The Columbus freight market, the largest of four in Ohio, is poised to become an even larger one for truckload carriers following a series of major construction projects. According to U.S. Commerce Department officials, Intel’s decision to build two factories near Columbus is becoming one of two semiconductor manufacturing clusters being developed as part of…
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 start the series by exploring the art of napping. Some progressive companies encourage sleeping on the job, while…
Memphis is known as the “Supply Chain Capital of the World” and “America’s Distribution Center,” a strategically centered transportation hub intersected by Interstates 40 and 55, the Mississippi River, and the convergence of east–west rail routes with north–south routes. Memphis is primarily an outbound distribution freight market for truckload carriers, with 20% more outbound spot…
During a recent stop at a major truck stop on Interstate 90 in upstate New York, I was pleasantly surprised to see a small driver health display incorporating a map of a walking track around the location. But that was the extent of it. A small picture on a wall near the entrance before unhealthy…
Last year will go down in the books like 2019 did – an unprofitable year for carriers with the usual twists and turns. Unlike 2019, though, we have not seen anywhere near the level of carrier bankruptcies reported despite the number of long-haul carriers exiting the market. To put 2023 into context, we must go…
The first quarter, or “Quiet Season” in freight, is also impacted by a slowdown in Asian imports. Except for 2020, February import volumes are typically the low point each year before picking up in March and then steadily increasing to October, when import volumes usually peak. According to IHS Markit/PIERS data, February volumes decreased around…
The rate of long-haul carriers exiting the industry slowed in November following the exodus reported by the FMCSA in October. As has been the case over the last few years, whenever there is a significant surge in diesel prices, carrier exits accelerate in the ensuing weeks as the cash flow crunch hits. The third-highest number…
On a recent DAT iQ show, we spoke to commercial warehouse and economics expert Ibrahiim Bayaan from Nuveen about the 2024 outlook for trucking. The complete version of the show can be found here. Get the clearest, most accurate view of the truckload marketplace with data from DAT iQ. Tune into DAT iQ Live, live…
We’re a few weeks away from the official start of winter, but we’re already seeing the annual shift in produce farming to warmer southern latitudes. At the start of December, the number one domestically produced commodity being hauled by truckload carriers is, not surprisingly, potatoes (18% of weekly volume). After all, it is harvest season…
The contract freight market continues to soften despite the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increasing by 1.1% in October. ATA’s tonnage index, which includes truckload and LTL freight, is dominated by contract freight with minimal spot market loads. “After hitting a floor in April, tonnage has slowly and…