Truck tonnage rose 4.8% year-over-year in May, according to the monthly American Trucking Associations Tonnage Index, the largest gain since November 2016, echoing sentiments from analysts and trucking executives that the freight market has tightened in recent weeks as people spend more time outdoors.

While it’s no secret that more and more people are shopping online, less obvious is understanding consumers’ buying habits and patterns — which has great relevance for the trucking industry.

The amount of time it took the average truck driver to do business at the two largest North America ports rose six minutes year-over-year in May due to backups at Total Terminals International, according to data from the Harbor Trucking Association.

WASHINGTON — Rep. Peter DeFazio is never far from home. His small office at the Rayburn House Office Building is a bona fide southwest Oregon visitor center. Visitors are greeted by posters of college football matchups featuring Oregon schools, photos of the Pacific coast and majestic mountains and a cute little beaver reminiscent of a Gund stuffed animal by the front desk.

While it’s no secret that more and more people are shopping online, less obvious is understanding consumers’ buying habits and patterns — which has great relevance for the trucking industry.

Amazon.com Inc. will acquire Whole Foods Market Inc. for $13.7 billion, a bombshell of a deal that catapults the e-commerce giant into hundreds of physical stores and fulfills a long-held goal of selling more groceries.