Economic Watch: Manufacturing Shipments, New Orders Drop
A full report on activity at U.S. factories in December shows drops in both shipments and new orders, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.

A full report on activity at U.S. factories in December shows drops in both shipments and new orders, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.
Shipments of manufactured items declined for the fourth out of the last five months, falling 1.1% from November.
On the upside, shipments of manufactured durable goods in December, up following two consecutive monthly declines, increased 1.3%, revised from the previously published 1.1% increase. This follows a 0.7% November decrease. Transportation equipment, up three of the last four months, led the increase, adding 3.7%.
New orders for manufactured goods in December, down five consecutive months, decreased another 3.4% from November. This is the biggest drop since August and follows a 1.7% November decline from October. Excluding transportation, new orders fell 2.3% in December, the biggest drop since March 2013.
New orders for manufactured durable goods in December, down four of the last five months, decreased 3.3% from November, revised from the previously published 3.4% decline. This follows a 2.2% November decrease from October. Transportation equipment, also down four of the last five months, led the drop, falling 9.1%
Various analysts described the declines as “broad based” saying this shows new factory orders are shirking after so many monthly drops and the falloff was more than was expected.
More Fleet Management

Freight Broker Bonds Just Got Harder to Get. Here's What That Means for Your Fleet.
When it gets harder for a freight broker to prove they are financially sound, the ones who cannot clear that bar get pushed out of the market. And those are exactly the brokers who used to leave motor carriers holding the bag.
Read More →
Long-Awaited Canadian Border Bridge to Open in Detroit
For trucking, the bridge opening should offer immediate improvements in efficiency and reliability, with new customs facilities, expanded inspection capacity, and direct freeway-to-freeway connections.
Read More →
Aurora Rolls Out Next Generation of Driverless Trucks for Commercial Freight
Aurora's latest autonomous trucks it's rolling out with International feature lower-cost hardware designed for a million miles as the company expands commercial driverless freight operations across the U.S. Sun Belt.
Read More →
Freight Tonnage Down, Rates up, as Lower Capacity Powers Trucking Recovery
The recovery from the freight recession continues to be driven by reduction in capacity rather than by increased demand.
Read More →
Think Your Trucking Fleet Isn't Using Much AI? Think Again
Shadow AI — the use of unauthorized artificial intelligence tools at work — is becoming increasingly common, putting sensitive company data at risk. Learn how trucking fleets can protect sensitive data while embracing AI.
Read More →
ArcBest Consolidates Brands, Cuts Workforce
The company will bring three business units under the ArcBest brand, eliminate about 2% of positions, and expects the changes to generate $40 million in annual savings.
Read More →
Trucking Fleets Faced Record Operating Costs During Third Year of Freight Recession
ATRI's annual operational cost report shows carriers trimmed fleets, delayed equipment purchases, and ran older trucks as expenses continued to outpace freight rates.
Read More →
Michelin Adds AI Assistant to MyConnectedFleet Platform
Michelin’s new generative AI tool delivers instant fleet insights, helping managers analyze fuel use, tire maintenance, vehicle status, and operational performance without manually creating reports.
Read More →
LytxOne Platform Now Features AI, Compliance, and Asset Tracking Tools
New enhancements add AI-powered insights, asset tracking, compliance automation, and configurable privacy controls to Lytx's all-in-one fleet management platform.
Read More →
July Imports Poised to Set Container Record
The National Retail Federation projects July container imports will surpass the pandemic-era record as shippers frontload freight ahead of expected August tariff increases.
Read More →

