An upturn in consumer spending combined with greater investments by companies is expected to drive up demand for trucking during the course of 2014, according so new economic analysis reports. Bob Costello, a chief economist who works with the American Trucking Association, expects the number of truck loads to grow by 2.3 to 2.7 percent…
As crude oil shipments across railways and along waterways ramp up due to increased shale oil productivity, lawmakers in the state of Washington take a look at what additional safety measures might need to be put into place to safeguard the public. Devastating railroad accidents involving crude oil shipments in Canada and North Dakota have…
As prices for natural gas soared in recent weeks by about 30 percent, many in the green energy sector worried that rising rates would curtail the gradual movement of the trucking sector away from diesel fuel and toward natural gas. However, Jim Harger of Clean Energy Fuels, as well as others in the industry, do…
Rare earth metals are a group of elements found with moderate abundance in the core of the earth. There are 17 rare metals, 15 in a group called lanthanides plus yttrium and scandium. These elements are essential in many manufactured products, including catalytic converters for automobiles, certain petroleum refining equipment, television sets, cell phones, portable…
As much of the country battles extreme cold and snow, trucking companies, port operators, freight train managers, and air cargo transporters struggle with delays and severe operating conditions. Much of the Midwest, particularly the Chicago area, and New England have battled snow and ice, as well as below normal temperatures. This is delaying freight shipped…
Formerly known as Yellow Freight, YRC Worldwide was formed in the 2000s when the less than truckload carrier began gobbling up smaller trucking companies, such as Roadway Express, Holland, USF and others. All of these purchases were made with borrowed funds, and when the economy took a sharp downward turn in 2008, YRC Worldwide was left with…
Last week, President Obama delivered his State of the Union address. In it, he mentioned a number of things, including his intentions to move forward to fix the deteriorating condition of the nation’s infrastructure, particularly when it comes to the roadways, bridges, and passageways that the nation’s truckers depend on to make a living. Some…
The world’s three largest shipping companies are planning to move ahead with their proposed alliance. They also expect approval by the three governing bodies assessing the situation by late into the second quarter of this year. Denmark’s Maersk Line, France’s CMA CGM, and Switzerland’s Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MCS) are organizing a separate company, which will act as…
A joint two-year study conducted by four of the world’s largest air cargo and freight organizations has concluded the industry most needs more focused courses emphasizing high level skills currently lacking in the industry. These skills are crucial for ensuring that the next generation of air cargo managers have the skills necessary to take the…
As the economy plods on at a sluggish pace, online retailers are seeking to prompt people to part with their money more readily by dangling incentives such as cheap same day delivery services. Most of the major online giants are in on the action, each seeking to outdo the others with their services, convenience, and…