Spot truck demand solidly above seasonal in January. Weather-related disruptions across much of the US and an early Chinese New Year have exacerbated the changing domestic capacity dynamic, which is increasingly constrained given both increased regulatory headwinds and limited carrier fleet growth. Core pricing growth in 2014 across modes (TL, IM and LTL) is expected to […]
Making good on a State of the Union commitment, President Obama on Tuesday directed the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation to begin work on a new round of fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
Drivers must begin using doctors from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners May 21, per an update Feb. 12 from Larry Minor, the agency’s Associate Administrator for Policy.
A proposed rule establishing a Commercial Driver’s License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse was announced Feb. 12 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The rule will establish a database of CDL holders that have failed or refused a drug test and require carriers to upload such information and query the database when hiring drivers.
North American rail provider BNSF is planning to invest $5 billion in its network and services in 2014, around $1 billion more than last year’s spend. As part of its capital commitment programme for the year the company is spending $2.3 billion on core network and related assets and $1.6 billion on locomotive, freight car […]
Honda is renewing its contract with Yusen Logistics for inbound collection of material to its Swindon plant in the UK. Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM) appointed Yusen to handle inbound collections in 2011, supporting the production of the Honda Civic, CRV and Jazz at the Swindon plant.
Supply chain services provider UTi Worldwide has opened a 21,000-square-metre logistics facility in Romulus, near Detroit, Michigan that brings together contract logistics and freight forwarding services under one roof and serves both the automotive and high-tech industries.
The sentiment of fleet executives reflects positive trends in the overall economic climate as interest rates remain historically low and industrial production and manufacturing show signs of continued growth. However, there remain plenty of challenges facing carriers that are impeding – or halting altogether – their ability to grow.
The choice has become more critical since the cost of a new over-the-road tractor has climbed to well over $100,000 and a midrange truck can be $75,000 or more. Manufacturers blame the price increases on government safety and exhaust-emissions requirements, and on inflation of the costs of materials used in building the complex vehicles.
