Business
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.
Universal Expands Drayage Business With Purchase of Specialized Rail Service
Universal Logistics Holdings expanded its intermodal drayage business in the western United States with the purchase of Specialized Rail Service Inc. for $12.3 million.
October 15, 2018USPS Proposes Price Hike for Parcel Packages, Stamps
The sticker price of parcel packages and first-class stamps will rise if the U.S. Postal Service has its way, with delivery prices for packages weighing more than one pound increasing 9.3%.
October 12, 2018Tesla Model 3 Output Tops 100,000 in Milestone for Musk
Tesla Inc. just reached a significant round-number milestone: 100,000 Model 3 electric cars have left the factory, according to the latest estimates from the Bloomberg tracker.
Greenbriar Acquires Telematics Firm Spireon From Bertram Capital
Bertram Capital announced the sale of Spireon Inc., a fast-growing truck and trailer telematics provider, to Greenbriar Equity Group, a handoff welcomed by Spireon CEO Kevin Weiss as a way to expand the business further.
Consumer Sentiment Eased in October; Level Remains ‘Quite Favorable’
U.S. consumer sentiment unexpectedly dipped in October to a still-elevated level amid slightly dimmer views of personal finances and the long-term economic outlook, according to a University of Michigan report Oct. 12.
Class 6 Strength Lifts Medium-Duty Sales in September
U.S. retail sales of medium-duty trucks overall nudged higher in September, led by Class 6, the only sector to improve, WardsAuto.com reported.
Trade War Drives Farmers to Corn as China Shuns US Soybeans
President Donald Trump’s trade war with China is set to prompt a shift in the U.S. farm industry as growers switch to other crops.
China Trade Surplus With US Widens to Record $34.1 Billion
BEIJING — China’s trade surplus with the United States widened to a record $34.1 billion in September as exports to the American market rose by 13% over a year earlier despite a worsening tariff war.
Editorial: Making Life Easier on the Road
It’s no secret that finding and retaining good truck drivers is a challenge for fleets, but recent reporting has taught us that there are simple options for improving drivers’ quality of life on the road.
October 11, 2018Grammer Industries Looks to Expand After Buyout by Stellex Capital Management
The family of Charles “Shorty” Whittington and a group of top executives at Grammer Industries Inc. have teamed with Stellex Capital Management to acquire the bulk chemical hauler from another investment firm, Linx Partners.