Economic trends: Page 2

FTR: Number of carriers will continue to fall as economy cools
“What is likely to happen is that we’re going to have some capacity loss,” Vise says. “As we lose drivers from these carriers that are failing, that is likely to be a driver population that we will lose.”
January 12, 2023
FTR Transportation Intelligence Logo
Truck orders end 2022 on sour note, but 'a solid end to a robust final four months of the year'
Large truck orders ended the year down 21% from November but up 25% from last December. Orders for the past 12 months total 302,000 units.
January 10, 2023
truck chassis spray paint
Gap between contract, spot rates narrowing
Shippers are trading lower contract rates for giving carriers more loads and better lane density.
January 2, 2023
truck backing into dock
Truck tonnage saw biggest monthly dip since pandemic began
ATA's Truck Tonnage Index fell 2.5% in November, the biggest monthly decrease since the start of the pandemic. Also: Winter storms prompt HOS waivers in four states; ContainerPort Group announces expansion; USPS plans to add EVs to fleet.
December 22, 2022
ATA Truck Tonnage Index November 2022
Trucking conditions fall to lowest point since April 2020
Sharp increases in fuel and financing costs in October drove FTR's Trucking Conditions Index to its lowest point since the beginning of COVID. Also: Wyoming propane haulers get HOS relief; Volvo, Daimler issue recalls
December 20, 2022
FTR October 2022 Trucking Conditions Index
Diesel price declines forecast to continue into 2023
Diesel price drops at the pump are expected to continue in 2023 as refinery production increases and wholesale and retail markups decline.
December 18, 2022
trucks at a fuel island
Truck orders tumble off record highs but 'resilient'
OEMs having opened their orderboards for 2023 more broadly, and ongoing pent-up demand — with tailwinds from strong carrier profitability and elevated fleet age — is keeping truck orders stoked.
December 6, 2022
truck assembly
Trucking equipment demand high despite booming interest rates
Carrier profits are the critical element in vehicle demand, and while profits next year are anticipated to be lower truckload net margins are projected to be the fourth best on record.
December 6, 2022
red truck on the road
Bill to avoid rail strike passes, heads to Biden's desk
The Senate on Thursday voted 80-15 to impose the tentative agreement brokered in September by the Biden administration, a day after the House passed the same measure.
December 1, 2022
railroad yard
House passes bill to avoid rail strike
The trucking industry is among the legions of concerned parties that have called on Congress to help avoid a rail worker strike that President Joe Biden says "would devastate our economy."
November 30, 2022
a truck drivers on the highway over a train track
Why is diesel getting so much more expensive than gasoline?
Lately, low inventories and worries about a harsh winter have caused a simmering panic to drive the price difference between gas and diesel well above norms. But for decades, diesel reliably cost less than gas.
November 29, 2022
Diesel selling at $2 above the price of regular unleaded gas
Tesla's Musk says Semi passes 500-mile, 81K test
With just days until initial deliveries begin, Tesla CEO Elon Musk says the electric Semi can do 500 miles at 81,000 pounds. Also: Averitt Express expands; ACT Research believes the rate bottoming process is underway; ATRI seeks input on predatory towing.
November 29, 2022
Tesla Semi truck
Rail strike would 'immediately disrupt' fuel, DEF supply
With a Dec. 9 strike deadline set, railroads plan to stop taking hazardous materials, including fuel, next week.
November 28, 2022
tank truck on the highway
Truck tonnage saw significant drop in October
According to ATA, the 2.3% month-over-month decrease from September to October was the biggest monthly drop since the start of the pandemic. Also: HHG company foreman sentenced in racketeering scheme.
November 28, 2022
ATA Truck Tonnage Index October 2022
Trailer orders surging as some component constraints stabilize
Backlog levels jumped 13% on the increased orders after a downward trend for most of the year.
November 25, 2022
semi trailer assembly
Shippers' conditions saw sharp decline in September
Even though trucking conditions deteriorated in September, conditions for shippers were even worse, according to FTR. Also: Saia awards $75,000 in scholarships; Penske opens first LEED-certified, full-service facility in Ohio.
November 23, 2022
FTR Shippers Conditions September 2022
Rail strike back on the table, this time for December
The U.S. narrowly avoided a potentially disastrous rail strike in September, but it now looms over early December.
November 21, 2022
truck and a train
Trucking conditions tumbled in September
Rising fuel prices, weak rates and rising inflation led to a drop in trucking conditions in September, according to FTR. Also: Autonomous trucking firm Waabi unveils self-driving tech; Atlas Van Lines names new president and COO.
November 18, 2022
FTR Trucking Conditions Index September 2022
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Women in Trucking member Angelika Mangino is the group's Member of the Month for April. Though more women are entering the filed, a WIT survey showed that safety remains a top concern among female drivers.
Recruiting & retention
Female trucker surveys divide proponents on pay and cab design
Industry leaders agree on safety and respect as top issues among surveyed female truck drivers but disagree on pay and cab design.
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