Business

There is no such thing as a thief-proof lock, but technology and proper safety procedures can significantly reduce a carrier’s risk of cargo theft, safety experts said.

Shippers can expect to pay more to secure freight-hauling capacity as truck and rail carriers raise rates to cover rising costs and to fund investments in equipment and infrastructure, according to transportation and logistics executives.

Officials of trucking-management software vendor TMW Systems Inc. last week outlined steps the company is taking to smooth internal operations and user experiences, and several of its associated plug-in partners announced new integrations with TMW products.

Intermodal freight, including record weekly rail volume earlier this month, continues on a strong growth course this fall despite ongoing rail delays, industry officials said.

The trucking industry must focus more on preventive maintenance instead of waiting for trucks to break down before addressing service issues, a top Volvo Trucks official told a meeting of maintenance technicians and executives.

The top organizations representing the freight industry and state transportation officials again urged Congress to reject efforts by a small group of conservatives looking to diminish vast federal funding for big-ticket transportation projects.

The long-overlooked intermodal trucker took center stage last week as some industry officials insisted that shippers, railroads and other participants must treat them better, while others assessed growing threats to the traditional owner-operator structure.

Diesel dropped 2.3 cents last week to $3.778 a gallon, the lowest price in more than two years, the Department of Energy reported.