Supply Chain

Gatik focused on automating the ‘middle mile’

Autonomous driving technology company Gatik has made a splash in recent months, first deploying the first autonomous delivery vehicles in Canada with Loblaw and then partnering with Isuzu to produce…

Record-setting demand for Class 8 trucks over past six months

Class 8 truck orders continued to be strong in March, setting an unprecedented six-month streak of order levels above 40,000 units. Preliminary figures from FTR show March orders were down…

Component shortages have truck and trailer builders stuck in ‘traffic jam’

A global microchip shortage has truck manufacturers unable to keep pace with demand for new trucks. Some have announced down days on assembly lines, while others are doing partial builds…

Softening lockdown restrictions send spot market freight soaring

Canadian spot market load volumes are surging, with February hitting a single-day level not seen since 2018 and March on pace to reach the strongest levels in three years. Loadlink…

Montreal port workers reject latest offer

Members of the local union of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), affiliated with the Port of Montreal, strongly rejected the employer’s “final” offer. The final offer was presented…

Could there be a silver lining to component shortages?

Ron Rindt can’t get his truck. The owner of Lavington Turf Farms in Vernon, B.C., ordered a Kenworth T680 with an anticipated delivery of July. But his dealer sales rep…

Lion Electric to build battery plant in Quebec

Lion Electric announced it will build a battery manufacturing plant and innovation center in Quebec. The exact location hasn’t yet been announced, but the company says it will break ground…

Stars aligning for higher freight rates

Port backups, rising commodity prices, more government stimulus in the U.S., and new truck backlogs are combining to create a positive rate environment for truckers. ACT Research reported in its…

Canadian Tire deploying two NuPort automated trucks

Canadian Tire is investing a million dollars in a first-of-its-kind autonomous trucking project in Canada. The funds are being matched by the province of Ontario’s Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network and…

Mid Canada Transload Services opens near Emerson border crossing

A new transload facility and one of the largest privately owned inland ports in Manitoba is open for business. Mid Canada Transload Services is set on 250 acres along Hwy.

Carriers could achieve record profits this year: ACT Research

Carrier profitability in the U.S. is expected to reach record levels this year, as the freight-generating sectors of the economy are the strongest, according to the Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest…

Fleets continue ordering trucks at ‘near-record levels’

Class 8 truck orders remained strong in February, with an impressive 44,000 units booked according to preliminary data from FTR. That was up 3% from January and 209% year-over-year, and…

Trailer makers struggling to meet demand

January trailer orders exceeded build rates by 66% in January, according to ACT Research, pushing the industry backlog higher over the past seven months. In its Trailer Components Report, ACT…

Business optimism returning in Canada

Business sentiment is improving and the prospects for trucking are positive, according to new economic reports from The Conference Board of Canada and BMO. “Freight demand is up, with understandable…

Quiet on the M&A front, Mullen Group may eye U.S. market

Mullen Group may take a closer look at expanding in the U.S., as a stagnant Canadian economy and pricey valuations have tempered the company’s appetite to make a major deal…