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.
Opinion: Small Carriers: The Tough Get Tougher
Industry insiders say the remainder of the year may continue to be tough for small carriers. The good news is that trucking continues to be America’s most important transportation mode, thanks to its flexibility and efficiency. As the economy grows, truck tonnage and available freight continue to increase, which presents many opportunities for trucking firms, large and small, to be successful.
May 25, 2015Editorial: The Economy Hits Pause
Congress and the administration still are struggling to do something more than absolutely nothing on a multiyear transportation plan, so consider the nation’s economy instead.
May 25, 2015Tonnage Growth Slows
The continued growth of truck tonnage stalled in April to the slowest pace in more than two years, rising only 1% over the same month a year earlier, American Trucking Associations reported.
May 25, 2015First Truck Platoons in United States Only a Few Years Away, Volvo Says
NEWPORT, R.I. — Advancements in connectivity will bring the first truck platoons to U.S. highways in the near future, paving the way for radical changes in the freight transportation network, executives with Volvo Group said.
May 25, 2015Amtrak Crash Sparks Further Debate About Infrastructure Funding Shortfall
WASHINGTON — President Obama and congressional Democrats said the deadly derailment of an Amtrak train in Philadelphia is a reminder that Congress should focus on restoring the country’s aging infrastructure.
May 25, 2015Roads, Bridges in Rural Areas Suffering From Same Woes as Cities, Group Reports
Rural communities are confronting the same infrastructure challenges as America’s larger cities, suffering with dilapidated roads and bridges, a report from a nonprofit transportation research group found.
May 25, 2015EPA Proposal on Insulation Raises Reefer-Sector Concern
A final U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulation expected this summer has generated significant concerns from suppliers to the refrigerated trucking sector, with the main worry being that a January 2017 rollout date is too soon.
May 25, 2015New Class 8 Registrations Up 13%; Total US Fleet Size Hits 3.82 Million
Initial registrations of new Class 8 trucks rose 13% in the first quarter compared with the same period last year but declined sequentially for the second straight quarter, IHS Automotive reported.
May 25, 2015Senate Sends Highway Fix to Obama for Approval
The Obama administration had expressed support for a measure the Senate passed May 23 that would extend funding authority for highway programs through July 31.
May 25, 2015Diesel Climbs 2.6¢ to $2.904, Spread With Gasoline Narrows
Diesel’s national average price rose for the fifth straight week, climbing 2.6 cents to $2.904 a gallon, the Department of Energy reported May 18.
May 25, 2015