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DSV announces acquisitions of S&M Moving Systems West and Global Diversity Logistics
DSV said that the objective of these acquisitions are three-fold: to augment its position within the semiconductor industry; align with its new Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport operations; and support its growing cross-border services into Latin America. It added that these acquisitions are expected to be made official next month.... Read more
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ATA reports February truck tonnage increase
The ATA’s advanced Seasonally Adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index, for February, came in at 118.4 (2015=100), for a 1.2% increase, over January’s 117 reading.... Read more
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More than 150 companies participate in the 2023 MHI Innovation Awards
Four finalists were chosen as the most innovative products in each of their respective categories: Best New Innovation, Best Innovation of an Existing Product, and Best IT Innovation based on concept, value, and impact.... Read more
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Biggest gets bigger: Knight-Swift buying USX for $808 million in huge TL deal
Phoenix-based Knight-Swift Transportation, already the biggest player in the TL market at $4.5 billion revenue last year, is buying Chattanooga, Tenn.-based U.S. Xpress, which ranked ninth in TL revenue last year at $2.2 billion. The deal is valued at $808 million, including assumption of $484 million of debt.... Read more
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ATA has ‘grave concerns’ that EPA may allow California-type air quality rules on heavy trucks
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) expressed what it called its “grave concerns” about media reports that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may be on the verge of granting the state of California waivers to implement potentially harmful and unrealistic emissions rules on the industry. Under California rules, new Class 8... Read more
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National diesel average falls 6.2 cents, to $4.185, reports EIA
The national average decreased 6.2 cents, to $4.185, following a 3.5-cent decline, to $4.247, for the week of March 13.... Read more
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Warehouse/DC Automation & Technology: It’s “go time” for investment
In our latest Special Digital Issue, Logistics Management has curated several feature stories that neatly encapsulate the rise of automated systems and related technologies that are revolutionizing how warehouse and DC operations work.... Read more
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ProMat 2023 officially opens for business
Ready to welcome a steady incoming flow of conference attendees, introduce the world to a host of new industry innovations and provide a full lineup of fun events all week long, ProMat 2023 opened its doors to the world at 10 a.m. CST this morning.... Read more
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POLA and POLB report February volume declines
The Port of Los Angeles reported that February volume—at 487,846 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units)—were down 43% compared to February 2022. The Port of Long Beach reported that total February volume—at 543,675 TEU—dropped 31.7% annually... Read more
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FTR Trucking Conditions Index shows solid sequential improvement, to start 2023
For January, the most recent month for which data is available, the TCI came in at -1.71, a significant improvement over December’s -6.1 and November’s -7.94. That was preceded by October’s -11.25, its lowest level since the April 2020 all-time low, at -28.66. The September TCI reading came in at... Read more
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U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are down for the week ending March 11, reports AAR
Rail carloads—at 229,246—fell 1.5% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers—at 229,383—fell 13.0%.... Read more
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Ongoing demand weakness again impacts FedEx earnings
Quarterly revenue—at $22.2 billion—was off 6% annually, and net income—at $865 million was below the $1.22 billion recorded a year ago. Diluted earnings per share—at $3.41—fell 7.4%.... Read more
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Commerce, NRF data shows mixed sequential readings and annual gains
Commerce reported that February retail sales—at $697.9 billion—were off 0.4% compared to January and up 5.4% annually. And it added that total retail sales, from December through February, saw a 6.4% annual gain compared to the same period a year ago. NRF reported that its calculation of retail sales, which... Read more
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STB decision officially signs off on Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger
The long-awaited decision regarding the acquisition of Kansas City Railway Company (KCS) by Canadian Pacific (CP) reached its expected outcome today, with the Surface Transportation Board (STB), an independent adjudicatory and economic-regulatory agency charged by Congress with resolving railroad rate and service disputes and reviewing proposed railroad mergers, saying it... Read more
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DAT Truckload Volume Index sees February declines
February’s van freight TVI—at 207—fell 8%, from January to February, and was down 5% annually. The refrigerated (reefer) TVI—at 162—was down 7.9% compared to January and off 4.7% annually. And the flatbed TVI—at 217—was in line with January’s 218 reading and up 7.9% annually. DAT observed that these lower February... Read more
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E-Commerce and Freight: Balancing new patterns of demand
We speak with a number of logistics experts to capture their views on the overall impact that e-commerce is having on moving the nation’s freight. One thing is for certain: The current level and speed of churn has irrevocably altered the pattern so many had become accustomed to managing.... Read more
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Top trends in reverse logistics
Two of the trends making an impact on reverse logistics besides the increase of e-commerce and the increased focus on customer centricity—are the circular economy and robotics. Here are some suggestions for transforming your reverse process to meet today’s pressing demands.... Read more
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February Cass Freight Index report sees annual shipment and expenditures declines
February’s shipment reading—at 1.167—was down 0.3% annually, up against an easy annual comparison, while rising 3.8% over January’s 1.124 reading. And the February expenditures reading—at 4.020—was off 9.7% annually, while seeing a 1.9% decline, from January to February.... Read more
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National diesel average is down, for week of March 13, reports EIA
The national average fell 3.5 cents, to $4.247, following a 1.2-cent decrease, to $4.282, for the week of March 6.... Read more
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Q&A: Matt Muenster, Chief Economist, Breakthrough
Logistics Management (LM) Group News Editor Jeff Berman recently spoke with Matt Muenster, Chief Economist for Green Bay, Wisc.-based Breakthrough, an innovator in transportation management, dedicated to creating transparent and fair strategies for the world’s leading shippers. Muenster provided Berman with an overview of steps shippers need to take and... Read more
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Driver recruitment woes have ‘abated somewhat,’ top TL executives say
The decades-long and ever-perplexing truck driver shortage—estimated in excess of 80,000 by the American Trucking Associations—has eased somewhat, according to leading trucking executives. In exclusive interviews with LM, top executives say years of pay increases have apparently paid off in better retention and recruitment of qualified drivers.... Read more
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2023 Parcel Express Roundtable: Shifting dynamics in a vibrant market
Three of our top parcel industry sources offer their respective takes on the most consumer-facing segment of freight transportation and logistics parcel and last-mile delivery. Even though pandemic-related conditions have changed, high pricing remains, which is increasingly putting shippers in the position of carefully considering their options.... Read more
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Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) reigns in the modern warehouse
A long-time mainstay in productive warehouse environments, WMS is more than proving its value in today’s resource constrained business environment.... Read more
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ProMat gets ready for a return to Chicago in 2023
After going “virtual” in 2021 due to the global COVID pandemic, ProMat is back in Chicago for a live, in-person event for 2023—and it’s going to be big. As the largest international materials handling, logistics and supply chain show and conference, ProMat 2023, produced by show sponsor MHI, will feature... Read more
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Korn Ferry survey highlights impact of Covid on supply chain staff culture
A new Korn Ferry survey of supply chain leaders identifies key changes in the function and the skills and experiences needed to succeed in this new environment.... Read more