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.
Covenant Transport Raises Profit Outlook
Covenant Transport raised its profit outlook March 14 for the first quarter after freight revenue rose a better-than-expected 6.3% in the first couple of months of 2018.
Drivers Saw Modest Pay Raise in 2017
A study of nearly 20,000 truck company owner-operators found that the drivers on average earned a little more money in 2017 while driving slightly fewer miles. However, pay varied depending on what segment the driver worked: dry-van, refrigerated, flatbed or as an independent who worked in one or more segments.
Fleet Managers Need Solid Grasp of Technology as Well as Knowing How to Fix Trucks, Exec Says
ATLANTA — Whether part of the older or younger crowd, today’s fleet maintenance managers and executives must have skills that blend the essential, basic knowledge of fixing trucks with a solid grasp of technology and data in order to survive and thrive, an industry executive said.
Natural Gas Vehicles Group Asks Congress for Fuel Tax Credit Extension
Daniel Gage, president of National Gas Vehicles for America, asked lawmakers March 14 for a five-year extension of alternative fuel tax credits and the alternative fueling infrastructure credit.
‘Rapid-Fire’ E-Commerce Demands Better Neighborhood Roads, C.H. Robinson Exec Says
The prevalence of e-commerce will intensify the need for good neighborhood roads in addition to well-fortified interstates, according to an executive with third-party logistics provider C.H. Robinson.
‘Outrageous Overcharging’ on the Rise for Towing Crashed Trucks, ATA Survey Shows
Reports of “outrageous overcharging” for non-consensual towing of damaged heavy-duty trucks and trailers removed from crash scenes are on the rise in some states, according to a recent survey by American Trucking Associations.
Key Departures at the White House Raise the Risk of a Trade War
President Donald Trump’s push for import tariffs and the recent White House personnel upheaval increase the chance of a global trade war — and traders need to stay alert, because the end result could be the reappearance of inflation, according to at least one market analyst.
Exhibitors, Drivers Ready to Network During MATS
The annual Mid-America Trucking Show will open its doors March 22-24, offering attendees three days to peruse exhibits of trucking equipment and technology, attend seminars on industry issues and enjoy a variety of entertainment.
Trucking Moves America Forward Celebrates $1.1 Mln. in 2017 Donations
An industrywide effort to promote a positive image for trucking raised $1.1 million in donations in 2017, the group’s leadership said at a March 14 news conference.
SoCal Ports Set February Volume Records in Another Sign of Humming Economy
In another sign that the U.S. economy is doing well, officials at the Port of Los Angeles and the nearby Port of Long Beach, Calif., said February was a record month for shipping goods in and out of the biggest ports in the United States.