The National Trailer Dealers Association revealed its new logo as part of its new branding approach that it says embodies the association’s fresh approach to serving its members and the semi-trailer industry as a whole. Continue Reading

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — The United States is awash in gasoline. So much so, in fact, that the country is exporting a record amount of it. The country exported 430,000 more barrels of gasoline a day than it imported in September, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That is about twice the amount at the start of the year, and experts and industry insiders say the trend is here to stay. Continue Reading

The U.S. economy experienced four months of high growth from late 2009 to mid-2010, but since then seems to be stuck in neutral, according to the latest reading of the Pulse of Commerce Index, which is released jointly by Ceridian Corp. and the UCLA Anderson School of Management. This assessment is reinforced by the National Bureau of Economic Research, where economists declared the recession over in June 2009 followed by a Continue Reading

A sluggish housing market, higher fuel prices and growing federal debt could lead to another freight recession in 2014, according to FTR Associates, a research firm that studies the trucking industry. But what is helping the industry now is a strengthening manufacturing climate and a solid export market. As 2014 nears, however, regulatory changes, such as hours-of-service revisions and potentially higher interest rates, thanks to that Continue Reading

Trucking company bankruptcies and voluntary parking equipment created more opportunity for the industry, as one million loads per week had to be distributed among other carriers as a result. The chair of the American Trucking Associations and a trucking company representative agreed that this would have a longer term impact on the future of trucking, but both cautioned that there are many dramatic changes ahead. Among them are Continue Reading

Sharing what they learned from challenging economic times was the spirit of a panel discussion at the Commercial Vehicle Outlook Conference last week in Dallas. Various fleet executives shared their strategies, which ultimately helped them survive, as well as what they’re preparing for in the future. One of the biggest lessons–and maybe even silver linings–from the recession is that it forced carriers and other businesses to trim all the fat from their operations. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t more challenges ahead. The executives agreed that the driver shortage would continue to Continue Reading

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

Continued growth in orders and manufacturing seem to confirm anecdotal reports that the economy is moving from a stage of recession to recovery. For the 10th consecutive month, activity in the manufacturing sector has grown, both thanks to new orders and bigger payrolls. For the sixth consecutive month, manufacturers have added new jobs, and a majority report Continue Reading