Near-term projections for the trucking industry indicate a slow, steady climb to reaching previous peak sales levels, but not without some new challenges along the way. Specifically, FTR Associates President Eric Starks told industry representatives at the Commercial Vehicle Outlook Conference in Dallas that CSA 2010 could ultimately create a driver shortage. Fewer drivers will be able to be processed through the system, which will result in an unprecedented driver shortage by mid-2011. Overall, truck sales and freight volumes continue to improve, though at times at what appears to be Continue Reading

Like net trailer orders, Class 8 net orders fell 27 percent from June to July this year, but overall sales are trending upward, according to ACT Research’s State of the Industry: Classes 5-8 Vehicles report. Analysts attributed the month-to-month decline in part to seasonality. Medium-duty trucks showed the strongest improvement, up 100 percent from July 2009. As trucking company profitability continues to strengthen, Class 8 sales will Continue Reading

Though new trailer orders took a dip from June to July this year, industry analysts remain positive about the overall direction of the market. According to data from ACT Research, Co., last month’s numbers showed a 74 percent improvement over the same time last year. And the largest segment of commercial trailers, dry vans, saw something of a comeback with a 134 percent jump from July 2009. As far as the 9 percent decline in new orders from June to July, researchers say bear in mind the continued effects of a very weak 2009. Despite these tentative numbers, ACT Research showed the demand Continue Reading

Truck tonnage continues to rise, albeit slowly, in the United States, but one economist said even moderate gains will have a greater impact on the industry now than in the past. The latest figures from the American Trucking Associations (ATA) show that freight rose 1.5 percent for July, a 7.4 percent improvement from July 2009. This marked the eighth consecutive month of year-over-year increases. Moderate gains like these are expected through the Continue Reading

With federal funds for road repairs being sliced from state budgets, transportation and government officials are being forced to get creative in order to keep infrastructure viable and safe. Some states, like Pennsylvania, are angling to raise taxes on oil companies doing business there, as well as to increase a variety of license, registration and vehicle fees to raise the $1 billion to help repair the state’s 5,646 structurally deficient bridges and nearly 7,000 miles of highway in “poor” condition. Other states, like Arizona, are lobbying to open up rest areas to commercial businesses to help Continue Reading

For an early peek at the CSA 2010 safety screening program, join Fleet Owner for a webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 8 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. (CST), when executives from seven motor carriers will discuss their pilot experiences. They will cover why they were selected for an intervention, what type they experienced, changes they have made in their operations in response to the intervention, and their experience with shippers and brokers under Continue Reading

Recent revisions to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA 2010) performance model on the surface seem kinder to larger fleets, while harsher on smaller ones. After another round of assessments with the revision, research shows that smaller fleets are at greater risk for an intervention. The largest fleets, once at 72 percent risk, now have a 42 percent chance of an intervention. But that’s not unfair Continue Reading

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) made preliminary scores based on its Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA 2010) model available to fleets last week, allowing companies to identify unsafe behaviors and address safety compliance issues. In December, each motor carrier’s score will be made public. Prior to CSA 2010′s implementation later this year, the FMCSA recommends that motor carriers verify and update their motor carrier Continue Reading

Only a small portion of dairy fleets are participants in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SmartWay Program, but a relatively new group aims to change that. E-Smart, a project that unites transportation experts to address challenges specific to dairy transport, wants to get these fleets on board to help cut the industry’s transportation carbon dioxide emissions by 165,000 metric tons annually, potentially saving 16.5 million gallons of Continue Reading

While most U.S. voters are concerned about getting employment and the economy back on track, one of the top representatives for the trucking industry says its biggest issue is the implementation of the Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA 2010) performance model. An initiative of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the safety measurement tool will help improve the nation’s highways by holding drivers and carriers Continue Reading