Outlook for Freight Activity Seen as Improved

Three measures of freight activity and spending were mixed, according to new figures, but the outlook for their performances has improved, according to Cass Information Systems.

US-Mexico currency gap to spur LTL shipping

The strong US dollar and higher fuel prices will mean more less-than-truckload shipping in Mexico and across the US-Mexican border, an executive at trucking industry association and technology provider SMC3 said at the group’s JumpStart 2017 conference here Monday. (This article requires registration at the Journal of Commerce. To access, please click on the above […]

NAFTA Freight Improves for Only Second Time in Nearly 2 Years

Newly released figures show the value of cross-border freight moved between the U.S. and its neighbors directly to the north and south increased in November for the only the second time in nearly two years, but trucking had the smallest gain.

DOT Report Reveals $926 Billion Infrastructure Need

The nation’s highway and transit systems need to overcome a nearly trillion-dollar investment backlog, according to a new report on the state of America’s transportation infrastructure commissioned by the Department of Transportation.

FTR Trucking Conditions Index shows some encouraging signs

The most recent edition of the Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) issued this week by freight transportation consultancy FTR remained in familiar territory, as market conditions appeared to show signs of stabilization at the end of 2016 heading into 2017.

US Shippers, truckers flex lobbying muscle

A new lobbying force representing well-heeled industry players, ranging from Amazon to the National Retail Federation, might have a rare opening to advance freight-friendly policies, considering the Trump administration’s support for infrastructure and cutting regulation. (This article requires registration at the Journal of Commerce. To access, please click on the above link.)

Trucking, Rail Industries Team Up to Limit New Rules

The trucking and rail industries, often at odds in Washington, are teaming up to press the incoming Trump administration to limit the ability of transportation regulators to write new rules. (This article requires a subscription to the Wall Street Journal. To access, please click on the above link.)

Spot Truckload Freight Market Sees Weekly, Monthly Gains

Unseasonably high freight volumes combined with higher fuel prices and rough winter weather pushed spot truckload rates upward to start 2017, according to DAT Solutions and its network of load boards, while a separate measure showed the market improved for the sixth straight month in December.