While prices at the pump have only been slightly less painful, don’t expect them to improve by declining, according to experts. Diesel in the U.S. tumbled by more than 10 cents a gallon on average, but that’s expected to be something of the calm before the storm. For the short term, prices will range from about $3.65 to $3.90 a gallon, and longer term, diesel could fetch upwards of $4 a gallon, according to the Continue Reading

Trucking is getting a boost from healthy manufacturing levels, and its pace is predicted to keep growing over the next year. Between demand for raw materials and consumer goods, that’s expected to keep truckers busy, despite the sluggish or slowing economic climate. American Trucking Associations chief economist says the strength of freight activity through the end of the year will be dependent on how Continue Reading

Though the recent resurgence in Class 8 truck sales is positive, many fleets remain cautiously optimistic about the economy. That’s why many of the new truck orders are driven by the desire to replace aging equipment, not to add capacity. Still, there is more than enough equipment in most fleets to replace, as this marks the oldest the U.S. trucking fleet has ever been, according to FTR Associates. Though availability of credit and volatile fuel prices have an effect, the age factor alone is what’s driving much of the surge in Continue Reading

TransCore’s North American Freight Index came just short of eclipsing its all-time high. For June, the index notched its second-highest load volume for the year and in its 15-year history. Freight availability jumped by 15 percent from May and 37 percent from the same time last year, and truckload freight rates rose for all freight markets. TransCore’s monthly North American Freight Index measures truckload Continue Reading

A healthy rebound in truck orders has pushed production capacity of Class 8 vehicles to its limits. And those limitations are further exacerbated by the shortage of tires, axles and other second- and third-tier components. As a result, manufacturers are approaching their production capacities with a tempered conservativism due to these potential shortages. When production of Class 8 trucks begins to level off, it will be Continue Reading

Rising export levels and a resurgence in manufacturing have in part been responsible for driving up truck freight. And that could continue to grow or at least be sustained for a while, according to the latest numbers from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Exports posted a record-breaking high in April, increasing $2 billion to $126.4 billion in terms of goods. But just as important as the boost it’s giving to freight volumes is the 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

The trucking industry is getting strong enough to weather the effects of higher fuel prices, but not all small or medium-sized companies may make it. Research firm FTR Associates surmises that fuel prices have reached their peak, yet even despite the increases, it’s not slowing down fleets that are looking to replace older equipment. Orders for Class 8 vehicles have jumped by triple-digit percentage points–158 percent, according to ACT Research, which predicts those numbers could be even higher if fuel prices were lower. Not everyone will be able to survive the latest jump in fuel, but the Continue Reading

Preliminary data released by FTR Associates for net Class 8 truck orders for April show another strong month for the industry. Last month’s numbers rose 32 percent over March, which posted a 20 percent increase over February’s numbers. The annualized rate for the past three months is at 362,700 units, and includes the United States, Canada, Mexico and exports. The concern being expressed now is whether manufacturers and suppliers are well-stocked enough to meet this growing demand. This is affecting how FTR Associates may develop forecast numbers, as the research firm has Continue Reading

After taking multiple hits from the economic downturn, commercial truck dealers are encouraged by several indicators that bode well for the industry. Speaking at the American Truck Dealers annual convention and expo in Phoenix, ATD chairman Kyle Treadway outlined five reasons for the nation’s commercial truck dealers to be optimistic this year. Among those reasons are improvements in Continue Reading