Truckload carrier U.S. Xpress expects a hot freight market to carry through the end of the year but cautions consumer headwinds are mounting.
Sequentially, tractor growth is positive for the first time in more than a year, a sign the company cites as evidence the Variant initiative is succeeding.
Dustin Koehl, senior vice president of sales at U.S. Xpress, joins the show to discuss the company’s Variant Model fleet, its partnership with MIT, as well as Koehl’s work on ATA’s subcommittee on autonomous trucks.
More trucking heads weigh in on rate expectations for 2022. Following a sizable rate bump this year, it appears that rates could move considerably higher again next year.
Rate predictions for the truckload market are coming in earlier than in past years. High consumer demand along with a lack of drivers and equipment has industry participants calling for further increases.
A third-quarter outlook from truckload carrier U.S. Xpress sees volume and rate strength lasting throughout 2021. However, driver and supply chain labor challenges present risks.
USX’s CEO Fuller says Variant division is near the ‘inflection point’ for the new initiative having a bigger impact on profitability.
U.S. Xpress sees brokerage platform Xpress Technologies as a big part of the company’s digital overhaul.
Commentary from trucking executives at an investor conference suggests the capacity crunch may last well into next year.
Forget the autonomous trucking horse race, Wall Street and competitors are fixated on TuSimple’s “driver-out” pilot in Q4.
First-quarter earnings reports from truckload carriers highlight a booming freight market. A strong consumer, tight truck capacity and elevated rates appear the likely dynamics for the remainder of the year.
In today’s edition, we highlight a Biden administration thumbs-up to trucking’s role in electric vehicle expansion, an upcoming general strike at the Port of Montreal and more.
Variant is a company within a company that is being touted as the future of U.S. Xpress.
The company’s revenue rose but operating margins are higher; Variant targets are being met and revenue is 11.8% of total truckload.
TuSimple, the first autonomous vehicle software developer to go public, raised $1.1B at $40 per share, above the high-end of its estimated price..
Trucking companies cite safety concerns in their request to FMCSA to allow limited use of hair testing to screen for drugs.
The size of the Variant fleet reached 900 this week, ahead of schedule. CEO Fuller is touting improvement in OR of 2,000 bps when fully implemented.
In what amounted to an “encore,” the end of the Q&A didn’t mean an end to the discussion on Variant and its role in USX’s future.
Fuller: Variant initiative was 9.4% of truckload revenues in fourth quarter
An economic outlook report from truckload carrier U.S. Xpress calls for tight truckload dynamics to remain in place at least through the third quarter. The forecast calls for contractual rates to increase as high as 15% in the year.
