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.

Fuel, Business, Logistics, Government

Crude Oil Nears $90 a Barrel; Diesel Fuel Inches Up to $3.039

The national average retail price of diesel fuel rose 0.4 cent to $3.039 a gallon last week, the Department of Energy reported, and analysts were predicting additional increases as crude oil prices neared an un-precedented $90 a barrel.

October 21, 2007
Business

Daimler Unveils New Heavy-Duty Engine

REDFORD, Mich. — The Daimler Truck Group on Friday unveiled the first fruit of its five-year, $1.5 billion program to develop a single heavy-duty diesel engine to serve its markets around the world.

October 19, 2007
Government, Business, Safety

FMCSA Eases Hay, Straw Tie-Down Rule

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said last month that bales of hay and straw could be secured by less stringent methods than standard cargo-securing regulations require, because of the nature of those commodities.

October 19, 2007
Business

Caterpillar’s 3Q Profit Rises

Heavy equipment and diesel engine manufacturer Caterpillar Inc. said Friday its third-quarter profit jumped 21%, though it cut its full-year earnings outlook.

October 19, 2007
Government, Business, Safety

Rush Reports 3Q Earnings Dip

Truck dealership Rush Enterprises said its third-quarter earnings dipped to $13.1 million or 34 cents a share, from $16.4 million or 43 cents for the same quarter last year.

October 19, 2007
Business, Technology, Equipment, Safety, Government

iTECH: There’s More to Return on Investment Than a Price Tag

Return on investment is a standard measurement of the dollar value of an information technology system. Small or medium-sized fleets likely focus their financials on cost per truck — “per seat,” in the IT lexicon.

October 19, 2007
Business, Safety, Government, Technology, Equipment

Ryder Gets Boeing Transportation Contract

Ryder System said Friday that that aerospace firm Boeing Co. has chosen Ryder to provide global transportation management services.

October 19, 2007
Business, Safety, Government, Logistics

China Trucking Panel Set for MCE

Opportunities in trucking and logistics in China’s burgeoning economy will be the subject of a panel discussion at American Trucking Associations’ annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., next week.

October 19, 2007
Business, Safety, Government

Covenant Takes Third-Quarter Loss

Covenant Transportation Group reported it lost $3.6 million or 25 cents a share, compared with a net income of $795,000 or 6 cents a year earlier.

October 19, 2007
Business, Government

Philadelphia Factory Index Dips

Manufacturing levels declined in the Philadelphia area this month, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said Thursday.

October 18, 2007