Even though no one has officially designated June as “Detention Time Awareness Month,” the issue has received plenty of publicity in recent weeks. First, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a request for information in the Federal […]

Ashley Coker IMAGE: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES Data across all modes of traffic is signaling a dramatic slowdown in the freight market, but U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) continues to come in strong. FreightWaves Chief Economist Ibrahiim Bayaan and FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller teamed up to explain this apparent disconnect.  Bayaan and Fuller regularly host a webinar, […]

The first-of-its-kind award was created to recognize shippers committed to eliminating inefficiencies from the supply chain and aiming to be excellent partners for their carriers.

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK The employee, a male executive, failed to allege claims for actionable sex discrimination and sexual harassment where he failed to allege that the complained-of conduct occurred because he was a man. This case is a good case for employers to be familiar with because it illuminates Title […]

IMAGE: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES Guest post by FreightWaves’ Clarissa Hawes The International Roadcheck inspection blitz kicked off earlier this week in North America, but some U.S. truckers reported that scale houses in some states were closed or they were waved through the scales because inspectors were busy reviewing other commercial vehicles. Truck driver Joel Morrow ran […]

Guest post by FreightWaves’ Noi Mahoney For the first time in its 168-year history, Port Laredo is number one. Laredo, Texas surpassed Los Angeles, California as the nation’s busiest trade hub, including airports, seaports and international border crossings. Port Laredo did $20.09 billion in trade during the month of March (according to the latest Census […]

Ashley Coker IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK About 551 people were victims of workplace homicide each year between 2006 and 2010, according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s  Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Strategos International Executive Vice President Mark Warren works to train employers and employees to recognize the […]

FreightWaves, the leading data and content source for the freight markets, has acquired StakUp Inc., as part of a multi-faceted partnership with the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) that will build on a previously announced data and marketing agreement, established in November 2018. StakUp is the developer of the ‘inGauge’ online benchmarking platform, used exclusively by […]

TCA Vice President of Government Affairs, Dave Heller and TCA Manager of Government Affairs, Kathryn Sanner News recently broke that General Motors (GM) and Bechtel, the largest construction company in the U.S., will partner to create a new company dedicated to building a network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the country. While no […]

The mandatory adoption of electronic logging devices (ELDs) has given decision-makers the ability to access a wealth of data they never knew they needed. The tough part is attempting to sift through and draw insights from that data.

Guest post by FreightWaves’ John Kingston The highway and viaduct that now shoots truckers and others straight through the heart of Syracuse on interstate 81 might be no more under a plan making its way through an approval process. Instead, drivers will need to circle the city on what is now interstate 481 if the […]

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES The employee, on behalf of a class of drivers, sued a motor carrier/delivery services provider and its carrier subsidiary (“Defendants”) for failure to provide meal and rest periods in violation of California Labor Code §§ 226.7 and 512, and Wage Order 9-2001 §§ 11, 12, among other […]

The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has partnered again this year with the Alliance for Toll Free Interstates (ATFI). ATFI is a national coalition comprised of individuals, businesses, and organizations working to maintain the longstanding policy of protecting existing interstates from new tolls. As a partner, TCA is working with like-minded businesses and organizations to push […]

Guest post by FreightWaves’ John Kingston The introduction of the drug and alcohol clearinghouse in January 2020 is going to have a bigger impact on truck capacity than the recent implementation of the electronic logging device (ELD) rule, according to Eric Fuller. Fuller, the CEO of U.S. Xpress (NYSE: USX), made the remarks on a panel […]

Ashley Coker Improving efficiency within maintenance offers the biggest potential for improved profitability of any category within a trucking company. That’s why one of this summer’s TCA Profitability Program (TPP) seminars is all about maintenance workflow. “Being organized and scientific about your maintenance pays huge dividends,” TPP Program Manager Chris Henry said. “Without a doubt, […]

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK Guest post by FreightWaves’ Zach Strickland After lulling the world economy into a false sense of security, U.S. government decided to raise tariffs on $300 billion of Chinese goods to as much as 25% last week. The list of goods is extensive, covering sneakers to coffee makers. The threat of increasing tariffs completely […]

Ashley Coker Knowing how to access and utilize quality data has become an integral part of running a successful trucking company, but many decision makers have been left scrambling to keep up with changing technological demands. To help combat that problem, TCA Profitability Program (TPP) will host a seminar dedicated to keeping people in the […]

The Truckload Carriers Association has been recognizing Highway Angels, or professional truck drivers who demonstrate compassion and courage on the road, since its 1997 inception. Recently, seven standout drivers received the honor for acts of heroism performed. “Their good deeds range from simple acts of kindness, such as fixing a flat tire, to heroic life-saving […]

TCA Vice President of Government Affairs, Dave Heller and TCA Manager of Government Affairs, Kathryn Sanner PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK As we inch closer to the December 16, 2019 full compliance deadline for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) electronic logging device (ELD) mandate, the need to transition to these devices is becoming more urgent. Members […]

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) is participating in the annual national advocacy and educational event, Infrastructure Week, which takes place from May 13-20. Across the country, hundreds of businesses, labor organizations, elected officials, and more will come together to spread the message that we must #BuildForTomorrow. Investing in infrastructure is consistently one of the issues […]

Ashley Coker IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK The Cass Shipments Index came in negative for the fifth month in a row in April, sparking concern about potential economic contraction. Boughton Capital Founder and Managing Partner Donald Boughton maintained a positive outlook throughout the last several months of negative shipments, becoming gradually more skeptical as the trend continued. He […]

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which has jurisdiction over federal cases in Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, recently retroactively applied the California Supreme Court’s decision in Dynamex Ops. W. Inc. v. Superior Court to an employer’s detriment. Readers […]

Ashley Coker New digital freight brokerages are popping up at breakneck speed, and the growth is expected to continue over the next five years. Trucking-as-a-service (TaaS) is expected to grow from its current size of $11.2 billion to $79.4 billion by 2025, according to a survey by Frost & Sullivan. Digital brokerages are expected to […]

A long-running lawsuit over leased vehicles appears to be reaching its conclusion. The lawsuit, Roberts, et al. v. C.R. England, Inc., et al, is scheduled for final approval by a judge on July 9, 2019, following a $37.8 million settlement that was reached last month in the class-action suit. The case centered around C.R. England […]

It is almost impossible to be a decision-maker in the transportation and logistics industry today without working with data. While good data can propel a company forward, bad data can stall growth.

Nikola executive Elizabeth Fretheim’s journey to a company developing zero-emissions trucks had an unlikely start in Canada’s oilpatch.

Women are underrepresented across the board in transportation and logistics, with just over 20 percent of managers in transportation, storage and distribution identifying as female.

TCA Vice President of Government Affairs, Dave Heller and TCA Manager of Government Affairs, Kathryn Sanner SCHUMER AND PELOSI OUTSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE EARLIER THIS YEAR. (IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK) Let’s play infrastructure “two truths and a lie.” Here are the three statements: President Donald Trump, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck […]

(PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK) Guest post by FreightWaves’ Henry Byers The US-China trade war has had a massive impact on supply and demand within the US truckload market. Companies scrambling to beat the deadline of the proposed tariff increases on Chinese-made goods pushed major ocean container volumes into the ports, and left US warehouses packed full of […]

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK The Truckload Carriers Association has been recognizing Highway Angels, or professional truck drivers who demonstrate compassion and courage on the road, since its 1997 inception. Recently, seven standout drivers received the honor for acts of heroism performed. “Their good deeds range from simple acts of kindness, such as fixing a flat tire, to […]

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK A supervisor of the trucking company in this case made a “dinosaur” comment directed at an employee when discussing company policy.  Shortly thereafter, the employee was terminated for allegedly falsifying company records. The former employee sued the employer for age discrimination, retaliation, defamation, and slander. Background Employee […]

Results of two audits could affect current quotas of glider truck kits.

Ashley Coker The Truckload Carriers Association has been recognizing Highway Angels, or professional truck drivers who demonstrate compassion and courage on the road, since its 1997 inception. Recently, seven standout drivers received the honor for acts of heroism performed. “Their good deeds range from simple acts of kindness, such as fixing a flat tire, to […]

Covenant Transportation Group (NASDAQ: CVTI) posted adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.27 for the first quarter of 2019, beating analyst estimates and edging past the expectations the company itself announced earlier this quarter.

Ashley Coker IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK The amount of capacity that has flooded the market in 2019 has put downward pressure on rates. Rates for long distance trucking declined for the third straight month in March, and year-over-year growth continued to decelerate, falling below 5 percent. While falling rates are making the market feel soft for carriers […]

Ashley Coker IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK The economy lost some momentum in the first quarter of 2019, and freight movements were not spared from the softening. However, there are a handful of reasons to be optimistic heading into the second quarter. FreightWaves CEO and Managing Director Craig Fuller and FreightWaves Chief Economist Ibrahiim Bayaan teamed up to […]

Chris Henry, Program Manager, TCA Profitability Program It’s been 15 months since we published the original “Nine Traits” article. That article turned in into a series of presentations that my colleague Jack Porter and I have delivered at various industry and state association events. Much has happened in 15 months, including the strategies and tactics […]

(PHOTO: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES) by Ray Haight, TPP retention coach Here we are at the end of this series on tackling driver retention. If you were to follow the steps laid out in this series from beginning to end, I would suspect that the whole process would take six to twelve months. The trick is how […]

Ashley Coker MERRITT PARKWAY IN CONNECTICUT / IMAGE: STATE OF CONNECTICUT Truck drivers who enter state parkways while traveling through Connecticut may soon be hit with a $500 fine, five times higher than the standing penalty. A bill that would raise the fine in an attempt to dissuade trucks from illegally driving on state parkways […]

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, which is based in Cincinnati and has jurisdiction over federal appeals arising from Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee, recently issued an opinion concerning issues relevant to motor carriers under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and the […]

By TCA Senior Director of Outreach & Engagement Marli Hall .Since 1973, the Truckload Carriers Association Scholarship Fund has been helping students with connections to the truckload industry. The Fund awards up to $6,250 per year, per full-time college student. Much of the program’s support comes from within the truckload family—companies and individuals who are […]

TCA Vice President of Government Affairs, Dave Heller and TCA Manager of Government Affairs, Kathryn Sanner IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK By TCA Senior Director of Outreach & Engagement Marli Hall It is not every day that you have the opportunity to do something truly great for others – something that is life-changing or even life-saving. These chances […]

IMAGE: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES Guest post by FreightWaves’ John Kingston Virginia has approved a plan to fund improvements on interstate 81 and other parts of the state after an earlier plan to put tolls on the road collapsed. The new financing plan involves a series of new taxes on diesel fuel and gasoline, some to be […]

Chris Henry, Program Manager, TCA Profitability Program IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK Although capacity has risen dramatically in the past six months, one fact remains unchanged: there is a shortage. However, that shortage is not a general driver shortage. It is a critical shortage of quality drivers. Survey any random group of carriers and drivers, and this fact […]

Chris Henry, Program Manager, TCA Profitability Program IMAGE: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES “You margin is my opportunity” —Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder and CEO Over the next month, we will be bringing forward the concept of disintermediation, and specifically the companies and market forces likely to lead disintermediation within trucking (some are already actively doing it). I should […]

Ashley Coker IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK A handful of trucking industry leaders will sit on the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) new Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee. The committee will draft recommendations on surface transportation security. The committee will consider topics like development, refinement and implementation of policies, programs, initiatives, rulemakings and security directives, according to a TSA […]

Ashley Coker Several markets across the Midwest are experiencing climbing freight volumes, evidenced by jumps in FreightWaves’ SONAR’s Outbound Tender Volume Index (OTVI) values. Cleveland, Indianapolis and Milwaukee saw some of the most significant increases. (IMAGE; FREIGHTWAVES’ SONAR) OTVI is an index of accepted outbound tender volumes on a given day. The index was created […]

PHOTO CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK Guest post by FreightWaves’ Chief Economisr Ibrahiim Bayaan Job growth rebounded nicely in March as employers added nearly 200,000 workers to payrolls during the month. This strength in hiring did not translate to the trucking industry however, where payrolls declined for the first time in nearly a year. The Bureau of Labor […]

PHOTO CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK by Ray J. Haight, TCA Retention Coach As I’m sure everyone is aware, this process cannot be successful by jumping around the different levels; each section is designed to build on the last. So far, in this series, we have established the groundwork, platform, safety focus, as well as communication and recognition […]

PHOTO CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK Guest post by FreightWaves’ John Gallagher A formal rulemaking likely will not be required to make permanent a federal demonstration project that seeks to assign proper blame for trucking accidents. The 24-month “Crash Preventability Demonstration Program” that was launched by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) in August 2017 will end […]

Ashley Coker IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK The employer in this case hired an independent payroll service provider to take over all the payroll tasks that would otherwise be performed by an internal payroll department. A former employee sued the employer and the payroll company on multiple claims, including breach of contract, negligence, and negligent misrepresentation.  The payroll […]

Ashley Coker IMAGE: PARKSLEY VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY Motorists were in a pinch after load of crabs spilled onto a Virginia street Saturday afternoon. The driver hauling the crabs ran off the roadway, then attempted to overcorrect, according to Hopeton, Virginia emergency responders. The driver had to be extricated from the truck, but he sustained only […]

Ashley Coker FREIGHTWAVES CEO CRAIG FULLER REACTS TO NEWS OF FIRST TRADE / IMAGE: JOSH RODEN, FREIGHTWAVES FreightWaves, in partnership with Nodal Exchange and DAT, launched the world’s first financially settled Trucking Freight Futures contracts at 9 a.m. Friday, March 29. The first trade came through within 20 minutes of opening, at 9:18 a.m. The […]

(SOURCE: SHUTTERSTOCK) By TCA Vice President of Government Affairs Dave Heller & TCA Manager of Government Affairs Kathryn Sanner As March comes to a close, the timeline for Congress to produce a viable infrastructure plan is getting shorter. Realistically, if a proposal is to pass through both the House and the Senate, then make its […]

Ashley Coker (SOURCE: SHUTTERSTOCK) With less than nine months to go before the ELD mandate’s full compliance phase kicks in, TCA Vice President of Government Affairs Dave Heller is urging fleets still utilizing AOBRDs to start making the transition sooner rather than later. During phase two of ELD mandate enforcement, fleets that installed AOBRDs before […]

Chris Henry, Program Manager, TCA Profitability Program (SOURCE: SHUTTERSTOCK) “Empowerment is not giving your people the ability to make decisions. Empowerment is the giving your people the ability to mistakes” – Steve Hitchcock, COO of Duncan and Son Lines The above quote got me thinking deeply about empowerment – true empowerment, which also requires a […]

Ashley Coker IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK Detention time has climbed over the last couple of months, in conjunction with a stabilizing freight market. FreightWaves’ SONAR shows a sharp decrease in outbound tender rejection rates compared to all of 2018. This indicates that carriers are being more compliant with their contracted rates and turning to the spot market […]

IMAGE: VVMF The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) presented awards to recognize the efforts of Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) members who volunteered their time and equipment to haul The Wall That Heals in 2018. The presentation was made by VVMF’s Director of Outreach Tim Tetz during TCA’s 81st Annual Convention at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort in […]

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK By TCA Retention Coach Ray Haight Recapping what we have learned so far from this series of articles would have us remember step one, which was creating a firm foundation for change starting with a commitment from the senior leadership. Step 2 was determining where you are in the marketplace for driver compensation […]

Ashley Coker IMAGE: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES Some highlights from this month’s J.D. Power Commercial Truck Guidelines industry update: Volume at auction on the rise The number of trucks sold at auction rose moderately in February, which the report called a “encouraging data point” for a month without many auctions on the calendar. Pricing trended lower, but […]

R. Eddie Wayland, TCA Legal Counsel IMAGE: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently issued an important decision related to the classification of workers as either employees or independent contractors under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The decision is important because it overrules changes made to the independent contractor analysis under the […]

IMAGE: JIM ALLEN/FREIGHTWAVES By Steve Hitchcock, COO of Duncan and Son Lines I’ve read a couple of books recently that made me happy: “Factfulness” by Hans Rosling and “Enlightenment Now” by Steven Pinker.  Each book flies in the face of the doom and gloom we see and read every day in our news and other […]

Brian Snell, a professional truck driver for Pottle’s Transportation of Hermon, Maine, has been named the 2018 Highway Angel of the Year by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) and its partner EpicVue. Snell was recognized during Tuesday’s general session at TCA’s 81st Annual Convention in Las Vegas. On June 8, 2018 at 2:15 a.m., the Snell […]

The overall winners were announced during TCA’s 81st Annual Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada on Monday, March 11.

One session at TCA’s 81st Annual Convention, dubbed “Helping Your Independent Contractors When You Can’t ‘Help’ Them,” examined how motor carriers can enhance the experience of the owner-operators they contract without putting the “arm’s length” relationship in jeopardy.

IMAGE: JIM ALLEN / FREIGHTWAVES Central Oregon Truck Company, Inc. of Redmond, Oregon, Searcy Specialized of Harrison, Ohio, and Meritor, Inc. of Kansas City, Missouri were recognized for their contributions to the 2018 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree during Sunday’s Communications & Image Policy Committee meeting at the Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) 81st Annual Convention in Las […]

Ashley Coker IMAGE: JIM ALLEN / FREIGHTWAVES TCA Retention Coach Ray Haight will speak at the National Recruiting and Retention Symposium in Ontario, Canada next month. The symposium, powered by TransRep, will focus on educating transportation industry leaders about recruitment, retention and human resources issues. “Drivers are most carriers’ number one issue,” Haight said. “Education […]