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.
Consumer Confidence Just Hit Its Highest Level in Almost 17 Years
U.S. consumer confidence rose more than expected in October to the highest in almost 17 years as Americans grew more confident about the economy and job market, according to figures Oct. 31 from the New York-based Conference Board.
October 31, 2017Home-Price Gains in 20 US Cities Showed Acceleration in August
Home-price gains in 20 U.S. cities accelerated in August amid tight inventories and steady economic growth, figures from S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller showed Oct. 31.
Employment Costs Pick Up on Faster Wage Gains at Factories
U.S. employment costs picked up in the third quarter from the previous three months, helped in part by faster wage gains in manufacturing, the Labor Department said Oct. 31.
Waymo 'Really Close' to Putting Customers in Self-Driving Cars
Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo unit demonstrated a self-driving minivan with no one behind the wheel, declaring the vehicle as ready for public use.
Norfolk Southern Sues Over Millions of Rail Ties It Calls Defective
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern Railway has filed a federal lawsuit against an Alabama company, claiming the company failed to use proper protective coating on more than 4.7 million wooden railroad ties.
N.Y. Teamsters Hoping UPS Can Secure Loans to Shore Up Pension Fund
ALBANY, N.Y. — October is the first month thousands of retired upstate New York Teamsters will feel the hit from a 29% cut in their monthly pension checks.
Diesel Climbs to Highest Price in More Than Two Years
The U.S. average retail price of diesel increased 2.2 cents to $2.819 a gallon — the highest price in more than two years — as oil prices rallied on speculation production cuts will continue into 2018 following a meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries in November.
Daimler Steps Up Electric Truck Rollout as Tesla Rivalry Looms
Daimler AG is stepping up plans to roll out electric-powered trucks as the world’s largest maker of commercial vehicles seeks to fend off newcomers like Tesla Inc. and Deutsche Post AG.
Capitol Agenda for the Week of Oct. 30: Jersey Boys
Ray Martinez, President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, will appear on Capitol Hill on Halloween to endure a battery of questions from senators on the Commerce panel. Here's the week ahead for trucking on Capitol Hill.
Longhaul Trucker Chronicles Life on the Road in Book
Finn Murphy, 59, was groomed to be a college graduate. But when Murphy should have been a senior, he quit college to become a truck driver. Murphy is called a “bedbugger” for being a long-distance mover. He has chronicled his moving tales in a book, “The Long Haul: A Trucker’s Tales of Life on the Road.”