Business
Transport Topics business coverage focuses on the financial, economic, and commercial aspects of the modern freight business. Looking at both the microeconomic and macroeconomic forces shaping bottom lines, the news in this category includes labor news, jobs reports, tonnage and sales indicators, operations analysis, money and banking, mergers, acquisitions, e-commerce, bankruptcy, insurance issues, and more.
Fleets in NACFE Study Saved $477 Million Last Year Adopting New Technologies
DALLAS — Fourteen major trucking fleets operating more than 53,000 tractors and 160,000 trailers achieved almost half a billion in fuel savings last year by adopting a variety of fuel-efficient technologies, according to an annual fleet fuel study released by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency.
Best Carrier TMS Software in 2024: How to Choose
Transitioning from basic load board tools or spreadsheets to an advanced, integrated Transportation Management System (TMS) is a critical step for mid-sized truckload carriers aiming to scale effectively and sustain long-term competitiveness.
Sen. James Inhofe: ‘Not Going To Be a User Fee’ to Fund Highway Bill
WASHINGTON — Congressional Republican leaders will not consider raising taxes on gas and diesel fuels as a way to back transportation programs in a short-term measure and in a multiyear bill, the chairman of the Senate transportation policy panel told Transport Topics on May 5.
Freightliner Gets First License for Autonomous-Driving Truck (with video)
LAS VEGAS — Freightliner unveiled Inspiration, the first legally licensed autonomous-driving truck in the United States on May 5, in a video spectacular splashed on the walls of Hoover Dam.
Transportation Coalition Says Next Highway Patch Should Include Funding Fix
The next highway funding extension Congress approves should require the tax-writing panels to come up with a plan that ensures long-term funding for highways and transit projects, the Transportation Construction Coalition said May 6.
Frito-Lay Reports Cutting Diesel Fuel Consumption Significantly
DALLAS — Frito-Lay North America has reduced its diesel fuel consumption significantly since it began adding natural gas, electric and high-efficiency diesel trucks to its fleet over the past 10 years, a company executive said.
Expeditors Net Income Jumps 27%
Expeditors International of Washington Inc. raised net income 27% to $107.3 million, or 55 cents per share, as business improved for air and ocean freight management services.
May 6, 2015BNSF Oil-Train Derailment Sets Tank Cars on Fire in North Dakota
A BNSF Railway train carrying crude oil derailed in North Dakota, setting several tank cars on fire and prompting the evacuation of nearby residents, U.S. and local authorities said.
May 6, 2015OEM Powertrain Integration Will Reshape Telematics Market, DTNA Official Says
PRINCETON, N.J. — Truck makers’ increasing emphasis on powertrain integration and remote diagnostics will have a heavy influence on the telematics industry in the years ahead, an official at Daimler Trucks North America said.
Michigan Voters Reject Transportation Funding Plan That Would Have Raised Sales Tax
Michigan voters have overwhelmingly rejected a ballot measure that would have raised the state sales tax from 6% to 7% as the key element in a sweeping transportation funding plan now dead.
T. Boone Pickens: Natural Gas Remains a Viable Option as Transportation Fuel
DALLAS — Oklahoma oil man and natural-gas supporter T. Boone Pickens on May 5 joined the chorus of optimistic voices speaking here at the 2015 ACT Expo that despite current cheap diesel prices, the future of natural gas as a transportation fuel hasn’t dimmed.