Business

About Business News...

Transport Topics business coverage focuses on the financial, economic, and commercial aspects of the modern freight business. Looking at both the microeconomic and macroeconomic forces shaping bottom lines, the news in this category includes labor news, jobs reports, tonnage and sales indicators, operations analysis, money and banking, mergers, acquisitions, e-commerce, bankruptcy, insurance issues, and more.

Government, Business

Retail Sales Rose 1.9% in September, the Fifth Consecutive Month of Growth

NEW YORK — Retail sales in the U.S. rose 1.9% in September, the 5th consecutive month of growth.

Joseph Pisani | Associated Press
October 16, 2020
Business, Technology, Fuel

Nikola Shares Plunge After CEO Says Startup Can Go It Alone

Nikola Corp. CEO Mark Russell sees a path ahead for his company even if the embattled electric-truck startup is unable to come to terms with General Motors Co. on a proposed strategic partnership.

Ed Ludlow | Bloomberg News
October 16, 2020
Government, Business, Technology, Fuel, Autonomous

GM’s Cruise Unit OK’d for Automated Tests in San Francisco

General Motors Co.’s Cruise unit will be allowed to test autonomous vehicles on public roads in San Francisco without a safety driver, joining Amazon .com Inc.-backed Zoox Inc. and a handful of other self-driving startups.

Ed Ludlow | Bloomberg News
October 15, 2020
Business, Equipment

September Trailer Orders Surge Past 50,000

U.S. trailer orders in September went through the roof — preliminarily clearing 50,000 — to reach the third-highest monthly total ever, analysts said.

Roger Gilroy | Senior Reporter
October 15, 2020
Business, Technology, Equipment, Fuel, TCA

Bollinger Motors to Build Battery Packs for Its Electric Trucks

Oak Park, Mich.-based electric-vehicle startup Bollinger Motors on Oct. 15 said it will produce its own battery packs for its vehicles according to a new design it developed and for which it has submitted a patent.

Breana Noble | The Detroit News
October 15, 2020
Government, Business

COVID-19 Relief Bill on Senate Floor Week of Oct.19, McConnell Says

An emergency funding measure aimed at small businesses and sectors affected by the pandemic is expected to reach the floor of the U.S. Senate the week of Oct. 19, the chamber’s leader recently indicated.

Eugene Mulero | Senior Reporter
October 15, 2020
Government, Business, Fuel

Appellate Court Overturns Convictions of Former Pilot President, Two Executives

A federal appellate court has overturned the fraud convictions of former Pilot Flying J President Mark Hazelwood and two ex-Pilot sales executives on the grounds that a lower federal court permitted use of evidence that should not have been admitted.

Eric Miller | Senior Reporter
October 15, 2020
Government, Business, Technology, Equipment

Fiat Chrysler to Invest Up to $1.1 Billion in Canadian Plants

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV agreed to invest as much as $1.1 billion (C$ 1.5 billion) in one of its two assembly plants in Canada as part of a tentative agreement reached with more than 9,000 local autoworkers.

October 15, 2020
Government, Business

Stimulus Looks Doomed by Parties’ Divergent Goals

Even with the U.S. still reeling from the coronavirus pandemic, Washington fell short in delivering more stimulus before the election, whipsawed by President Donald Trump and hobbled by the diverging agendas of the top Republican and Democrat in Congress. Now, voters will help decide what happens next.

October 15, 2020
Government, Business

Layoffs Remain Elevated as 898,000 Seek Jobless Aid

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose the week of Oct. 5 to 898,000, a historically high number and evidence that layoffs remain a hindrance to the economy’s recovery from the pandemic recession that erupted seven months ago.

Christopher Rugaber | Associated Press
October 15, 2020