Economic Recovery and the Future of the Freight Transportation Industry – Part 1

Economic Recovery and the Future of the Freight Transportation Industry – Part 1

5 years ago

The recovery of the North American transportation industry is contingent upon the revival of the economies of the United States and Canada. The movement of auto parts, housing supplies, manufactured goods, food stuffs. and a host of other products drive the economy. If there are any impediments to the smooth operation of North American supply […]

Where is the Freight Transportation Industry Headed in 2020?

5 years ago

2019 in Review After the hot freight market and record profits of 2018, many trucking companies added trucks and drivers to keep up with the expected shippers’ capacity demands in 2019. An index published by the Institute for Supply Management dropped to 47.2 in December, the lowest reading since June 2009 and the fifth straight […]

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The Top Stories in Surface Transportation in 2019

5 years ago

Here is my annual recap of the major trends that shaped the Surface Transportation industry during the past year. 1. The Reboot – The Trucking Industry goes into a Freight Recession in 2019 After a booming first three quarters of 2018, the trucking industry contracted in the fourth quarter; by mid-April of 2019, it became […]

Some Takeaways from the 2019 Surface Transportation Summit

5 years ago

The 2019 Surface Transportation Summit took place last week at the International Centre in Toronto. The event was co-hosted by Newcom Inc. and Dan Goodwill and Associates, in partnership with the Ontario Trucking Association, the Freight Management Association of Canada and the CSCMP Toronto Roundtable. Hundreds of shippers and carriers attended the event to learn […]

The 2019 Surface Transportation Summit will focus on the rapidly changing Canadian Freight Industry

5 years ago

The 2019 Surface Transportation Summit will take place at the International Centre in Toronto on October 16. Canada’s leading freight conference will try to make sense of the roller coaster that Canadian shippers and carriers have experienced over the past couple of years. Josh Nye, Senior Economist, Royal Bank of Canada, will kick off the […]

The Truckload Freight Industry in North America in 2019

6 years ago

There are approximately 540,000 truckload carriers registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in the United States. These range from 1 truck to 20,000 truck fleets. The majority have less than 20 pieces of equipment in their fleets. These companies generated approximately $350 billion in revenue in 2018. Revenue/Tonnage Growth in 2018 Here […]

Engage your Business Partners in your Supply Chain Decisions

6 years ago

Carrier costing models have evolved over the past couple of decades. Freight rates are based on the complete set of transportation-related processes at origin, in transit, and at destination, to serve each client. To effectively manage freight expenses, shippers must have a full understanding of all three elements. Shippers with weak shipping order procedures and […]

The LTL Freight Industry in the United States and Canada in 2019

6 years ago

The following is my annual report on the state of the LTL Freight Industry in the United States and Canada. The Booming Freight Market of 2018 Strong economic growth and high employment in the United States and Canada, coupled with concerns over US tariffs and trade wars, and high truck utilization rates, propelled freight demand […]

How to Retain Truck Drivers in 2019

6 years ago

Annual turnover of over the road truckload drivers is currently in the range of 95 percent. The cost of replacing a driver is approximately $8000. This high turnover ratio came during a year in which truck drivers in many fleets received multiple and significant bonuses and pay increases. This begs the question of how well […]

Attention GM Workers: The Trucking Industry Needs You

6 years ago

On Monday, November 26, 2018, General Motors announced that it will be closing five plants in North America in 2019, four in the USA and one in Canada. In addition to the closures, 6000 hourly workers and 8000 salaried employees will lose their jobs. “The actions we are taking today continue our transformation to […]