Can the owner-operator business model survive?

I know better than to predict the death of the owner-operator. The business model has been declared dead many times before, but that resilient bunch keeps proving the naysayers wrong.

Truck tonnage sees first monthly loss since beginning of pandemic

U.S. for-hire truck tonnage fell 2.3% in October, marking its largest monthly loss since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA). This comes on the…

Slow freight growth to continue in 2023

Shipper conditions declined in September to a reading of -3.1 on the FTR Shippers Conditions Index, down from a positive reading of 5.0 in August. But industry analyst FTR feels…

Owner-operators at greatest risk as trucking demand slows, costs surge

A slowing economy and deteriorating freight conditions are already “baked in the cake,” according to Mullen Group senior executive officer Murray Mullen. But it’s small operators who’ll face the greatest…

Trailer orders surge as OEMs comfortable taking more orders

Fears of a recession are not dampening fleet demand for commercial trailers. ACT Research reported preliminary orders of 46,750 units in October, up 82% from September levels and a 168%…

‘Mild’ recession coming, but trucking should weather it well: Costello

A mild recession is all but unavoidable, but trucking’s inability to add capacity due to supply chain disruptions over the past two years means the industry is better positioned than…

Is your fleet recession-ready? 5 tips to managing a downturn.

Trucking is a cyclical business and after most carriers enjoyed some record financial quarters, the economy seems poised to turn south. “It’s scary out there,” Lee Klaskow, senior analyst –…

Trucking conditions steady, but small carriers at greater risk: FTR

Trucking conditions held steady in August with FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index remaining in slight negative territory at -0.25, up slightly from -0.7 in July. Falling diesel prices contributed to the…

Mullen reports record Q3 earnings, maintains positive outlook

Record third quarter earnings at Mullen Group were not telling of a cratering economy, and chairman and senior executive officer Murray Mullen anticipates a strong close to the year before…

U.S. truck tonnage grows y-o-y for 13th straight month

U.S. for-hire truck tonnage grew 0.5% in September, according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), boosting levels to the third-highest level ever and the best since August 2019. The latest…

September a “sensational” record month for Class 8 orders

Truck orders surged to record levels in September, according to preliminary data from industry forecasters. FTR reported a record 56,500 Class 8 orders while ACT Research reported 53,700. FTR says…

For-hire truck tonnage continues year over year growth

U.S. for-hire truck tonnage grew 2.8% in August, on the heels of a 1.5% decrease in July, according to the latest data from the American Trucking Associations (ATA). “Tonnage snapped…

Carriers try to make sense of unusual economic conditions

If you feel the economic ground shifting beneath your feet, you’re not alone. Eric Starks, CEO of industry forecaster FTR, said it’s like looking away from a football game in…

7 things to know about the commercial vehicle market

Industry forecaster FTR has the unenviable job of trying to predict where the commercial vehicle markets are heading, when even those who build the trucks are uncertain about what the…

For-hire truck tonnage dipped in July

U.S. for-hire truck tonnage slumped 1.1% in July, according to the latest data from the American Trucking Associations (ATA). “Tonnage declined sequentially in July for only the second time during…