Economic Trucking Trends: Spot market improved in November, but remains ‘flush’ with capacity

Good news this week from Loadlink Technologies, which has noted a continuing improvement in Canadian spot market load postings and a corresponding tightening of capacity. Motive tracks truck visits to…

Economic Trucking Trends: Class 8 orders remain strong, dry van rates lead spot market gains

The latest Class 8 orders suggest fleets are still confidently placing orders despite weak freight conditions and overcapacity in the market, with ACT Research characterizing the truck market as “solid,…

Economic Trucking Trends: Class 8 orders remain strong, potentially prolonging trucking’s pain

Conditions for truckers continue to be tough, but shippers aren’t throwing any parties, either. Rising fuel prices are hurting both truckers and shippers, with FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index plunging into…

Economic Trucking Trends: More capacity must leave before truckers feel relief

It was a busy couple weeks to be Bob Costello, chief economist of the American Trucking Associations (ATA), who we will lean on heavily in this week’s segment of Economic…

Economic Trucking Trends: Fleets jump at chance to place ’24 truck orders

Truck makers saw a surge in Class 8 orders as they fully opened 2024 order books last month — something industry analysts anticipated but nonetheless were encouraged to see. The…

Trucking announcements: Phillips Industries hires Hofley as VP of sales, Rush Enterprises raises breast cancer awareness

Each week, TruckNews.com lists news, notable moves, promotions and awards in the trucking industry. Our latest installment includes a new sales VP at Phillips Industries, the sale of pink mudflaps at Rush…

Economic Trucking Trends: Flatdeckers weigh on spot market rates, private fleets adding trucks

It appears the summer doldrums are in full effect. The spot market remains sluggish, with flatdeckers feeling the most pain in recent weeks. Trailer orders ticked upward slightly in July,…

Economic Trucking Trends: Freight recession lingers, but economic growth to improve

It was a busy week for trucking-related economic data, which painted a mixed picture. Canadian spot market volumes were steady, but spot market rates in the U.S. remained weak –…

Economic Trucking Trends: Class 8 orders soft, decreasing backlogs

There’s good news this week if you’re still waiting for deliveries of new Class 8 trucks. Orders in June were soft, as anticipated, but production remains elevated, eating into the…

Economic Trucking Trends: U.S. debt ceiling default aside, trucking has its own worries

As U.S. lawmakers scrambled to reach an eleventh hour deal to resolve the debt ceiling crisis – a failure to do so potentially causing broad economic repercussions – the trucking…

Natural gas truck sales ‘fickle’ so far this year

Natural gas truck sales in the U.S. and Canada remain “fickle,” according to an industry analyst, with December sales down 47% year over year and January down an even sharper…

March trailer orders dip, backlog eases

U.S. trailer orders dropped to a projected 16,800 units this March, 33% lower than February totals and down 56% compared to March 2022. “Orders pulling back in March is a…

Truck orders continue to soften, but remain healthy

Class 8 truck orders continued to weaken in March at 19,000 units, according to preliminary data from FTR, marking the fifth decline in the last six months. However, the industry…

Trailer buyers need to ‘maintain their patience’, ACT Research says

Trailer manufacturers booked orders for a projected 25,800 units in February, but the buyers placing such orders will need to be patient, ACT Research reports. “Preliminary net orders were…

Used truck prices drop in U.S.: ACT Research

Retail prices of used Class 8 trucks dropped 3% between January and February, ACT Research reports in its latest analysis of the U.S. market. Compared to February 2022, this February’s…