Stay Up to Date on the LTL Industry
Less than truckload (LTL) refers to shipping services for relatively small loads of freight (typically between 150 and 15,000 pounds). One of the main benefits of the LTL industry is cost efficiency. LTL trucking allows shippers to combine several loads going to the same facility into one truck, creating economies of scale, with each shipper only paying for the space they use. On the flip side, LTL shipping can take longer to plan and organize. Shipments may also take longer since the truck has to be filled before it leaves and may have to make multiple stops or transfers on the way to a given destination .
The explosion in online shopping sparked by the pandemic has made a marked impact on the LTL industry. As online shopping grows, demand for LTL trucking has increased significantly, putting stress on an already-burdened industry. To better understand the state of the LTL industry, we teamed up with BlueGrace Logistics to survey shippers about their approaches to LTL trucking in today’s environment.
Download our report to learn more: Evolution of LTL
French 3PL FM Logistic reports strong organic growth in its recent fiscal year as European expansion progresses. The company didn’t issue annual guidance due to COVID-19 uncertainty.
Deutsche Bank analyst Amit Mehrotra favors a few transportation stocks as the second quarter comes to a close.
Volumes are on the rise again. DDC’s Chad Crotty details what carriers should be doing to keep pace with the recovery.
Because of strained supply chains, will just-in-time delivery be used less by industry? Darren Prokop explores this topic in his latest commentary.
Worse-than-expected data from Cass shows year-over-year declines grew in shipments and expenditures. Intermodal pricing falls out of bed.
The safety of all motorists is paramount. An organizaton that is focused on the safety of truckers is Together for Safer Roads. Learn more about its mission and how it works.
Data shows that such preferred carriers are four times more likely to win new loads and customers.
YRC Worldwide’s midquarter report was worse than that of its peers and adds to industry speculation that some shippers could be avoiding the carrier.
ArcBest joins other less-than-truckload carriers seeing a May rebound from April lows. A 10% stock bump from a rating upgrade holds into the second trading session.
FourKites says it has cracked the code on delivering more accurate ETA information for LTL shipments
Less-than-truckload demand appears to have bounced off of an April bottom according to reports from carriers.
Schneider has continued its recent technology innovations with FreightPower, an offering that unlocks more capacity for its shipping partners.
While less-than-truckload volumes may not have rebounded sequentially from April, one sell-side analyst sees acceleration in recent weeks as bullish for the industry.
As protests over the death of George Floyd expand nationwide, road closures and safety concerns are starting to impact freight movements and put the lives of truck drivers at risk
The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. News reports that Uber is re-evaluating non-core units […]
The courier and less-than-truckload subsidiary of Canada’s postal carrier had a decent first quarter considering the impacts of COVID-19 and C$1 billion expansion of its network.
Love’s faces opposition in Arizona; ODFL likely to get tax breaks in Ohio.
The payments have two weeks down, with company in arrears on payments
Digital freight matching has pushed the industry to adapt.
At Wolfe conference, Home Depot said it is still counting on the carrier
April’s 20% year-over-year declines in Cass data may mark the bottom of the COVID-19 downturn.
Stifel’s David Ross announces that he is suspending his rating and estimates on YRC Worldwide and questions the company’s ability to survive.
YRC beats expectations with the benefit of outsized gains on sales. Noting volumes were down 24% in April, management says it likely won’t satisfy debt covenants into 2021 and it opts out of questions on its call.
First female judge advocate general and chief counsel, a returning business development leader and a service center manager are announced.
Plus: California Trucking Association, CERES, release report on path to electrification
ArcBest managed through the first quarter largely unscathed by the coronavirus outbreak. That has all changed in April as revenue is off 20% year-over-year.
ArcBest sees “one of the best first quarters” in company history, but COVID-19-related demand headwinds took a toll on April’s results.
Chief marketing officer, service center manager and executive vice president are named.
Saia’s first quarter performance placed its recent terminal expansion campaign on full display. Unfortunately, COVID-19 headwinds will mask near-term results.
Saia’s multi-year terminal expansion project drives earnings results well ahead of expectations.
Revenue per hundredweight is suffering as a result: CFO
Declines in trucking shipments and spend, current and future, highlight the takeaways from U.S. Bank’s first-quarter Freight Payment Index report.
Other metrics helped the LTL carrier post a new record.
Canadian truck driver Nicole Folz learned that she tested positive for COVID-19 two weeks after falling seriously ill during a cross-border run in the US.
Customer service (in many forms) is the key to keeping and/or expanding business during the pandemic.
On road to recovery, Nicole Folz raises money to get more personal protective equipment in the hands of fellow truck drivers.
From quarantine, Canadian truck driver Nicole Folz recounts the scary reality of falling seriously ill hundreds of miles from home during a less-than-truckload run in the United States.
With the belt tightened at YRC, a covenant waiver and benefits contribution deferral are still required.
Short-sea shipper says economic impact of COVID-19 has forced service disruption and employee layoffs.
Carriers are hopeful that Q2 will be much less chaotic than last quarter.
Two former UPS executives have new roles with Atlanta-based companies and a service center manager is named.
Two more significant companies in the trucking and transportation field have implemented layoffs and furloughs. In response to an email query from FreightWaves, Doug Waggoner, the CEO of Echo Global […]
Activist investor Barna Capital seeks to swap out YRC Worldwide board members and make non-executive level changes in management.
While transportation industry participants have an abundance of questions loaded for management teams this earnings season, answers on the future will be tough to provide.
Continued drop in cross-border truck traffic mirrors broad decline in Canadian freight as COVID-19 crushes demand for nonessential goods.
Bob Costello expects many trucking companies to go out of business before the economy recovers from the recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
After a surge in freight over the past few weeks, UBS transportation analyst Tom Wadewitz is predicting a rough two months.
FedEx (NYSE: FDX) and its subsidiary TNT International are placing surcharges on all international parcel and freight shipments. The changes go into effect April 6. The changes were described as […]
ArcBest battens the hatches on coronavirus concerns. The company draws down available credit and implements business continuity plan.
Roadrunner seeks voluntary delisting from the NYSE as it continues its reorganization and focuses on asset-light offerings.
Appointments part of strategic plans in Illinois and Indiana; service center manager tapped in Texas.
Family-owned Beaver Express Services notified 160 company drivers and 100 part-time and full-time independent contractors Monday that the LTL carrier is ceasing operations after 77 years.
Morgan Stanley upgrades its freight transportation industry view from “cautious” to “in-line.” The firm lowered its earnings expectations for the group.
One of Canada’s largest transportation and logistics companies says it will temporarily lay off some employees, suspend dividend and slash executive pay as it braces for economic fallout to hit freight.
Citing a deterioration in market conditions, XPO announces that it is no longer looking to spin-off its separate business units.
Stifel Financial sees an OK first quarter, but the picture gets less clear after that, with risks to second-quarter earnings estimates.
Most companies are right near the 25% decline in the market since February 1.
Carol Tomé named new CEO at UPS. David Abney to retire at the end of 2020 after a 46-year career.
Global law firm HFW and Southeastern Freight Lines announce promotions.
Chief Financial Officer Alan Graf to retire at year-end. Corporate Vice President and Treasurer Mike Lenz to assume the role in September.
Profitability is the key to any business staying in business. In trucking it is harder than in many other businesses. Chris Henry explores the “trucking profitability paradox.”
Jim Blaze writes about the outlook for intermodal rail in 2020.
Tonnage headwinds and better yields are the story so far in 2020. Old Dominion Freight Line reports modest revenue decline.
Polaris Transportation Group will get access to more freight for its Canada-to-U.S. less-than-truckload business with the purchase of Toronto-area 3PL brokerage PRI Logistics.
CCM reorganizes executive team, STEMCO picks VP of sales and marketing, and Southeastern Freight appoints Orlando service manager.
Continued strength in northbound less-than-truckload pricing helps drive Canadian shippers’ freight costs in December, the latest results from the Canadian General Freight Index show.
Hubless logistics company assembles “algorithmically created carpools” of LTL freight, to be shipped via full truckload
Winter weather can have a major impact on freight movement. Read meteoroligist Nick Austin’s article about winter weather conditions.
Amazon drops more logistics providers, citing safety, performance issues as thousands of delivery drivers across the country who work for small and medium-size logistics companies that contract with Amazon.com found out in mid-February they may lose their jobs in April
Old Dominion Freight Line announces a 4.9% general rate increase after reporting market stabilization in January.
Transport earnings were rough but may have bottomed.
Acquisitions and strong less-than-truckload performance help bring record revenue to Mullen Group’s trucking and logistics business and offset declines from its struggling oil services.
The response from CEO Jacobs is always the same: Splitting it up will achieve better shareholder value.
Darren Prokop writes about the volatility in trucking, and how ecommerce may help less-than-truckload carriers recover in 2020.
Old Dominion Freight Line sponsors Major League Baseball, and for eight of the 30 MLB teams, the less-than-truckload carrier helps make Florida and Arizona feel like home for six weeks of spring training.
Many measures of activity were weaker but the bottom line improved.
Your name is your face to the world. Forward Air wants a makeover since diversifying from its original business focused on air cargo, so it’s changing its name and logo.
Persistent industrial weakness sends Old Dominion’s fourth-quarter results down
YRC posts weak fourth-quarter, hampered by bad economy
Known on northeastern highways for its iconic orange and white trucks, Preston 151 was founded in 1932 in the Chesapeake Bay area of the United States. The company was started […]
Saia’s q4 EPS comes in light. Operating income, operating ratio hit by higher expenses on multiple fronts
ArcBest posts down q4 results and January didn’t look much better
Too much Amazon traffic may spoil the Brown broth
Most key metrics were lower for the LTL carrier/brokerage company.
Upgrading docking, a new Northeast hub to come and the “weekend advantage” all played a role in the improvements
UPS posts largely expected Q4 results as operating gains and nontax and after-tax charges cancel each other on the bottom line.
It’s a bold plan and FreightWaves’ Mark Solomon has plenty of experience covering XPO to give us a unique perspective.
New Penn Motor Express files change of operations proposal with union to obtain additional workers at three new regional velocity centers.
Rates seem to be recovering from 2019’s downward spiral.
Earlier this month, the CEO of XPO (NYSE:XPO), Brad Jacobs, announced that he intended divest operating units of XPO in an effort to maximize shareholder value. One thing was clear, however. Jacobs intended to hold onto the less-than-truckload (LTL) operations of XPO that were formerly known as Con-way. As part of our Online Haul of Fame Series, here is a look back at the history of Con-way.
FedEx Freight levies $7 `California compliance’ surcharge on all LTL shipments in, out and within the state
Brad Jacobs enters rich, leaves richer
FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller writes about methods to lower diesel fuel expenses for large and small trucking companies.
With an impending breakup of the company, XPO Logistics will look like a far different company as the century’s third decade dawns.
Jevic Transportation was founded in 1981 in Delano, New Jersey by Karen and Harry Muhlschlegel. The Jevic name was a combination of the names of the three Muhlschlegel children. Founding a trucking company just one year after deregulation was ambitious, but the gamble proved profitable. Jevic enjoyed prosperity throughout the 1980s and the early 1990s.
Brian Aoaeh writes about the challenges and opportunities of logistics in Africa – and what will likely occur in the next few years.
Ben Thrower examines the issues surrounding California’s AB-5, which impacts truckers who are independent contractors.
XPO may be on verge of breaking itself as it says it will explore sale or spin off up to 4 business units
Market Expert Anthony Smith provides insight into the all-important housing market as 2020 gets underway.
Chris Henry runs fleet profitability benchmarking and analytics for FreightWaves and facilitates the TCA’s TPP program. If you are interested in benchmarking your fleet’s performance with the best operators, join […]
