Two economic reports released Nov. 29 brought some optimistic signs that the transportation and warehousing industries might be recovering from the problems of earlier in 2016, industry experts said.

Shippers of bulk freight expect prices to rise on railroads next year, but they could have greater control in contract negotiations because of competition from trucking with intermodal rail, according to a Nov. 16 report from RBC Capital Markets.

Two months after UPS Inc. announced that it would raise rates next year, the company stated it will add a price hike through changes to the dimensional weight calculation for North American parcels and freight effective Jan. 8.

Truck tonnage sagged 0.9% in October versus one year ago, the second consecutive decline in the American Trucking Associations monthly index in 2016, despite other positive economic numbers in the retail, manufacturing and industrial sectors.

Airline maintenance technicians and other employees who service UPS Inc. aircraft have voted to authorize a strike after three years of contract talks. The vote does not indicate a strike is imminent but is meant to increase pressure in negotiations. Teamsters Local 2727 made the announcement Nov. 14 in a move that has little practical effect for the holiday season.

October was a great month at several of the top ports in the United States and a record-breaking one at the biggest port, according to newly released monthly numbers on Nov. 14.

Intermodal volumes declined in the third quarter because truck prices are lower than a year ago and that has diverted business away from railroads, the Intermodal Association of North America reported.