The unemployment rate dropped in January to 8.3%, the lowest almost in three years, while the economy added 243,000 jobs, including 5,300 trucking jobs, the Labor Department said Friday.
February 3, 2012Business
Earnings Jump at Truckload Fleets on Higher Rates, Freight
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. and Werner Enterprises Inc. continued the parade of truckload operators whose fourth-quarter earnings rose with help from higher rates, stronger freight trends and key businesses such as intermodal.
February 6, 2012Business
Highway Funding Is Urgently Needed, CEOs of Two Top Trucking Fleets Say
YRC Worldwide CEO James Welch and FedEx Freight President William Logue, the top leaders at the two largest less-than-truckload carriers, last week underscored the urgent need for highway funding legislation and the potential for longer trailers to improve productivity.
February 6, 2012Business
Executives Say Used Trucks Remain Scarce, Despite 2011 Rise in New Class 8 Deliveries
The increase in new Class 8 deliveries in 2011 hasn’t yet done anything to ease the scarcity of used vehicles and, if anything, has added even more upward price pressure, industry executives and analysts said.
February 6, 2012Business
ATA Promotes Sharma to General Counsel
American Trucking Associations said last week that Prasad Sharma has been promoted to general counsel and senior vice president.
February 6, 2012Business
Factory Orders Rise for Second Straight Month
Factory orders rose 1.1%, the second straight increase, the Commerce Department reported.
February 3, 2012BusinessLogistics
Railroads, Union Agree; Possible Strike Averted
The largest U.S. freight railroads reached a tentative agreement last week with a union representing track and bridge maintenance workers, eliminating the possibility of a nationwide work stoppage.
February 3, 2012BusinessLogistics
Weekly Intermodal Traffic Rises 5.5%
U.S. intermodal traffic rose 5.5% for the week ended Saturday from a year ago, the Association of American Railroads reported.
February 3, 2012Business
Cummins’ Profit Rises for 4Q, Year
Diesel engine maker Cummins Inc. on Thursday said its fourth-quarter profit rose from a year ago as sales climbed to a quarterly record.
February 3, 2012Business
Provisions for Heavier Trucks Removed from House Transportation Bill
Provisions for heavier, longer trucks contained in a transportation reauthorization bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday did not survive the bill’s first hearing.
February 2, 2012