Steel prices declined significantly in 2019—not good for steel producers and distributors or for the trucking companies that deliver their products, said Jim Berg, president of Jim Berg Trucking, in remarks last week at the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Trucking is a highly fragmented market, dominated by small companies […]
For-Hire Truck Tonnage rose 0.1 percent in January to 117.4. The January increase follows a 0.5 percent increase in December, reports the American Trucking Association. “Over the last two months, the tonnage index has increased 0.6 percent, which is obviously good news” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “However, after our annual revision, it is […]
The Port of Cleveland saw a significant decline in imports from Europe in 2019 due to tariffs and supply line disruptions. An increase in shipments from Canada, however, drove a 9 percent overall increase in cargo for the year. “Our European, cross-Atlantic imports were down approximately 35 percent, and our primary import from Europe is […]
The U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index, a quarterly analysis of freight volumes and spending, fell 4.0 percent in the fourth quarter after gaining a total of 10 percent in the second and third quarters. Both volumes and spending dropped during the quarter due to weaker economic activity and impacts from the international trade market. The […]
The trucking industry reported a “choppy” year for truck tonnage. The American Trucking Association’s advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased for the 10th year in 2019, but at only half the gain realized in 2018. The index was up 3.3 percent compared to 6.7 percent in 2018. The SA December Index rose 4.0 […]
The International Chamber of Commerce’s new 2020 Incoterms took effect on Jan. 1. Incoterms stands for “international commercial terms,” the essential terms buyers and sellers use when making transactions around the world. Common acronyms like FOB (Free on Board) or DAP (Delivered at Place) are standardized terminology that helps to facilitate the import and export […]
Another shipping season on the Great Lakes is drawing to a close. Lake carriers are busy moving coal and ore to steel mills in the region to build stocks for the winter before heavy ice overtakes the lakes. The Soo Locks and St. Lawrence Seaway are scheduled to close for the season on Jan. 15. […]
A tentative deal between the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference and Canadian National Railway will bring an end to a weeklong strike by 3,200 conductors and railyard workers. CN said workers will return to work beginning on Tuesday and normal operations should resume by Wednesday morning. Details of the agreement will not be available until members have […]
A strike by 3,200 Teamster union employees at Canadian National Railway is causing disruption in both Canada and the U.S. Now in its sixth day, with no end in sight, a shortage of propane is imminent for Ontario and Quebec as well as delays to shipping across the manufacturing industry. CN transports more than CAD […]
Four U.S. railroad companies have been accused of price-fixing by more than two dozen companies including steel producers AK Steel and North Star Bluescope. On Sept. 30, more than two dozen lawsuits were filed against BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific claiming the rail carriers conspired to set rate-based fuel surcharges that increased rates […]
The trucking barometer is not pointing toward a recession, says the American Trucking Association, citing its latest For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index. The August index declined 3.2 percent to a reading of 118.3 after climbing 6.2 percent in July. Compared to a year ago, the seasonally adjusted index was up 4.1 percent and gained 4.3 percent […]
Hurricanes are a yearly occurrence for the southern U.S., taking huge tolls on property and lives and causing major disruption for the shipping industry. Hurricane Dorian, still churning its way up the East Coast, is the latest example. In preparation for Hurricane Dorian, Florida manufacturers rushed to get goods shipped North and out of flood […]
The trucking and railroad industry shared a stage on Monday at the SMU Steel Summit. James Burg, president of James Burg Trucking Company, and Jim Schaaf, group vice president of metals and construction at Norfolk Southern, talked about the challenges facing their industries. Trucking Tribulations The trucking industry employs approximately 7.3 million people, 3.9 million […]
Canadian ports in the Pacific Northwest have benefited from the U.S. trade war with China. Vancouver and Prince Rupert have seen combined market share for regional imports and exports increase from 59 percent in 2014 to 62.3 percent in the first half of 2019, according to JOC.com. The port at Seattle-Tacoma saw exports from the […]
Truckload volumes were a disappointment in May, said DAT Solutions in their monthly report. Truckload volumes for van trailers, which haul about 70 percent of all truckload freight, declined 12 percent from April and were down 10 percent year-over year. Volume for flatbed trucks that haul steel, heavy machinery and construction material declined 9.3 percent […]
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking comments on a potential trial program that would allow drivers age 18 to 20 to operate commercial vehicles for interstate commerce. The FMCSA already has a pilot program for former military drivers under the age of 21 and expanding the program would increase the potential labor pool […]
Youngstown flatbed trucking company Falcon Transport announced it is ceasing operations immediately. The estimated 550 employees of the 114 year old company received emails or text messages on Saturday night that Falcon Transport is no longer in business. Drivers and office staff were sent the following note: “All Falcon Employees: We regret to inform you […]
Interlake Steamship Company has partnered with Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding to build the first U.S.-flagged Great Lakes bulk carrier in more than 35 years. “It’s being built with a lot of steel from Great Lakes steel mills to carry the products that help to do just that,” said Interlake Steamship President Mark Barker in remarks to […]
What could you do with 42 hours? That is how long the average commuter sits in traffic each year due to the deteriorating state of our nation’s roads and bridges, says the American Trucking Association. ATA has launched a new media and advocacy campaign that highlights the personal toll our failing infrastructure has on our […]
The U.S. Coast Guard commenced ice breaking on the lower St. Mary’s River last week in preparation for the 2019 Great Lakes shipping season and opening of the Soo Locks on March 25. The USCG will begin ice breaking operations in Sturgeon Bay on Friday. A tug and barge docked in Cleveland on Tuesday, ahead […]
The Soo Locks are scheduled to reopen on March 25 to begin the new shipping season on the Great Lakes. The last vessel through the locks was the Canadian bulk-carrier Manitoulin headed for Essar Steel on Jan. 15. The locks are currently closed for maintenance prior to the start of the 2019-20 season. During the […]
U.S. ports reported a record year for cargo volume in 2018. The Port of Los Angeles broke its all-time cargo record for the third time in a row, moving 9,458,749 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units the size of a container), a 1.2 percent increase from 2017. The Port of New Orleans reported a new record and a […]
Truckload capacity eased following the holidays, reducing average rates for dry van, reefers and flatbed trucks. DAT Trendlines reports the national load-to-truck ratio fell from 33.7 to 25.1 loads per truck in the week Jan. 6 through Jan. 12. Flatbed rates came down four cents to a national average rate of $2.42 per mile during […]
The Christmas holidays slowed freight movement last week, as expected, but shippers still scrambled to find available trucks. A capacity crunch set load-to-truck ratios soaring and increased rates for dry van, refrigerated and flatbed freight. DAT Trendlines reports the flatbed ratio rose to 26.1 loads-per-truck from 19.5 the previous week. National flatbed rates increased by […]
Tariffs are turning out to be a boon for U.S. ports, at least temporarily, as retailers and manufacturers rush to get products to the U.S. before new tariffs on China go into effect in January. Ports reported record cargo volumes in the past few months. The Port of Los Angeles set a cargo handling record […]
The first major winter storm of the 2018-2019 season is currently making its way up the East Coast, which means it is time to start thinking about the navigation on the Great Lakes. Right now, iron ore and coal ships are busy supplying steel mills in the Great Lakes region with enough inventory for the […]
Class 8 truck orders rose in October, reaching 43,000 units for the 10th best month ever. Orders were up 2 percent from September and 19 percent from a year ago. Robust freight volumes have kept truck capacity utilization tight, driving stronger build rates for new vehicles. “October is traditionally the start of the next year’s […]
Damage from Hurricane Michael will result in trucking delays in the Southeast, at least for the short-term. Emergency declarations are in effect for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Some regulations will be suspended for trucks assisting with emergency relief, including hours of service restrictions while providing assistance in the […]
Hurricane Florence is expected to take a toll on shipments from the Carolinas and Virginia. In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, trucks were in short supply for regular freight shipments as many were diverted to the storm-affected areas to help with recovery efforts. If Florence causes similar damage, that scenario could be repeated. Truckload spot […]
The American Trucking Association forecasts that total freight volumes will increase by 4.2 percent to nearly 16 billion tons in 2018. Over the next decade, freight volumes will jump by 35.6 percent to 21.7 billion tons. The newly released ATA Freight Forecast 2018 to 2029 also anticipates that truck volumes will grow 2.3 percent per […]