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.
Diesel Inches Ahead 0.4¢ to $3.975 Rising for Second Straight Week
The price of U.S. retail diesel rose by 0.4 cent to $3.975 a gallon, the second consecutive weekly increase after a five-week decline, the Department of Energy reported.
May 5, 2014Trucking Adds 6,800 Jobs in April; Unemployment Rate Drops to 6.3%
Trucking accounted for 6,800 of the 288,000 jobs added in April, and the unemployment rate dropped to 6.3%, the lowest level since September 2008, the Labor Department reported May 2.
May 2, 2014Westport Reports First-Quarter Loss
Westport Innovations, which makes natural-gas engines for trucking in a venture with Cummins Inc., reported a first-quarter loss. Revenue, however, rose 39%.
May 2, 2014Weekly US Intermodal Rail Traffic Rises 6.7%
U.S. rail intermodal traffic increased 6.7% in the week ended April 26 compared with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads reported.
May 2, 2014Factory Orders Rise 1.1% in March
Factory orders increased 1.1% in March, the Commerce Department reported May 2.
May 2, 2014XPO Loss Widens; Revenue Jumps
XPO Logistics Inc. reported a first-quarter loss that nearly doubled from the same period last year, as revenue rose at the company.
Tornadoes Hit Trucking Facilities in South
Several trucking facilities across the South were damaged by this week’s tornadoes.
FMCSA Crash-Fault Study Due Soon
A long-awaited Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration study looking at how federal regulators can assess fault for truck crashes on motor carrier Compliance, Safety, Accountability records has been completed, along with a peer review, and is expected to be released soon, a top agency official said.
Highway Congestion Cost Trucking $9.2 Billion Last Year, ATRI Says
Congestion on interstate highways cost the trucking industry more than $9.2 billion in operational costs last year, according to the American Transportation Research Institute.
YRC Worldwide’s 1Q Loss Widens
YRC Worldwide Inc. said May 1 its first-quarter loss nearly tripled due to factors such as winter weather and claims costs.