Business Management

Commercial vehicle market rebounded sharply, but full recovery not imminent

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The commercial vehicle market bounced back much more quickly and strongly than expected, but it will be late 2021 before it reaches pre-pandemic levels. During an FTR…

Commercial vehicle market recovery quicker, stronger than expected

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – Heavy-Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA) members responding to a September Pulse Survey said they expect their U.S. and Canada commercial vehicle business to be down an…

ECONOMIC WATCH: Shippers’ conditions deteriorate as rates swing in carriers’ favor

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Shippers’ conditions deteriorated in July, falling into negative territory for the first time since August 2018, FTR reports. The FTR Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) recorded a -0.36…

ECONOMIC WATCH: U.S. truck tonnage dives in August

ARLINGTON, Va. – U.S. for-hire truck tonnage plunged 5.6% in August, following a revised 1.4% decrease in July. “The August softness suggests that freight is very uneven in the trucking…

Four questions to ask when buying a used truck

If you’re an owner-operator or small fleet owner, the reliability and efficiency of the trucks you put on the road can make or break your business. Buying a used truck…

Three ways fleets can work with educators to solve their technician shortage

Frustrated with the quality of technician talent your local school is churning out? Maybe you need to get more involved with the school to help solve the problem, rather than…

ECONOMIC WATCH: Trucking benefiting from K-shaped recovery

COLUMBUS, Ind. – It’s a K-shaped economic recovery, according to ACT Research, but fortunately trucking is on the upper half of the K. “What this means is that a large…

Reduce driver turnover by laying out expectations

One of the things I love about this industry is that if you keep your eyes and mind open, you can learn something new every day. I was flattered to…

Time to support strong industry voices

It seems strange to report good news these days, but it’s there to be found. Even amid the stories of lockdowns and case counts. Governments have rolled out a series…

Indicators point to strengthening trucking market

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Covid-19 brought on the worst recession in U.S. history, but the recovery is underway and economic conditions should return to pre-Covid levels by late next year. Jim…

Truck fleets facing double-digit insurance increases

TORONTO, Ont. – Canada’s truck fleets are facing double-digit increases in insurance costs, when they can find coverage at all, as insurers grapple with the risks of so-called nuclear verdicts…

‘Old school’ disruption shakes trucking industry

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Society and industry have come to think of disruption as a positive change associated with innovation, but what the trucking industry is experiencing now is “old school”…

Battle rising insurance costs with data and safety cultures

TORONTO, Ont. – Insurance premiums continue to push higher, driven up by everything from massive legal verdicts to the increasing price of collision repairs, but there are still things fleets…

ECONOMIC WATCH: Trucking conditions remained favorable in July

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – U.S. trucking conditions remained positive through July, as the economic recovery continued and carriers enjoyed strengthening freight rates. FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index read 2.84 in July, down…

11 things we learned about Canada’s private truck fleets

TORONTO, Ont. – Canada’s private fleets have offered a window into their operations through the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada’s (PMTC) 2020 benchmarking survey. Here are 11 things that…