Is the Freight Recession Upon Us Again? The second quarter sent some disappointing signals for the future health of freight transportation and logistics, according to Jeff Berman of Logistics Management. Economic indicators, such as bloated inventory levels and a barely perceptible 1.2% increase in GDP, have contributed to soft demand for freight services. On the other hand, June numbers improved in some important categories, including consumer spending, sales of new homes, and industrial production. (August 1, 2016)
Trucking Companies Moved Less Freight in June. The Wall Street Journal‘s Paul Page quotes Cass, ATA, and quarterly reports from JB Hunt and Marten, as well as Geoff Turner of Choptank and Jeff Tucker of Tucker Co., about reduction in freight. (July 20, 2016)
Trucking Company Failures on the Rise. Robbie Whelan, also of the Wall Street Journal, cites a report from Donald Broughton of Avondale Partners. Rising fuel prices and a weak freight market led to the failure of 120 trucking companies with an average of 17 trucks each in the second quarter, up from 70 firms with 14 trucks each in the same period last year. (July 14, 2016)
