Trucking

Five local maritime and cargo companies that have taken extraordinary steps to improve air quality collected honors at the third annual San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan Air Quality Awards presented by the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

Even though various freight- and economic-related indices have lost steam in recent weeks, one which continues to chug along is the TransCore North American Freight Index.

Even though trucking capacity remains tight, an ongoing increase in Class 8 commercial vehicle orders and production remains strong, according to data released by ACT Research, a provider of data and analysis for trucks and other commercial vehicles.

Even though various metrics of late indicate the economy maybe slowing down, a recent decline in a transportation-focused economic survey does not necessarily make it so.

Steady economic improvement throughout the course of the second quarter paved the way for an excellent performance for trucking and intermodal services provider J.B. Hunt.

Penske Truck Leasing, a subsidiary of global transportation services provider Penske Corporation, said this week it has opened up a new facility in Tijuana, Mexico.

The market for Class 8 vehicles continues to show sustained strength, according to recent data from ACT Research, a provider of data and analysis for trucks and other commercial vehicles.

In a move designed to expand its services in the Midwest, less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services provider New England Motor Freight (NEMF) said this week it has opened up a new terminal in Toledo, Ohio.

The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today that its Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) fell 0.4 percent in May, following two months of sequential increases.

In the earlier stages of the downward economic trend of the past two years, analysts were initially reluctant to use the dreaded "r-word." But now it seems as if they’re equally wary about using another "r-word," but this time it’s "recovery." While the extent of the recovery remains uncertain, shippers will continue to be hit with rate increases across all modes.

Many trucking executives believe that we’re on the cusp of a steady, prolonged recovery with solid price increases to match. Analysts aren’t so sure. But nearly all agree that shippers should expect rate increases when their contracts expire, some in the 3-percent to 5-percent range. Here are the four issues that are now in the driver’s seat.