Business

About Business News...

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.

Government, Business

Oil Falls Below $70 a Barrel

Oil prices continued their recent downturn, falling to below $70 a barrel and marking the lowest level in more than a year as worldwide demand continued to contract in the face of economic uncertainty, news services reported.

October 17, 2008
Government, Business, Safety, Fuel

Opinion: The Challenges Facing Trucking

People often ask me how it is that, as a farmer, I stumbled into trucking. I grew up involved in the day-to-day operations of my family’s Indiana farm, but in 1972, I decided it was time to devote my energies to agribusiness.

October 17, 2008
Government, Business, Safety

USA Truck’s Third-Quarter Income Improves

Truckload carrier USA Truck said Thursday its third-quarter profit jumped to $2.4 million, or 23 cents a share, from $16,000, or zero cents, a year ago.

October 16, 2008
Business, Technology, Equipment, Safety

Landstar’s 3Q Profit, Revenue Rise

Truckload carrier Landstar System said late Wednesday its third-quarter profit rose to $32.8 million, or 62 cents a share, from $29.3 million, or 54 cents, a year ago.

October 16, 2008
Fuel, Business, Government

Consumer Price Index Unchanged in September

Consumer prices were unchanged in September, kept in check by falling fuel prices, the Labor Department said Thursday.

October 16, 2008
Business

Jobless Claims Fall for Week

Initial jobless claims fell by 16,000 last week, while continuing claims reached a five-year high, the Labor Department said Thursday.

October 16, 2008
Business

Werner’s Third-Quarter Profit Improves

Truckload carrier Werner Enterprises said Thursday its third-quarter net income rose to $22.4 million, or 31 cents a share, from $21.9 million, or 30 cents, last year.

October 16, 2008
Business

Fed Report Cites Sluggish Economic Outlook

Economic activity weakened across all 12 districts of the Federal Reserve from late August through early October, with contacts citing pessimism about the economic outlook, the Fed said Wednesday.

October 15, 2008
Business

Gainey Corp. Files for Bankruptcy

Michigan-based trucking firm Gainey Corp. and five of its subsidiaries have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

October 15, 2008
Government, Business, Fuel

Diesel Continues to Fall, Dropping 21.6¢ to $3.659

Diesel fuel fell by the most since its record plunge after the 2005 hurricanes, dropping 21.6 cents to $3.659 a gallon, while gasoline fell 33.3 cents to $3.151 a gallon in its biggest one-week decline on record, the Department of Energy said Tuesday.

October 15, 2008