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

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Trucking Dive

These five stories detail the top trends and issues facing the trucking and transportation industry. 

By Trucking Dive staff

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

117 trucking groups push for temporary excise tax repeal in next round of federal relief

Because the FET is part of the Highway Trust Fund, any suspension of the tax is bound to come up in talks over an infrastructure bill.

By Jim Stinson • April 30, 2020

Daimler expected normalization of the truck market in Q1, and then came coronavirus

OEMs already anticipated lower production, because fleets had bought so many units during the freight boom of 2017-2018. 

By Jim Stinson • April 30, 2020

Schneider's Q1 benefits from dropping last-mile service

The carrier is seeing signs of the economy beginning to recover, CEO Mark Rourke said.

By Jim Stinson • April 30, 2020

Werner's early bet on retail and food pays off in Q1

The carrier used criteria developed by major credit rating agencies to assess industries' risks and classified its 100 largest customers into categories of low risk, moderate risk and high risk.

By Jim Stinson • April 29, 2020

UPS Freight takes $10M hit from coronavirus, sees slight rebound in Asia

International air freight tonnage rebounded in March and was up more than 15%, "primarily on Asia outbound lanes, as the China recovery took hold," UPS' CFO said.

By Jim Stinson • April 29, 2020

20K signatures: Calls grow for targeted federal relief

A KeepTruckin petition calls for targeted economic relief for insurance and truck payment costs, as officials warn of a "freight cliff" that could leave small carriers with inadequate liquidity to survive past the coronavirus crisis. 

By Jim Stinson • April 28, 2020

FourKites: Data can help prepare for delays as New York City dwell times surge

Although the data is available, fleets are still in the process of transitioning to artificial intelligence to sort through the incoming gigabytes of information per hour, and make simple recommendations to drivers and dispatch offices.   

By Jim Stinson • April 27, 2020

Volvo to restart production at 'low levels' as OEMs face slumping market

Fleets are hitting pause on buying during the coronavirus pandemic, meaning truck manufacturers have to manage a new, troublesome environment.

By Jim Stinson • April 27, 2020

Coca-Cola reports border bottlenecks, touts localized supply chain to keep products flowing

As health screenings and policy changes slow traffic at border crossings around the world, Coca-Cola's ingredients are facing delays en route to plants.

By Emma Cosgrove • April 27, 2020

Knight-Swift's essential goods mix up to 72% in Q1

Experts are unsure essential goods are the tide that will lift trucking during the pandemic, because food, paper products and other items are only so much of the freight market.

By Jim Stinson • April 23, 2020