July Logistics Manager’s Index trends down but still growing
The July LMI reading, at 68.9 (a reading above 50 indicates growth is occurring), expanded at a slower rate, and fell 2.2% from June’s 71.1, which marked the first time the LMI topped the 70-mark since March 2022’s 76.2 reading. The report’s authors observed that while this is a moderate rate of expansion relative to […]
U.S. manufacturing growth accelerates in July, reports ISM
Manufacturing remained on the right side of growth in July for the seventh consecutive month, according to the new edition of the Manufacturing Report on Business, which was issued today by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). The report’s benchmark reading, the PMI, came in at 55.6 (a reading above 50 indicates growth), topping June […]
UPS rolls out easier shipping tools for small business owners
UPS is rolling out a set of digital tools designed to give small and midsize businesses more control over pickups, label creation, and package tracking. The updates include a new online pickup dashboard, a faster shipping process on UPS.com, and a redesigned mobile app connected to more than 5,500 UPS Store locations across the United […]
Intermodal volumes see strong annual June gains, reports IANA
June intermodal volumes posted strong annual gains, according to data provided to LM by the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA). Total June volume, at 1,639,677 units, posted an 11.6% annual gain, far outpacing a 4.4% annual May gain. Trailers, at 41,294, headed up 19.4% annually, and domestic containers, at 799,069, posted a 15.6% annual […]
C.H. Robinson hit with $604 million advisory verdict in negligent carrier selection case
In a Form 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Eden Prairie, Minn.-based global third-party logistics (3PL) services provider and freight forwarder C.H. Robinson said that a Dallas County, Texas jury issued an advisory verdict against the company and also two other defendants in “a lawsuit related to a trucking accident involving an independent […]
SMC3 Connections panel highlights how Supreme Court’s Montgomery ruling raises the bar for freight broker carrier vetting
The impact of the May Supreme Court ruling in the Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC case, which addressed whether Federal preemption under the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (FAAAA) applies to negligent hiring claims involving motor carrier vehicle safety regulations for freight transportation brokers—and stated in the ruling that negligent-hiring claims against freight brokers […]
June U.S. container imports rise 9%, but tariff uncertainty continues to shape trade flows
United States-bound June containerized freight shipments saw annual gains for the second straight month, following 12 months of declines, according to data recently issued by S&P Global Market Intelligence. June imports, at 2.53 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), posted a 9.0% annual gain, despite the majority of sectors tracked by the firm seeing import declines […]
Truck tonnage trends down in June, reports ATA
Truck tonnage saw another monthly decline in June, according to data issued today by the American Trucking Associations (ATA). ATA reported that its June Seasonally Adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index reading, at 113.1 (2015=100), saw a 0.7% annual decrease (downwardly revised from an originally-reported 0.6% annual decrease), following a 2.5% annual increase in April. […]
ArcBest consolidates brands, cuts workforce in restructuring aimed at long-term growth
Late last week, Fort Smith, Arkansas-based ArcBest, a full-service supply chain logistics provider, said it is making various changes to the company, through, what it called the simplification of its brand structure and also streamlining operations, with a focus on long-term growth and efficiency. In an 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the […]
U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes, for week of July 11, are mixed, reports AAR
United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending July 11, were mixed, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Rail carloads, at 223,040, saw a slight 0.4% annual decrease, topping the week ending July 4, which was likely impacted by the timing of the July 4 […]