The contract freight market continues to soften following last month’s 3.5% m/m drop in the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index. The ATAs tonnage index, which includes truckload and LTL freight, is dominated by contract freight with minimal spot market loads. Compared to January 2023, the SA index fell…
In the fast-paced world of freight brokering, marketing often takes a back seat. But here’s the truth: it’s not just about promoting your business; it’s about securing your future success. We tackle the nuts and bolts of freight broker marketing in our new guide, “Marketing 101: A no-nonsense guide for freight brokers.” It’s an indispensable…
According to the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture), contributing to lower reefer volumes of fresh and frozen beef is the shrinking inventory of cattle, down 2% year-over-year (y/y) and the lowest in 73 years. For reefer carriers, the truckload volume of beef has dropped by 14% since the 20-year record high in March 2022, or…
According to Professor Jason Miller, a supply chain expert at Michigan State University, there’s some good and bad news for trucking companies based on the December data from the for-hire trucking ton-mile and revenue indexes (TTMI). December’s TTMI, based on output across 41 freight-generating industries, was down 0.1% from November, which is effectively unchanged sequentially.…
The myths and facts behind sleep Welcome to DAT Freight & Analytics’s six-part series on napping, sleep physiology, scheduling, and trip planning. While aimed at truckers in high-risk operating environments, the information will benefit anyone in the logistics industry equally. This week, we’ll take a deep dive into myths and facts about sleep. Myth: Your…
A bitterly cold January most likely contributed to fewer housing starts breaking ground last month, with single-family homes, which account for around 75% of monthly construction, down 4.7% month-over-month (m/m). Multi-family homes recorded the sharpest decrease in January, falling 35.8% m/m. According to the Commerce Department’s Census Bureau, permits for future single-family construction, a leading…
The Port of Savannah consistently ranks as the fourth largest port for U.S. imports, accounting for 9.3% of the national total. However, it ranks number two for refrigerated exports (10.1%), behind Oakland, CA, with 14.7%. Besides its proximity to Atlanta, the Port of Savannah enjoys superior road and rail connections, with Interstates 95 and 16…
Welcome to DAT Freight & Analytics’s six-part series on napping, sleep physiology, scheduling, and trip planning. While aimed at truckers in high-risk operating environments, the information will benefit anyone in the logistics industry equally. This week, we’ll deeply dive into the big four sleep stealers. Who and what is stealing your sleep? Energy drinks Energy…
Flatbed report: Texas leads the way in manufacturing and infrastructure investments According to Goldman Sachs, Texas is the leading state in terms of projects that have broken ground (about 25% of all projects in the US), driven in part by semiconductor plants from major manufacturers. The research firm is tracking over $1 trillion in manufacturing…
Two weeks of rain and powerful winds in California led to mudslides, flooding, widespread power outages, and a state of emergency declared in eight Southern California counties. Farmers are preparing to survey the damage contingent upon the ground drying out to allow field access. Citrus, almonds, avocado, and strawberry crops are expected to be impacted…