Topic: Rail & Intermodal

The companies said that this service will give shippers what it called a “seamless, all-rail alternative for international containers” going from Canada’s West Coast gateways through Memphis and then into Nashville. And they added that by replacing the current trucking leg with a steel-wheel interchange, both carriers will be able to deliver faster, more reliable, and more sustainable supply chain offerings for their respective customers.

The United States Supreme Court said yesterday that it has agreed to hear arguments in regards to the legality of tariffs implemented by the White House under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), in the form of an expedited review set to begin in November.  

Logistics Management (LM) Group News Editor Jeff Berman recently spoke with Matt Muenster, Chief Economist for Green Bay, Wisc.-based Breakthrough, an innovator in transportation management, dedicated to creating transparent and fair strategies for the world’s leading shippers. Muenster provided Berman with an overview of trade and tariffs, the industrial economy, and Peak Season, among other topics. 

The August LMI reading, at 59.3, eked out a 0.1% gain over July’s 59.2.

Rail carloads, at 234,740, eked out a 0.6% annual gain, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 286,762 units, headed up 1.2% annually.

LM Group News Editor spoke with Larry Gross, President of Gross Transportation Consulting, on the state of the intermodal market.

It is hard to find a period in time in which supply chains have seen so much volatility and uncertainty, in various ways as over the last five years. That is nothing new, to be sure, but, at the same time, it does speak to the significance of the industry (whether you may be a shipper, carrier, 3PL, academic, analyst, lobbyist, or anything else along those lines).

Late last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a ruling, by a 7-4 margin, in which it stated the majority of the IEEPA (International Emergency Economic Powers Act) tariffs rolled out by the White House are illegal. Tariffs will remain temporarily in place until October 14, which will give the White House time to appeal its case to the Supreme Court.

The August PMI was 0.1% below the 12-month average of 48.8, with January’s 50.9 and October’s 46.9 marking the respective high and low readings for that period.

Rail carloads, at 229,783, eked out a 0.6% annual increase, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 282,500 units, fell 1.9% compared to the same week a year ago.

President Trump this week terminated Robert Primus from his position as Board Member of the Washington, D.C.-based Surface Transportation Board (STB), an independent adjudicatory and economic-regulatory agency charged by Congress with resolving railroad rate and service disputes and reviewing proposed railroad mergers, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

CSX and BNSF officials said that these new intermodal services will provide immediate value for customers in various ways, including increasing flexibility and optionality, while delivering integrated service for freight moving across the U.S.

Total July volume, at 1,595,728 units, increased 4.4% annually, following a 0.5% annual decline in June.

Rail carloads, at 228,884, fell 0.9% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 284,086 units, were down 0.6% annually.

Following a late July announcement in which the United States and the 27-nation bloc comprising the European Union, which collectively represents the largest trading partner for the U.S., announced they had come to terms on the framework of a large global trade deal, the parties said earlier today that they have agreed to additional details but are not yet at the finish line.

Earlier this month, activist investor Ancora Holdings LLC penned a letter to the Board of Directors at Jacksonville-based Class I railroad carrier CSX, in which it stated that CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs has put the company in the position of having to play “catch up,” following the recently-announced merger between Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern (NS).

July U.S. rail carloads, at 1,122,842, posted a 4.6% annual gain, for its fifth consecutive month of annual monthly gains, and July intermodal volume, at 1,350,873 units, increased 2.4% annually, following a 2.9% annual decline in June.

Following a 90-day pause rolled out in May, which was set to expire today, the White House said yesterday, in an Executive Order, that tariffs on United States-bound imports from China will remain at current levels for another 90 days, through November 10.

Discover the winners of Logistics Management's prestigious “42nd Annual Quest for Quality Awards,” honoring top performers in transportation and logistics services. This year's survey garnered over 3,017 responses, evaluating providers across key criteria like On-time Performance, Customer Service, and Information Technology.

Discover the winners of Logistics Management’s prestigious “42nd Annual Quest for Quality Awards,” honoring top performers in transportation and logistics services. This year’s survey garnered over 3,017 responses, evaluating providers across key criteria like On-time Performance, Customer Service, and Information Technology. Categories include motor carriers, railroads, ocean carriers, and more, reflecting LM’s commitment to excellence in service quality. Learn who stood out and what sets them apart in the logistics industry.