Economy

Shippers’ conditions bounced in April from record lows

U.S. shippers saw conditions improve in April from the worst conditions on record, according to FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index (SCI). The April reading of -11.9 was still heavily into negative…

Volumes slip, but rates remain at record highs: ACT

Freight volumes are softening but rates remain at record highs, according to ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index for May. “Consistent with some consumer-related macro softness as well as the deceleration…

Canada’s spot market freight levels remain strong

Canada’s spot market showed continued strength in May, a month that included the strongest single-day load volumes since April 2018. Loadlink Technologies reported stabilized domestic loads in May, while cross-border…

Truck driver jobs rebound to pre-Covid levels

Truck driver employment has rebounded to pre-Covid levels – with Canada counting 11,100 more working drivers than the average reported over the last decade. While driving jobs plunged in the…

Trailer orders drop, reflecting lengthy backlogs

Trailer orders fell 39% to 8,800 units in May, according to preliminary data from ACT Research, reflecting lengthy backlogs extending into next year. “The sequential decline in net orders was…

Top trucking issues include ELDs, emissions, and driver training, says BCTA chief

British Columbia appears to be emerging from the economic downturn associated with Covid-19, but the province’s largest trucking association understands there are plenty of changes to come in the year…

Another month, another record for trucking conditions: FTR

FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) reached a record high of 16.82 in April, surpassing the previous high in March. The index got a boost from lower diesel prices in April.

UAW to go back on strike after rejecting latest tentative deal

United Auto Workers (UAW) union members at Volvo’s New River Valley truck plant will walk off the job at noon today, after rejecting the truck maker’s latest tentative agreement with…

UAW members reject latest tentative agreement with Volvo

United Auto Workers (UAW) workers at Volvo’s New River Valley truck plant have once again rejected a labor agreement tentatively reached with the company May 20. It was a six-year…

Class 8 orders slow as 2021 build slots fill

Class 8 orders cooled in May, reflecting the filling of build slots this year and OEMs’ reticence to begin taking orders for 2022. FTR reports preliminary figures of 23,600 Class…

Vision of green transportation faces business challenges

Businesses around the world are investing evermore into sustainable transportation strategies, but there are clearly barriers to overcome. The higher cost of going green may be one of the biggest…

Truck, trailer and freight demand all to remain strong: FTR

“We need trucks on the road, the market is desperate for trucks, and we can’t get them.” That was how Don Ake, vice-president – commercial vehicles with industry forecaster FTR…

Lion breaks ground at battery plant and innovation center

The YMX International Aerocity in Mirabel, Que., will be home to Lion Electric’s battery manufacturing plant and innovation center. A groundbreaking ceremony was recently held at the site, which is…

Fleets challenged to take advantage of ‘perfect storm’: ACT

Industry analyst ACT Research says while the economy, freight, and trucking indicators are all at or near record highs, there are challenges percolating beneath the surface. “Our heavy-duty forecast continues…

Canadian spot market load volumes remained healthy in April

Canadian spot market load volumes on the Loadlink platform decreased 14% in April, or 5% when considering the number of business days between March and April. That reflects normal seasonal…