For the third consecutive month, the Freight Transportation Services Index posted a gain over the previous month. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the Freight TSI rose 0.3 percent in April over its March level. Though its year-to-year growth is nearly 5 percent, April numbers remain Continue Reading

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will delay the launch of its measurement tool intended to improve safety, but officials insists it will be rolled out in 2010. Once expected to be unveiled in June, the Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA 2010) won’t be unveiled until November. CSA 2010 will utilize a scoring system Continue Reading

The latest survey on seatbelt usage among drivers of commercial drivers from the Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration shows significant increases even over a few years ago. In 2007, 65 percent of drivers vigilantly wore safety belts, compared to 74 percent of truckers today. The FMCSA study also revealed that drivers were more conscientious about wearing seatbelts in states with Continue Reading

Based on the latest month-to-month and year-over-year numbers, analysts at ACT Research Co., are optimistic that the increases indicate a tightening of truck capacity, which will lead to increasing freight rates and profitability for fleets. That in turn will boost demand for new trucks and trailers. In February, commercial trailer net orders hit their highest mark in Continue Reading

Though the year-over-year freight index is down, the Freight Transportation Services Index increased 2.9 percent since June 2009. Those gains have come since the Freight TSI’s lowest level since June 1997, which was May 2009. The index hit its peak in May 2006 with a Freight TSI of 112.9. 2009 ended with a December Freight TSI of Continue Reading

Steady activity in mergers and acquisitions in the trucking sector indicates to some analysts that freight may have hit bottom and that the industry is on a tentative road to recovery. The report from BMO Capital Markets Transportation Group concludes that though trucking will face its share of burdens caused by Continue Reading

The next several years hold growth for the commercial vehicle market, but nothing like the record-breaking registration numbers of 2006, according to the latest report from Polk. As the housing market and the economy rebound, vehicle sales are typically expected to see growth, but another recent survey indicated Continue Reading

A new book, compiled after more than 30 years of safety research, is being heralded as the must-read for carrier safety managers. “Safety for the Long Haul,” written by Ron Knipling, senior research scientist at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, delves further into usual topics of speeding and driver fatigue to Continue Reading

Deficient roadways are more dangerous than drunk drivers, speeding or not wearing a safety belt, according to a new study. The Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation claims that poor road conditions are responsible for more than half of the highway fatalities in the U.S. The study calls for better signage, the Continue Reading

The hours-of-service exemption for agricultural haulers is being hotly contested by safety organizations citing the rise in crashes and ag lobbyists claiming the time-sensitive nature of harvesting and food-processing cannot be controlled, except Continue Reading