Business

It was a year in which trucking learned to live with — and thrive in spite of — another year of the coronavirus pandemic. Take a look back at an eventful 2021.

The Biden administration is launching a multifaceted program in partnership with industry that aims to expand recruiting efforts in trucking through various efforts, and elevate the appeal of what one senior administration official described as “well-paying, solid careers.”

The Cincinnati-based U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals said Dec. 15 that a three-judge panel — rather than the entire court — would rule on a challenge to President Joe Biden’s mandate that all private employers with at least 100 workers require them to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or wear masks and face weekly tests.

Container traffic at the Port of Oakland is starting to pick up again amid the supply chain chaos. Cargo imports handled by the Port of Oakland increased 6.5% in November from a year earlier, the hub said in an emailed statement Dec. 15.

Technology developer Samsara launched an initial public offering on Dec. 15, a move that a top executive said positions the company for continued growth by bringing in key investors to help fund future initiatives.

The American consumer has held strong since last year’s COVID-driven spending pause, as their purchases helped power the global economic recovery. But that momentum may be fading as the holiday season approaches.

Trucks in Germany could soon be running on fuel that’s made partly from manure at one of Europe’s biggest oil refineries.

Singapore Airlines Ltd. signed a letter of intent with Airbus SE for seven A350 freighters with an option to take five more as the carrier phases out its aging cargo fleet.

Autonomous vehicle technology developer Aurora Innovation Inc. will launch a pilot program with Uber Freight to move goods in Texas.

The Financial Times followed Time magazine in naming Elon Musk “Person of the Year,” with the British newspaper lauding the world’s richest man’s role in shifting the automotive industry toward an all-electric future.