Fleet Management

New home starts in the U.S. fell in January to the lowest level in three months, but industrial production, which includes manufacturing, reversed its string of recent declines. At the same time, wholesale prices increased, leading some to believe interest rates may soon move higher.

Tags: Economy, Interest Rates, Industrial Production, Manufacturing, Home Starts, Federal Reserve, Producer Prices, Home Building, Used Vehicle Values

FTR transportation expert Noel Perry told an audience at the AmericQuest Symposium that trucking currently is outperforming the broader economy, and there are both good and bad economic indicators at play.

Tags: Economy, FTR

One of the biggest drivers of the U.S. economy posted broad-based gains in January, which could ease fears following earlier indications that overall activity was slowing. However, a separate report on inventories still raises concerns about a bumpy ride.

Tags: Economy, Retail Sales, Consumer Confidence, Manufacturing, Consumer Sentiment

The number of freight shipments and the dollars spent on freight declined again in January as part of a seasonal trend. However, that's not necessarily a sign of further weakening for the overall economy, according the latest Cass Freight Index report.

Tags: Economy, Freight, Cass Freight Index

The amount of freight moved by the nation’s for-hire sector fell in both the final month of last year and all of 2015, according to the U.S. Transportation Department.

Tags: Economy, For-hire Truck Tonnage, Freight Index

A record-setting fourth quarter for trucking company Forward Air Corp. has it looking forward to a banner 2016, while Rush Enterprises is cost-cutting to compensate for the low truck sales in the energy sector in 2015.

Tags: Economy, Equipment, Truck Sales, Rush Truck Centers, Rush Enterprises, Forward Air, Fleet Earnings

The parent company to Volvo, Mack and other truck brands is back in the black, according to earnings reports released Friday, but it plans to cut U.S. production as it nears the end of a four-year cost cutting plan.

Tags: Economy, Volvo Trucks, Quarterly Earnings, Global

While some recent reports have raised questions about the health of the nation’s economy, the latest one shows unemployment has fallen to its lowest level in eight years.

Tags: Economy, Unemployment, Employment

Multi-modal freight transporter Hub Group Inc. has reported increases in fourth quarter 2015 and full year profits as revenue for both periods drifted lower for the Illinois-based operation.

Tags: Economy, Old Dominion Freight Line, Roadrunner Transportation, YRC Worldwide, YRC Freight, Hub Group, Fleet Earnings

Freightliner Trucks has announced four cities that will be recognized as the Hardest Working Cities for 2016.

Tags: Economy, Freightliner, Severe Duty, Awards, Hardest Working Cities

Orders and shipments of factory-made goods were down in a report out Thursday, but earlier reports based on more recent activity indicates conditions may be on the verge of brightening.

Tags: Economy, Factory Orders, Non-Manufacturing, Employment, Factory Shipments

Earnings season continues this week and with it are the first numbers from major trucking suppliers, such as Meritor, Eaton and Wabash National, in addition to those from trucking operations ArcBest and C.H. Robinson.

Tags: Economy, Eaton, Meritor, ABF, Wabash National, C.H. Robinson, ArcBest Corp., Fleet Earnings

Load-to-truck ratios on the spot truckload freight market got a bump during the week ending Jan. 30, possibly due to pent-up demand after the previous week’s storms, but that failed to materialize into better freight rates which were also down for the entire month.

Tags: Economy, Spot Freight, Freight Rates, DAT Solutions

Load-to-truck ratios on the spot truckload market got a bump during the week ending Jan. 30, possibly due to pent-up demand after the previous week’s storms, but that failed to materialize into better freight rates which also came in lower for the entire month.

Tags: Economy, Spot Freight, Freight Rates, DAT Solutions

UPS Inc. reported its profit skyrocketed in the fourth quarter of the year, totaling $1.33 billion compared to $453 million a year earlier as the company also beat an earnings forecast. USA Truck and Ryder also saw higher profits.

Tags: Economy, UPS, Ryder System, USA Truck, UPS Freight, Fleet Earnings

While activity in the nation’s manufacturing improved in January from the month before, according to reports on Monday, there is disagreement as to whether this sector is expanding or shrinking.

Tags: Economy, Manufacturing, Construction Spending, Personal Spending

Overall U.S. economic activity eased back on the gas considerably in the final quarter of last year while it expanded in 2015 at the same pace as the year before.

Tags: Economy, GDP, Consumer Confidence, Consumer Sentiment, Gross Domestic Product

The value of trans-border freight movements between the U.S. and its neighbors took a steep decline, according to new U.S. Transportation Department numbers, while Canada regained its historical rank as top North America trade partner after falling behind Mexico.

Tags: Canada, Economy, Cross-Border Trucking, Mexico, Surface Trade, Freight

The asset-light trucking and logistics provider Landstar Thursday reported a decline in its fourth quarter profit, but it was higher than expected, and the company also improved its annual performance.

Tags: Economy, Landstar, Landstar System, Fleet Earnings

New orders for long-lasting durable goods plunged in December while shipments also fell, according to an advance report on Thursday from the U.S. Commerce Department, following a decision by the Federal Reserve to not raise a key interest rate.

Tags: Economy, Durable Goods, Home Sales, Federal Reserve

UPDATED -- Net income for two trucking and logistics companies experienced pullbacks in the fourth quarter of the year, according to earnings reports released Wednesday.

Tags: Economy, Celadon Trucking Services, Celadon Group, Knight Transportation, Fleet Earnings

Earnings for the trucking company Heartland Express Inc. (NASDAQ: HTLD) declined in both the final quarter of 2015 and all of last year due to less business while Patriot Transportation Holding Inc. (NASDAQ: PATI) saw an improvement due in large part to a legal settlement.

Tags: Florida, Economy, Patriot Transportation, Heartland Express, Fleet Earnings

The odds of a recession in the U.S. during the first three quarters are low, according to Bob Dieli, president and founder of RDLB, Inc.

Tags: Economy, HDAW

The trucking company Marten Transport Ltd. (NASDAQ: MRTN) on Tuesday announced slightly lower earnings for the fourth quarter of the year while seeing a 19.8% increase in its annual profit compared to a year earlier.

Tags: Economy, Marten Transport, Fleet Earnings

The latest reading on the health of the nation’s non-manufacturing/service sector of the economy shows it starting the year with slower growth. A separate report shows consumers aren’t paying much heed to recent volatility in financial markets as Federal Reserve officials begin a two-day meeting.

Tags: Economy, Consumer Confidence, Non-Manufacturing