Economy

Link Mfg. breaks ground on plant expansion

Link Mfg. has broken ground on a 50,000 sq.-ft. high-tech manufacturing and training facility it says will set the stage for continued growth, while also accommodating its recent acquisition Hadley’s…

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…

Truck driver shortage a worldwide phenomenon

Fleets are struggling to hire the truck drivers they need despite economic slowdowns associated with Covid-19, and not just in Canada. The IRU — an international supply chain group that…

Driver turnover rates steady in Q4

U.S. fleets saw little change to driver turnover rates in the fourth quarter of 2020, with an annualized rate of 92% among large truckload carriers. The churn among smaller truckload…

Winter weather pushed down February freight tonnage: ATA

U.S. for-hire truck tonnage fell 4.5% in February, and was down 5.9% year-over-year, according to the latest data from the American Trucking Associations (ATA). “February’s drop was exacerbated, perhaps completely…

8 quick telematics takeaways from Geotab executives

If you want to manage it, you have to measure it, and advances in vehicle telematics are giving fleets an opportunity to manage more processes than ever before. Geotab…

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…

Facility Association reducing its insurance deductibles

Facility Association has announced a reduction in deductibles for the trucking industry. In her remarks at Facility Association’s recent annual general meeting, FA’s president and CEO Saskia Matheson said the…

Canada Cartage expands in Western Canada by acquiring Kore Logistics

Canada Cartage continues to grow its final mile operations with the acquisition of Kore Logistics, one of Western Canada’s largest providers of final mile fulfillment and home deliveries. It’s the…

Manitoulin Transport opens new Barrie terminal

Manitoulin Transport has opened a new 21,300 sq.-ft. terminal in Barrie, Ont. The terminal features 22 dock doors for faster and more efficient loading and unloading, and increased storage capacity,…

Why AHG was ‘perfect match’ for Skelton Truck Lines

Andlauer Healthcare Group’s (AHG) high-profile February purchase of Skelton Truck Lines was hashed out around the kitchen table at Ron Skelton’s house. “Larry Skelton, the founder, is 80 years old…

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…

Ritchie Bros. sets records at Toronto auction

Ritchie Bros. has recorded its largest-ever auction in Toronto, selling 4,300 trucks and equipment pieces in an online event that ran March 9-11. The volumes represented a 35% year-over-year increase…

Groupe Robert to build $150-M warehouse in Varennes

Group Robert, which operates one of Quebec’s largest trucking operations, has announced plans to build a $150-million automated distribution center in Varennes, Que. The projects will be supported by $40…