According to the Coalition of American Metal Manufacturers and Users, which represents more than 30,000 companies in the manufacturing sector, unfilled orders for steel in the last quarter were at the highest level in five years, while inventories were near a 3.5-year low based on data from the Census Bureau.
Out of more than 40 vegetable crops grown in the Rio Grande Valley in the McAllen, TX, freight market, only three are hopeful to survive, according to Tom Karst from The Packer: onions, cabbages and potatoes.
The American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased 1.4% in January after rising 1.2% in December.
At the start of the pandemic last year, supply chain expert Daniel Stanton – aka Mr. Supply Chain – spoke about the “bullwhip effect” on supply chains. Almost a year later, the bullwhip effect is rattling supply chains again, as manufacturers struggle to keep up with demand for consumer goods.
As part of our Trucking AMA series, we asked our panel of trucking insiders to share how they started their motor carrier businesses and offer advice for anyone interested in starting their own trucking company.
Being a freight and analytics organization, we look for clues in data, especially as it relates to truckload capacity. When guaging the direction of commercial freight markets in 2021, there are some indicators that require extra scrutiny this year.
The Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index® (HPSI), which is a good indicator of demand for flatbed carriers, increased modestly in January from December.
Late-season and long-lasting apples are shipping from the Grand Rapids, MI, market, where outbound capacity is tight this week. Spot rates on the lane to New York are averaging $4.44/mile.
Truckload capacity is tight and expected to get tighter, but judging where truckload demand is headed remains challenging as COVID-19 headwinds ease and increasing tailwinds from the vaccine distribution and economic stimulus converge.
The pandemic has turned many aspects of life upside down, and commercial transportation is no exception. What are the lessons learned from 2020 and will they carry over into 2021? We asked DAT’s team of industry analysts.