Indicators

Economic trends

Truck orders exceed 40K units for fourth consecutive month

Freight growth has pushed fleets to add capacity as fast as possible and OEMs and suppliers are wrestling to keep pace with surging demand.

February 2, 2021

Freight growth has pushed fleets to add capacity as fast as possible and OEMs and suppliers are wrestling to keep pace with the surging demand.

Avoid the spot market? Analysts weigh in on 2021 freight outlook

Analysts have offered a rosy outlook as the freight recovery that burgeoned in the back half of 2020 is expected to continue through at least the first half of 2021. One prominent analyst, however, foresees a cyclical slowdown.

January 20, 2021

Chris Pickett, of Pickett Research, foresees the current boom cycle fading early this year after the months-long acceleration in the second half of 2020: “If this cycle behaves in a way that is in any way similar to truckload cycles over the past 15 years, which I have no reason to think otherwise, I expect to see our peak by the first quarter of this year at the latest, if not the fourth quarter that we just wrapped up. And once we observe that turn in the year-over-year cycle, we can start planning for the subsequent collapse leading into the final deflationary leg of the cycle – before we start all over again.”

Economic trends

Three areas to watch in 2021

The virus, the economy and regulations: Here's what to look for in 2021.

January 19, 2021

2020 trailer orders beat 2019 levels

At current production levels, many OEMs could be fully-committed for 2021 production slots.

January 14, 2021

Year-end trailer orders have boosted backlogs from a low point in July during the throes of the pandemic.

Man vs. machine: Software battles empty miles and increases revenue

Trucking companies look to offset empty miles and increase profitability with efficient route planning software. Learn more here on Commercial Carrier Journal.

September 1, 2020

SMC3-Road-trip-slide-2020-08-31-22-45

The quest for rates transparency: How carriers can leverage data to come out ahead

Variables that shippers, 3PLs and carriers use for freight rates make it difficult, if not impossible, to price shipments like a commodity. See CCJ for details

July 17, 2020

During the turmoil of 2020, a number of shippers, carriers and 3PLs say they have not only survived but have used it as an opportunity to come out ahead.

When the free market and a pandemic collide: Is more oversight needed of trucking rates?

Freight markets have been volatile, but is more rate and cost transparency needed? Read CCJ to see how shippers, 3PLs and carriers are addressing this concern.

July 15, 2020

“When all this started we took a hit right off of the bat and about 50% of our work died off,” said Liberty Linehaul West president Greg Dubuque. “We’re lucky enough to have a few brokerage friends that are holding their rates where they need to, that understand the cost of running a truck up and down the road, and then there are those that really seem to be on the back side of price gouging.”

Loadsmart, BluJay integration gives shippers instantly bookable truck rates

The integration makes Loadsmart’s real-time, bookable rates appear in BluJay’s Transportation Management application.

April 8, 2020

LoadSmart developed algorithms that predict rates to offer shippers instant booking options for their freight.

Cheap diesel likely to undercut freight in oil sector, further depress truck orders

Cheaper diesel helps fleets on operating costs, but cheap oil prices could eat into already-sluggish freight in the oil sector and undercut truck orders.

April 8, 2020

diesel-fuel-price

Death of a salesman: New tech, data sources speed rate negotiations

Freight brokers and carriers use new tools and data sources to speed rate negotiations for spot and contract freight. See where the market is headed on CCJ.

April 3, 2020

A sales manager for ShipEx Logistics reviews lane pricing data from DAT and Truckstop.com

Bidding on time: New data may change how carriers price freight

Omnitracs plans to create a database of wait times by location where motor carriers can respond to bid requests (RFPs) using time and mileage. Details on CCJ.

March 26, 2020

Omnitracs channels data from ADAS technologies, electronic logging devices and more to trigger event records and video.

Indicators: ‘Dramatic highs, lows’ for freight activity and rates in January, says DAT

Spot market truckload rates got off to a strong start in January, says DAT in its monthly Truckload Volume Index report. But rates quickly chilled in the middle of the month, with prices for dry van and refrigerated loads dipping from December — despite increased volumes.

February 18, 2020

A new bill proposed in the California Senate would require more stringent emissions testing before registering or operating them in the state.

Diesel prices remain tame despite rising Mid East tension

The recent spat between the United States and Iran is not expected to impact retail diesel fuel prices in the U.S.

January 22, 2020

Fuel Stop-1774-2019-04-12-12-42

Growing renewable and biodiesel market could offset potential rise in diesel prices 2020

With ultra-low sulfur diesel prices projected to rise due to maritime diesel regulations, fleets are turning to alternative fuels like biodiesel. Details here.

January 12, 2020

REG-trucks-interstate

What’s on deck for diesel in 2020? Stability’s the forecast, with variables lurking

Sean Hill, an industry economist with EIA, says the biggest factor that could impact diesel prices in 2020 is the impending tightening of maritime diesel regulations by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the interaction of those impacts with EIA’s crude oil forecast.

December 19, 2019

Indicators: Manufacturing slowdown dials back tonnage, but uptick expected

Truck tonnage, a monthly measure of freight demand issued by the American Trucking Associations, dipped slightly in October from September, though tonnage was up from the same month last year.

November 22, 2019

11_11_19_-_TonnageRelease_Graphic-2019-11-22-09-06

Indicators: Slow-growth trucking likely to remain through next year

FTR forecasts trucking conditions to remain mostly neutral territory through 2020 and for trucking growth to remain limited through the end of next year.

October 14, 2019

EPA has said it will “revisit” emissions regulations related to trailers and glider kits that were finalized by the EPA last year.

September truck sales break 13 year U.S. record

The record activity was a surprise and even beat the previous record sales by 4% set back in December 2006. Find out more information here on CCJ.

October 9, 2019

truck_lot_orders

Page 1 of 49

With serial production of its electric eCascadia and eM2 set for next year, DTNA earlier this month unveiled Detroit electric ePowertrain.

Daimler, Cummins partnership puts writing on the wall for DD5, DD8 engines

DTNA will wind down production of its DD5, DD8 engines through medium-duty partnership with Cummins.

With COVID vaccine ‘peak season’ nigh, can trucking keep up with looming load demand?

Locomation is planning to initially roll out autonomous vehicle technology using a convoy.

Floodgates wide open for investment in trucking and logistics

Lack of load availability last spring -- and the cheap rates on the loads that were available -- were the prime contributing factor in the spike in carrier failures last year, said Donald Broughton, principal and managing partner of Broughton Capital.

Carrier failures mounted in '20, but so did new entrant carriers

Goodyear Introduces Tire Management, Improving Efficiency for Fleets

Goodyear Introduces Tire Management, Improving Efficiency for Fleets

Get all the info on the top 250 trucking companies in America

View, sort and download the trucking industry’s most comprehensive ranking of for-hire carriers in North America, based on a blend of metrics including fleet size, annual revenue and number of drivers.

Download The Definitive Guide To Managing Preventable Risk

Nuclear verdicts, billboard attorneys, truck accident fraudsters. Trucking companies highest priority - Managing preventable risk. This Mitigation Playbook explains why, before it's too late.