Logistics

The volume surge in freight primarily as a result of restocking store shelves is continuing and has reached a significant milestone in a key supply/demand metric. FreightWaves' outbound tender rejection index (OTRI) has surpassed year-ago values. The OTRI measures carrier willingness to accept...

The freight railroads are monitoring the latest developments related to the coronavirus pandemic while adjusting working conditions and preparing for an anticipated surge in volumes once the outbreak subsides, according to recent operations notifications. Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) changed some...

On Friday, March 13, President Trump declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency. Meanwhile, U.S. citizens are panic-buying groceries and perishables, causing trucking capacity to tighten, rates to soar and drivers to risk exposure in order to meet high consumer demands.  With truck...

Freight Futures contract to watch today:Spot month futures w/w changes Trucking Freight Futures posted moderate gains across the board on Friday, March 13 to wrap up a tumultuous week as the global pandemic roiled the global equities and oil markets, as well as strained supply chains. For the week...

Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently waived several commercial trucking regulations to boost supply chains as part of the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic. Abbott said the measures were aimed at keeping trucks moving to deliver supplies to grocery stores and keeping shelves stocked in...

COVID-19 will be one of the most impactful things to happen to the freight economy in many decades. With the situation changing by the minute, it is imperative to stay up to date with changes on the ground. Here is a quick guide that SONAR users can use to track developments in the market. The...

The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) on March 16 added 24 companies and individuals to the Entity List for posing a risk to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests. The Entity List subjects U.S. exporters to specific export licensing requirements and...

The unprecedented surge in truckload volumes to restock retail stores with groceries, soap and hand sanitizer, bottled water and electronics is tightening trucking capacity and pushing spot rates up. On a national basis, contracted truckload volumes are now up 16.5% year-over-year (OTVIY.USA)....

Tender rejections: After increasing from 6.52% to 8.91% last week, we expect national rejection rates to continue to rise but at a slowing pace in the coming week as carriers struggle to recover from spiking demand. Manufacturing outlook: The coming week will give a refresher for industrial...

The first major snowstorm to hit the Sierra Nevada in about three months cranked up over the weekend. Some areas like Squaw Ski Resort and Tahoe City got slammed with two feet or more of accumulation, while others spots like Alpine Summit and Squaw Valley recorded wind gusts of more than 100 mph...

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.  A strong argument could be made that "Supply Chain Risk" should be the Person of the Year for 2020. A strong argument could also be made that, over time, the newly...

American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ: AAL) is phasing in a suspension of additional long-haul international flights from the U.S. on Monday in response to lower passenger demand and government travel restrictions due to coronavirus. The idling of 135 wide-body jets will crimp air cargo capacity,...

Grocery stores nationwide are curtailing hours to deep clean and restock shelves emptied by consumers' coronavirus-induced panic-buying of staples like bottled water and toilet paper. Meanwhile, high-touch retailers Nike and Lululemon joined Apple in shuttering their stores for several weeks to...

In addition to the illnesses and deaths associated with COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, how could this issue affect the trucking industry and the supply chain at large? Here are five likely possibilities. 1. It Could Hinder Global Movement Conferences, sporting events and other large gatherings...

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