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.
Wheel Makers Use Coatings in Battle Against Corrosion
A tiny rock, de-icing material or salt and sand can start the process of turning a perfectly good wheel into a rust-covered embarrassment or, worse, a safety hazard. To prevent that from happening, motor carriers are using effective maintenance techniques, while manufacturers are producing more corrosion-resistant wheels.
Trailer Orders Top 35,000
September trailer orders of 35,952 marked the highest total this year, according to ACT Research.
Truckload Rate Growth Eases as Freight Demand Sputters
The recent strong growth in rates is slowing as freight demand wanes and capacity loosens, industry statistics show.
UPS 3Q Earnings Increase 3.5% on Stronger Base Freight Rates
UPS Inc. posted a 3.5% increase in third-quarter net income to $1.26 billion, compared with the same three months in 2014, even as quarterly revenue dipped by 0.4% to $14.24 billion.
Truckload Carriers Report Higher 3Q Profits; Cautious About Future Industry Conditions
Third-quarter earnings rose at several truckload carriers amid growing caution about future industry conditions.
Used Truck Prices Slump at Auctions, Analysts Say
A major auction of fleet-owned, model year 2012-2013 sleeper trucks in mid-September pulled in lower-than-expected prices and may have signaled the start of a market erosion, according to Chris Visser, an analyst with American Truck Dealers.
Cummins to Cut Workforce as Truck Engine Sales Fall
Engine maker Cummins Inc. said last week it would reduce its workforce by 2,000 employees, or about 4% of its global payroll, and close or restructure some manufacturing facilities as a result of lower demand for its products, including truck engines.
Texans Slated to Vote on Proposition 7, Which Provides $2.5 Billion for Roads
A year after overwhelmingly voting for Proposition 1, which devotes about $1.2 billion to the state’s highway fund, Texans will consider another transportation initiative, Proposition 7, when they go the polls on Nov. 3.
House Preps Highway Bill After 35th Funding Patch
A multiyear highway bill that would jump-start the process for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to reform its program that scores motor carriers on safety performance is likely to reach the House floor as early as this week.
Video: LiveOnWeb on Trucking's Future Leaders
Meet four young guns with the makeup to be among the future leaders of the trucking industry. Watch entire #LiveOnWeb program, or shorter individual interviews.
October 30, 2015