Breaking down the benefits: Fleets welcome final HOS rule

Proponents of the FMCSA's final rule tout the flexibility it gives drivers, which is all the more important during pandemic-driven uncertainty.

By Amanda Loudin • June 1, 2020

Hirschbach moves all training online, spurred by the pandemic

The switch to digital hiring and training is made easier because the fleet usually hires drivers with experience on the road and a CDL ready to use.

By Jim Stinson • May 29, 2020

Regulatory hurdles stand between drones and trucks working together in the last mile

A hybrid system diverts workload away from a driver, allowing fleets and drones to deliver in tandem, according to MIT research.

By Morgan Forde • May 29, 2020

Diesel stops 19-week slide after fleets contend with historic low oil prices

As diesel prices rise, fleets will likely make more aggressive use of added technology and aerodynamics to control diesel costs, which is usually a fleet's second-largest expense.

By Jim Stinson • May 27, 2020

Cross-border fleets grapple with downshift in US-Mexico activity

Tumbling oil prices and manufacturing shutdowns have slowed truck traffic at the border, leaving fleets with no clear path of what comes next. 

By Jen A. Miller • May 26, 2020

Truck stocks strengthen as market conditions improve

After the trucking industry endured conditions in April that one analyst described as "worst of the worst," focus is shifting to recovery.

By S.L. Fuller • May 25, 2020

Coyote: Trucking recovery to begin in 2021 with inflationary spot market

A downturn in capacity, as shipper demand recovers, will exacerbate the difference between spot and contract pricing.

By Jim Stinson • May 22, 2020

Truck movement increases with help from CPG, food volumes

FourKites' Glenn Koepke warned fleets should not expect sudden jumps in loads, and industrial volumes will likely remain down through Q3. 

By Shefali Kapadia • May 20, 2020

April tonnage shrinks, but seasonal work nudges rates up

Spot truckload rates are getting healthier, especially in produce regions where harvests are hitting supply chains.

By Jim Stinson • May 20, 2020

FedEx, Microsoft partner on 'near-real-time' parcel tracking

The first product from the partnership, FedEx Surround, traces parcels at the ZIP code level. 

By S.L. Fuller • May 19, 2020

PS Logistics buys Comcar’s CT Transportation as carrier files for bankruptcy

As the economy wobbles, some carriers with cash court distressed competitors.

By Jim Stinson • Updated June 30, 2020

Cass: April volume hits 'recessionary levels,' capacity cuts remain open question

Expenditures fell less than shipments, indicating the volume moving was higher revenue per shipment as a result of longer hauls, according to Cass.

By Matt Leonard • May 18, 2020

FTR: Trucking market hits lowest point, long road to recovery ahead

Analysts expect incremental improvements to the market that will vary by industry and geography.

By Jim Stinson • May 15, 2020

YRC troubles increase as Stifel suspends estimate, ratings

As YRC struggles to attain profitability, analysts expect LTL competitors to gain from the carrier's woes.

By Jim Stinson • May 14, 2020

Dynamic route planning becomes the new norm

Fleets are leaning on software and route optimization strategies to manage volatile volumes during the pandemic.

By Amanda Loudin • May 14, 2020

Low truck rates factor into Union Pacific's cold chain shutdown

The coronavirus has caused rates on the trucking spot market to fall, making it difficult for rail companies to compete.

By Matt Leonard • May 13, 2020

Coronavirus hits Michigan freight movement hardest, Inrix finds

The corridor from Michigan to Texas has the lion's share of North America's automotive assembly plants and their 1,000 suppliers. Production shutdowns caused major freight changes in the central part of the U.S.

By Jim Stinson • May 13, 2020

YRC seeks better cash position as crisis cuts volumes

The coronavirus arrived when the company was already navigating weaker industrial markets.

By Jim Stinson • May 12, 2020

Preparing for hurricane season during a pandemic

Prioritizing worker safety, reviewing insurance policies and having supply chain visibility will help fleets prepare for the two risk events, experts say.

By Jen A. Miller • May 12, 2020

How did carriers fare in Q1? A roundup of top fleets' earnings results

The first quarter of 2020 painted an early picture of the coronavirus crisis' effects on the North American trucking market.

By Shefali Kapadia • Updated May 12, 2020

Amazon Freight expands to 48 states, furthering control of its logistics network

The majority of carriers and brokers viewed Amazon's entry to freight hauling negatively, fearing it would push down dry van spot rates. 

By Jim Stinson • May 7, 2020

Plunging diesel prices offer fleets relief — but it may not last

Trucking experts don't see diesel offsetting costs long term because it's always a cycle, and low diesel consumption indicates freight volumes are slowing. 

By Jim Stinson • May 7, 2020

XPO CEO: E-commerce 'saved us in April'

The company expects some coronavirus-driven consumer habits to continue after the pandemic, XPO CEO Bradley Jacobs said.

By Matt Leonard • May 6, 2020

Trucking demand craters, rates follow

Spot rates fell across reefer, flatbed and van in April, but analysts expect a swing back to a carrier's market heading into 2021. 

By Matt Leonard • May 6, 2020

7 charts show how coronavirus spikes and dips US truck activity

From panic-buying to closed state economies, the pandemic has taken the trucking industry on a roller coaster ride.

By S.L. Fuller • May 5, 2020