2016: Hours of service, inspection blitzes steal the show

According to the responses to the monthly CCJ MarketPulse surveys, it seemed the trucking industry was stuck in the mud for much of 2016. Business conditions were soft based on monthly comparisons on a year-over-year basis, freight volumes were stagnant, and freight prices never gained any traction.

Speaking of mud, there was no shortage slung in the presidential primary and general elections that seemed to drag out ad nauseam. Depending on what side of the fence your political persuasions lie, 2017 could shape up to be a good year for trucking. Survey respondents are overwhelmingly optimistic that a four-year respite from burdensome new regulations is in the offing, and there’s hope the electronic logging device mandate at yearend will lead to a better freight rate environment as shippers look to lock in capacity.

But before we get ahead of ourselves on what the new year might bring, let’s pause and take a look back at the top 10 stories that led the year in 2016 based on the number of page views at CCJDigital.com. Scroll through the gallery below to see the year’s most popular stories.