AI, ESG and geopolitics top supply chain influences in new Gartner survey
A survey of 579 supply chain practitioners across industry and geography has identified the top 10 drivers of future supply chain success but found only 29% of respondents had sufficiently developed three of the top five competitive drivers needed for future readiness. “Leaders shared a commitment to preparation through long-term, deliberate strategies, while non-leaders were more often […]
Trucking leaders blast New York’s congestion pricing plan in letter to DOT Secretary Duffy
With a March 21 deadline rapidly approaching, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and the Trucking Association of New York (TANY) penned a letter to the United States Department of Transportation, stating their continued support regarding the discontinuation of New York City’s congestion pricing plan. The plan, which was rolled out by Governor Kathy Hochul, went […]
Federal Reserve elects to keep interest rate at current levels
After making three rate cuts in 2024, the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) said earlier today it has decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 4.25%-to-4.5%. “Recent indicators suggest that economic activity has continued to expand at a solid pace. The unemployment rate has stabilized at a low […]
STB makes call to end Final Offer Rate Review litigation
The Washington, D.C.-based Surface Transportation Board (STB), an independent adjudicatory and economic-regulatory agency charged by Congress with resolving railroad rate and service disputes and reviewing proposed railroad mergers, said late last week that it decided the end its litigation on its Final Offer Rate Review (FORR) rule, adding that STB Chairman Patrick Fuchs will propose […]
February retail sales see slight increases
February retail sales saw mild gains in February, according to data respectively issued earlier today by the United States Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce and the National Retail Federation (NRF). Commerce reported that February retail sales, at $722.7 billion, rose 0.2% over January and were up 3.1% annually. From December through February, it reported […]
DAT Truckload Volume Index highlights February spot truckload volume and rate declines
Driven by a combination of seasonal slowing, winter weather conditions, and ongoing uncertainty regarding tariffs and economic conditions, spot truckload volumes trended down in February, according to the new edition of the DAT Truckload Index, which was issued today by DAT Freight and Analytics. The DAT Truckload Volume Index reflects the change in the number of loads […]
Weather disruptions and strong intermodal growth shape U.S. railroad performance in February
United States February railroad and intermodal volumes were mixed, according to the new edition of the “Rail Industry Overview (RIO),” which was recently published by the Washington, D.C.-based Association of American Railroads (AAR). This free publication is issued monthly by the AAR and provides insights from AAR’s economists, regarding what rail traffic is saying about […]
White House reinstates 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, sparking global trade tensions
As was expected, the White House today implemented 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum products imported into the United States. This move is the latest in the ongoing series of tariff actions taken by the U.S. since President Trump began his second term. Last month, the White House said that these tariffs are being implemented […]
Electrification stalls for U.S. truckers as California pulls back
The trucking industry’s push toward electrification seems to have run out of juice. A combination of California’s move away from mandating electric trucks at its ports and the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of electric-truck manufacturer Nikola has pulled the plug on trucking’s push toward electrification. California’s move to electrifying port drayage trucks around ports “was […]
FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index turns negative for second time since August 2023
The new edition of the Shippers Conditions Index, which was issued this week by freight transportation consultancy FTR, turned negative for only the second time since August 2023. FTR describes the SCI as an indicator that sums up all market influences that affect the transport environment for shippers, with a reading above zero being favorable […]