Economy

Heavy-Truck Orders Unexpectedly Down, Medium-Duty Strong

BLOOMINGTON and COLUMBUS, IN -- Orders in North American for new Class 8 trucks during October increased well above a month ago, hitting the highest level since February, but are significantly weaker when compared to the same time last year, according to two new preliminary reports.

B.C. Facing Trucking, Other Labor Shortages in Future

VANCOUVER, BC -- A new labor market forecast released this week shows increasing challenges ahead in key occupations in British Columbia in the next five to 10 years, including an expected shortage drivers, managers, maintenance and other key people in trucking.

Kriska Purchasing Transpro Freight Systems

PRESCOTT and MILTON, ON - Trucking company Kriska Transportation Group Ltd. announced Tuesday it signed a letter of intent to acquire the shares of fellow Ontario-based carrier Transpro Freight Systems Ltd., based in Milton.

Manitoulin Opens New Manitoba Terminal Amid Freight Growth

WINNIPEG, MB - Manitoulin Transport announced on Tuesday it has opened a newly built terminal located in Winnipeg, as it expects to see continued freight growth.

Major Hurdle Cleared for In-Transit Shipments

ROCKY VIEW, AB -- There is much joy in at least one part of trucking following news that the ability of carriers from both Canada and U.S. to conduct in-transit shipments through the other country is close to being achieved.

TransForce Disposing of Waste Management Business

MONTREAL, QC - Canadian trucking and logistics giant TransForce Inc. has reached an agreement to sell its waste management segment to Toronto-based GFL Environmental Inc for $800 million. The transaction will consist of the sale by TFI Holdings Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of TransForce, of 100 percent of the shares of Services Matrec Inc. and of the other indirect wholly-owned subsidiary companies comprising TransForce's waste management segment.

Don’t Miss Out! OTA’s Annual Convention This Week

TORONTO, ON - One of the don't miss events of the year in trucking is set to kick off later this week and there is still time to line up your reservation. The 89th Annual Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) Executive Conference is Nov. 4-5 in Toronto at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. "Our outstanding agenda and lineup of speakers will surely invigorate, motivate and educate," says OTA. "We build on the successful theme of first-class networking, education and the always entertaining awards dinner attended by senior trucking executives from across the province and Canada." This year's event also includes a bevy of big speakers.

Trimac Boosts Profit, Announces New CEO

CALGARY, AB - The bulk trucking company Trimac Transportation Ltd. reported an upturn in profits in the third quarter of the year as it announced new leadership. Net income totaled $6.1 million, or 21 cents per diluted stare, compared to $5.1 million, or 18 cents per dilutde share, for the third quarter of 2014.

Canada-U.S. Freight Value Falls Nearly 14 Percent

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The value of freight movements between the U.S. and Canada fell significantly in August, according to a new report. The U.S. Transportation Department reports it totaled US$48 billion in August, down 13.6 percent from August 2014, as all modes of transportation carried less value of U.S.-Canada freight than a year earlier, due to lower mineral fuel prices.

Freight Shipping Costs Post Biggest Yearly Gain of 2015

TORONTO, ON - New results published by the Canadian General Freight Index (CGFI) indicate the total cost of ground transportation for Canadian shippers increased slightly from one month to the other, but turned in its best performance when compared to 2014.

Bridgestone: Say Hello to New Speedco President

NASHVILLE, TN -- A business that provides on-highway truck lubrication and routine tire services to commercial truck owner-operators and fleets has gotten new leadership.

Need Better Trucking HR Strategies? Then Read This

OTTAWA, ON -- A report released earlier this month offers an inside look at what some of Canada's trucking companies are doing right when it comes to human resources (HR), according to the British Columbia Trucking Association (BCTA).

Average Diesel Cost Down Over Past Week, Gasoline Lowest Since February

LONDON, ON and WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The average cost of diesel in both Canada and the U.S. has moved lower over the past week while the Canadian cost of gasoline is the lowest since early this year. In Canada, the national average price of trucking's main fuel declined $0.016 from last week to $1.039 per liter, according to the petroleum information services provider The Kent Group. This follow no change the week before and is now $0.202 less than this time last year.

U.S. Increasing Cross-Border Fees for Some Shipments

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced it will publish its final rule on Oct. 29 that adjusts the fees the U.S. government charges to recoup the costs of conducting agricultural quarantine inspections (AQI) at U.S. ports of entry for all modes of transportation and many in Canadian trucking are speaking out against the move.

Daimler Trucks Expecting Boost in 2016

PHILADELPHIA, PA-- "Expect class 6-8 truck orders for 2016 to be less than 2015, but better than 2014", says Martin Daum, President and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) during his annual media recap at the American Trucking Associations' 2015 Management Conference and Exhibition held in Philadelphia a few days ago.