Newsletter

WASHINGTON — Major freight railroads and their short-line counterparts raised red flags on Capitol Hill about supply chain consequences of a California regulation aimed at cutting air pollution from locomotives. If the California Air Resources Board is successful in securing approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, California’s In-Use Locomotive Regulation, adopted by the state …

Railroads fear losing out to trucks if California gets its way Read More »

Retail diesel prices continue their downward trend, declining for the ninth week in a row as measured by the number used as the basis for most fuel surcharges. The Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration weekly average retail price fell to $3.658 a gallon, a decline of 6.8 cents. The scorecard on the price is that …

Key retail diesel price drops again, but is the bear market turning? Read More »

This year’s hurricane season is poised to be more active than normal, with up to 25 named storms predicted by experts. And, the Texas coast is forecasted to be seriously at risk. AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Forecaster Alex DaSilva told FreightWaves that the weather forecasting agency is predicting 20 to 25 named storms this hurricane season, …

Texas ports brace for predicted above-average 2024 hurricane season Read More »

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have been awarded a total of $112 million in federal money from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Local and state leaders touted it as a milestone toward equitable funding. The money, which comes from the Harbor Maintenance Tax, will finance maintenance and repair projects at the …

Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach receive $112M for maintenance, repair Read More »

Outbound flatbed volumes in the New Orleans freight market are currently running around 36% higher than last year, boosted by a surge in breakbulk imports into the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA). Despite NOLA’s position just outside the top 20 for containerized imports, it stands out as the third-highest port for breakbulk import tonnage …

Gulf Coast breakbulk imports continue to drive demand Read More »

Typically, the season sees the first fruits ripening by the end of April, with shipments wrapping up by mid to late June, and winds down quickly after contributing around 22% to the national annual volume in a very short 6-week season. Nearly all of the cherry production is centered around Lodi, CA, in the Stockton …

California cherry growers expect a much shorter and more normal season Read More »

As the days add up after the March 26 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, companies that gather data from trucks and supply chains are beginning to get an idea of where trucks are rerouting in the catastrophe’s wake. Data on ship rerouting is less conclusive. While some of that data is clear, a …

Rerouting trucks and ships away from Baltimore: What early data shows Read More »

For the first time in many months, the Pacific Northwest (PNW) report a slight surplus of trucks following last week’s 1% week-over-week (w/w) increase in produce volume. The PNW has had a solid season, with apple, pears, potatoes, and onion volumes 18% higher than last year. According to the USDA, there was a slight shortage …

 Produce season cools in the Pacific Northwest Read More »

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 4 p.m. March 26 to reflect new information.  The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday morning after a container ship collided with it, sending people into the water and creating a tense scene as search-and-rescue crews attempted to locate them.  The bridge plays an important …

What to know about Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore Read More »

Since the Great Recession in 2007, Las Vegas has sought to “recession-proof” itself and, in the process, started a construction boom that created significant demand for flatbed carriers to haul millions of tons of freight into the city each month. In addition to local demand for belly dumpers, construction, and earthmoving machinery, long-haul flatbed demand …

Las Vegas construction boom set to roll into 2025 Read More »