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.
Tractor Aerodynamics Continue to Improve
Comparatively speaking, today’s over-the-road tractors are slick machines.Improved aerodynamics enables them to slide through the air better than any earlier generation while offering the potential for double-digit improvements in fuel efficiency.
Ag Industry, Ports Adjusting to Fast-Changing Landscape
WASHINGTON — The agricultural industry and the ports that serve it are simultaneously working to respond to an evolving business landscape that includes everything from making room at East Coast ports for Neopanamax containerships to serving overseas demand for fresh fish, industry experts said here.
Discussions on Highway Trust Fund Fix Ongoing, White House Official Says
WASHINGTON — With President Donald Trump declaring infrastructure funding a legislative priority for 2018, the White House and congressional leaders are focused on a long-term fix for the Highway Trust Fund, a White House official said Jan. 8.
Researchers Tout Benefits of Truck Parking Detection Technology
WASHINGTON — Truck-counting devices are valuable tools in the effort to ensure that carriers have places to park, according to Wei Sun, a researcher at University of Florida’s Transportation Institute.
Diesel Climbs Again, Rises 2.3¢ to $2.996 a Gallon
The U.S. average retail price for diesel jumped 2.3 cents to $2.996 cents a gallon, the U.S. Department of Energy reported, while crude hovered near $62 a barrel amid political tensions in Iran and a decline in active U.S. oil wells.
January 8, 2018New York Republican Peter King Supports Pension Bill
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D) and Rep. Peter King (R) of New York announced their support for the Butch Lewis Act as an effort to save troubled multiemployer pensions such as the Central States Pension Fund and the New York State Teamsters Conference and Retirement Fund.
States Embrace New Planning Methods for Corridor Projects
WASHINGTON — The Washington State Department of Transportation is in the process of mapping out performance goals and maintenance needs for all 304 of the state’s highway corridors.
Consumer Credit Jumped in November by Most Since 2001
U.S. consumer credit outstanding rose in November by the most in 16 years as credit-card balances surged, Federal Reserve data showed Jan. 8.
Capitol Agenda for the Week of Jan. 8: Infrastructure on the Horizon
Infrastructure will be this year’s top legislative priority for Republicans, if President Donald Trump gets his way. Fresh off a major win on tax reform, the Builder-in-Chief is eager to work his dealmaking skills and have Republican leaders send him a $1 trillion, 10-year funding proposal. Here's a look at the week ahead for trucking on Capitol Hill.
Off-Site Chassis, Container Operations Can Improve Efficiency, Research Says
While it might seem counterintuitive on the surface, truck drivers are more efficient when some container and chassis operations are moved away from the main terminal, according to research unveiled at the Transportation Research Board.