Class 8 truck orders are posting double- and triple-digit increases, and while that’s good news, it’s creating another challenge, according to analysts. Order levels up 31 percent from March to April and up 157 percent in year-over-year numbers have created a backlog that’s nearing a five-year high. A senior analysts with ACT Research Co., is even predicting all the build slots for this year could be filled by July. The “good problem to have” will be Continue Reading

According to the latest statistics published by Transport Canada, the country’s transportation safety initiatives are paying off. From 2007 to 2008, the country saw a 12 percent drop in deaths on its roads, marking the lowest death toll in nearly 60 years. With these improvements, Canada is on pace to reach its goal of a 30 percent drop in fatalities as compared to averages from a baseline period of 1996-2001 and 1998-2010. In 2008, there were 2,419 road user fatalities, down from 2,761 the previous year. Fifty-four per cent of fatalities were motor vehicle drivers, 20% were passengers and Continue Reading

With the rollout of CSA 2010 earlier this week, only a fraction of the 758, 682 active motor carriers are ranked–barely 12 percent, according to analysis from CCJ magazine. The data detailing safety performance under the FMCSA’s new measurement tool went public for the first time on Sunday, Dec. 12, when the program was officially launched. Of the 92,184 carriers that are ranked in at least one BASIC, 52,967 carriers have at least one alert, meaning they exceeded the threshold for intervention. The greatest number of alerts, 29,207, are in the Fatigued Driving BASIC, followed by the Continue Reading

Though the unemployment rate grew in November, the trucking industry added 1,400 jobs last month, according to the U.S. Labor Department. The number of out-of-work Americans is the highest since April, reported Bloomberg. Despite that bleak news, there are pockets of positivity. Growth in the trucking industry for one, and rising payrolls overall, but particularly in the private sector. Government jobs overall have reduced payroll, though the Continue Reading

Manufacturing continues to get stronger, according to the latest numbers from the Institute for Supply Management. The rate of activity for October marked the 15th consecutive month of growth, according to the index’s PMI. What was particularly good news is the index of new orders, which is also an indicator of near-term shipment volumes, came in at 58.9 percent, up almost eight percentage points from September. Production was also up from September, a little more than six points for a final reading of 62.7 percent. What it means is that the economy is poised to make Continue Reading

According to the latest numbers from the American Trucking Associations’ seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index, the economy is slowing and is expected to remain sluggish through the end of the year. But the ATA’s chief economist, Bob Costello, says that the trucking industry has changed “dramatically for the better,” even despite the largest month-to-month drop–2.7 percent–since March 2009. Costello says that carriers can now do better with small increases in demand, particularly since equipment supply was thinned during the recession. The base year for ATA’s index is Continue Reading

The National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) is making some sweeping recommendations affecting commercial vehicles in its report on a fatal crash that occurred in June 2009. That multi-vehicle accident near Miami, Okla., killed 10 people when a truck driver approaching the scene did not slow down or make an attempt to avoid a collision, according to the report. Among its recommendations, the NTSB cited the need for a fatigue management system, event recorders and Continue Reading

According to the FTR Trucking Conditions Index, the trucking industry has experienced stabilization over the last several months and should expect to remain in positive territory for the rest of the year. The Trucking Conditions Index is a compilation of factors affecting trucking companies. According to FTR, the current index is showing a solid improvement from 2009 and is expected to continue on an upward trend through 2011. In spite of Continue Reading

Despite an increase in vehicular traffic, fatalities declined to record lows in 2009 and injuries from highway crashes continue to drop, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The number of highway deaths in 2009 fell to the lowest number since 1950. But for safety officials, the news kept getting better. Deaths across multiple categories, including truck-involved, motorcycles and alcohol-impaired driving, decreased. Though reduced travel due to the recession may have had some impact, traffic safety professionals felt these numbers reflected the efforts of Continue Reading

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