Business

KIRKLAND, Wash. — Kevin Baney has been named general manager of Kenworth Truck Co. and PACCAR vice president. Before his current position, Baney served for nearly three years as Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing. Prior to that role, he was Kenworth chief engineer for nearly five years. “These are exciting times in the commercial vehicle industry with the level of new technologies being developed. I look forward to building on Kenworth’s core values of quality, innovation and technology that are key in building The World’s Best trucks for our customers throughout Kenworth’s 96-year history. We have the best customers, employees and dealers and I look forward to the new role as Kenworth’s general manager,” Baney said. Baney has been with PACCAR for 25 years. He began his PACCAR career as a design engineer, and has held positions of increasing responsibility in engineering at Peterbilt Motors Co. in Denton, Texas, before joining Kenworth in 2012 as chief engineer. Baney has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from LeTourneau University and Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of North Texas. He attended the Stanford Executive Program in 2015, and is a licensed professional engineer. Baney is based at Kenworth Truck Co. headquarters in Kirkland, Washington.    

BUFFALO LAKE, Minn. — Kottke Trucking, a provider of refrigerated, dry freight and dedicated services, has acquired Wayne T. Fellows, a trucking company focused on refrigerated less-than-truckload and truckload services based in Davenport, Florida. With the acquisition, Kottke Trucking will be adding 43 drivers and 22 non-driving positions in accounting, warehouse, dispatch and shop to its operation. “Kottke Trucking has prided itself on family values since the first day of operation in 1938,”said Kyle Kottke, co-owner and general manager of Kottke Trucking. “Wayne T. Fellows has had those same core family values throughout their decades in the industry as well, making the combining of the two companies a great match. We are always looking for ways to better our company and this was a great opportunity to do that. We’re excited to have the Wayne T. Fellows family join our Kottke Trucking family.” Kottke Trucking will continue to maintain operations in Buffalo Lake and Eagan, Minnesota, and at its Wildwood, Florida, terminal, in addition to the Wayne T. Fellows terminals in Davenport, Florida, and Winter Haven, Florida. This is Kottke Trucking’s second acquisition in the past three years. Kottke Trucking purchased the over-the-road division of Walbon & Co. in 2016. “The similarities and core values of both companies will complement each other very well and continue to provide the quality service that our customers have come to know and expect,” said Tom Fellows, CEO and general manager of Wayne T. Fellows. “The entire Fellows team is looking forward to joining the Kottke family.” “This is an extremely exciting day for our family and our entire staff,” said Donna Fellows-Coffey, CFO/COO at Wayne T. Fellows. “We look forward with hope and anticipation to continuing our family’s fourth generation of trucking tradition as part of Kottke’s team.”   .    

DALLAS — Rolling Strong, a provider of driver wellness programs for transportation companies and their drivers as well as owner-operators, said Thursday that along with Walmart and higi it will be offering health screenings and assessments at the Great American Trucking Show. The Rolling Strong booth at GATS, which will be held August 22-24 at the Dallas Convention Center, will be located in the Landstar Health and Wellness Pavilion. “Prevention is the key to good health,” said Stephen Kane, president of Rolling Strong. “Health screenings and assessments for truck drivers are extremely important for that reason and can save you thousands of dollars in medical expenses. Along with our partners at Walmart and higi, we are pleased to offer this service to drivers at GATS.” Kane said through integrations in its health and wellness mobile app, Rolling Strong provides professional drivers with a new level of accessibility to screening and health services destinations on the road. Trucking companies can use the app’s gamification capability to encourage drivers to get health and wellness assessments. The Rolling Strong program also provides drivers with access to CDL wellness coaches who can provide mobile or live support through the platform to help maintain health and prepare for DOT physicals. “Screenings are not only simpler to arrange through our mobile network, but the information is stored for drivers in their Rolling Strong personal health portal,” Kane said. “The app provides access to annual biometric screenings across a nationwide network through partnerships and integrations with Walmart, higi, CVS, Kroger, Publix pharmacies and the eTrueNorth network.” At GATS, Rolling Strong will showcase all of the capabilities of its mobile health and wellness program, including their app, which is available on both iOS and Android platforms. Also on display at GATS, in the Rolling Strong booth, will be partners and providers of health and wellness services for drivers, including: Walmart is offering attendees free wellness, vision, and hearing assessments eTrueNorth,a health care connector that leverages retail pharmacy services, will collect the assessments and aggregate the information into the Rolling Strong app PetSmartis providing information about veterinary and grooming services, to aid drivers and their families in pet care higi will be providing blood pressure, weight and BMI screenings Fight Colorectal Cancer, a non-profit organization focused on colon and rectal cancer education and awareness is providing facts and information on preventative care With the Rolling Strong app, users can connect wearables and earn points for sleep, step and calorie goal achievements, which align to focus areas that the app supports such as Nutrition, Fitness, Sleep, Stress Management and Weight Management. They can also engage with each other in the Rolling Strong social network to exchange ideas and share achievements. For more information, visit www.rollingstrong.com.      

PORTLAND, Ore. — After a 16% drop the previous week, spot truckload freight volume fell another 8% during the week ending July 28, according to DAT Solutions, which operates the industry’s largest network of load boards. Higher load volume out of California prevented further decline, as the availability of summer produce soaked up van and refrigerated truckload capacity and kept trucks busy with longer hauls. Nationally, the number of available trucks dipped 1.6% compared to the previous week. Average spot rates remain below June levels but ahead of May. National Average Spot Rates through July 28 iincluded: Van: $1.85/mile, 4 cents lower than the June average Reefer: $2.19/mile, 7 cents lower than June Flatbed: $2.28/mile, 2 cents lower than June Van trends Van volume slipped 2% last week, and 68 of the top 100 van lanes had lower rates. However, Los Angeles volume jumped 6% and produce is running strong from the San Francisco and Fresno markets, although sufficient capacity is dampening the rate impact. Where rates were rising: The average outbound van rate from Seattle regained 3 cents to $1.43/mile, with two lanes up nicely: Seattle to Salt Lake City, up 18 cents to $1.84/mile Seattle to Spokane, Washington, up 8 cents to $2.98/mile Reefer trends Volume rose 4% nationwide and rates were higher on 35 of DAT’s top 72 reefer lanes. The San Francisco market, which includes the berry-producing areas around Salinas, California and Watsonville, California, has been a standout for summer produce. Last Friday, the load-to-truck ratio there hit 20.4. Where rates were rising: Load volume from Sacramento, California, jumped 12% compared to the previous week and the average outbound rate was up 8 cents to $2.86/mile. The number of reefer loads dropped sharply in U.S.-Mexico border markets, with Nogales, Arizona, plunging in both rates (down 15 cents to $2.01/mile) and volume. McAllen, Texas, lost volume but the average outbound rate held at $2.13/mile. Flatbed trends Spot flatbed rates normally peak in the second quarter, but this year they hit their high mark in early July. Since then the national average rate has slipped 3.5%. Where rates were rising: Load volume from Jacksonville, Florida, increased 22% last week and the average outbound rate was up 12 cents to $2.58/mile. Las Vegas rose 5 cents to $2.80/mile on a shift from north to south California shipping. Key takeaways After a difficult spring, California’s summer and fall harvests have the potential to stabilize both reefer and van pricing in the coming weeks. For flatbed carriers, overcapacity remains the chief obstacle to pricing power. Trucks are readily available in many parts of the country. Seattle is growing in importance as a regional supply hub. The market, which includes the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, serves 11 of the top 20 fastest-growing employment markets in U.S. over the past five years. DAT Trendlines is a weekly snapshot of month-to-date national average rates from DAT RateView, which provides real-time reports on spot market and contract rates, as well as historical rate and capacity trends. The RateView database is comprised of more than $65 billion in annualized freight payments. DAT load boards average 1.2 million load searches per business day. For the latest spot market loads and rate information, visit www.dat.com/trendlines and follow @LoadBoards on Twitter.

COLUMBUS, Ind. —  The heavy truck and trailer industries are heading for a market correction in 2020, even as the US economic picture remains largely unchanged, aside from concerns about trade and tariffs. So says the latest release of the ACT Research Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest. The key driver of the near to mid-term outlook is the U.S. consumer, who remains well positioned to keep the economy out of the ditch, even as key freight-generating sectors of the economy take a pause, the report said. “Data that support our forecast of an impending market correction continue to mount, with the biggest driver of the change for both Class 8 and trailers being the continued building of new equipment inventories in 2019 that will require right-sizing in 2020,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst. “Since March 2018, ACT’s forecasts have targeted 2019’s third quarter as the point at which the supply of Class 8 tractors and demand for freight services would likely tip so far as to break the current period of peak vehicle production, as demand reverts to the mean.” Current data and anecdotes make a strong case that the call for a third quarter inflection remains intact. “We monitor freight volumes and rates, fleet growth, and other metrics that point to the impending demise of the current upcycle in heavy CV demand,” Vieth said. “Economic data of note this month came from weak manufacturing industrial production. As well, durable goods orders have stagnated, as have the ISM and Markit Purchasing Managers’ indices, while building permits have been down year-over-year for the past six months. Over time, the shape of the IP series, if at different percentages, broadly mirrors the shape of the Class 8 cycle.” The ISM Manufacturing Index is a widely-watched indicator of recent U.S. economic activity. The index is often referred to as the Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI). It is based on a survey of purchasing managers at more than 300 manufacturing firms by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) and monitors changes in production levels from month to month. The Purchasing Managers’ Index is based on monthly surveys of carefully selected companies representing major and developing economies worldwide. The PMI is a composite index that gives equal weighting to new orders, production, employment, supplier deliveries, and inventories. Each factor is seasonally adjusted. ACT Research is a publisher of commercial vehicle truck, trailer, and bus industry data, market analysis and forecasting services for the North American and China markets. ACT’s analytical services are used by all major North American truck and trailer manufacturers and their suppliers, as well as banking and investment companies. More information can be found at www.actresearch.net.      

ALBERT LEA, Minn. — Theresa S. DeSantis of Apache Junction, Arizona, captured Best of Show honors at the 37th Annual Shell Rotella SuperRigs competition with her 1985 Peterbilt 359 EXHD with a 2016 East trailer. The competition was held July 25-27 at Trail’s Travel Center in Albert Lea. DeSantis, who also won Best Theme and Best Engine, was awarded $10,000 from Shell Rotella. Schleuger of Britt, Iowa, won Best of Show first runner-up and $4,000 from Shell Rotella for his 1980 Kenworth W900A. Ryan Mahens of Ellenwood, Georgia, was awarded Best of Show second runner-up for his 2006 International 9900. Weekend highlights included the lights contest and fireworks and a concert by country music artist Casi Joy. First place winners also included: Jonathan Eilen from Hampton, Minnesota, in the Tractor/Trailer Division for his 2007 Peterbilt 379 and 2017 MAC dump. Kaleb Hammett of Dodd City, Texas, in the Tractor Division with a 2017 Peterbilt 389 Tod Job from Everest, Kansas, won in the Classic Division with his 1996 Peterbilt 379. The Most Hard-Working Trucker award was presented to David Gramberg of New Richmond, Wisconsin, for his 2019 Kenworth W900. Todd Brenny of Saint Joseph, Minnesota, won the People’s Choice Award for his 1977 Peterbilt 352. The winner is selected by competitors and attendees. All winners also received a case of Shell Rotella T4 15W-40 heavy duty diesel engine oil and MyMilesMatter reward points. The Shell Rotella SuperRigs competition is considered the premier truck beauty contest for actively working trucks. Owner-operator truckers from across the United States and Canada compete for cash and prizes valued at approximately $25,000. Twelve drivers were also selected to have their truck featured in the 2020 Shell Rotella SuperRigs calendar. Here are the complete results of the 2019 Shell Rotella SuperRigs. Best of Show Theresa S. DeSantis, Apache Junction, Arizona, 1985 Peterbilt 359 EXHD, $10,000 from Shell Rotella, 50,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points, place in the 2020 Shell Rotella SuperRigs Calendar. Best of Show 1st Runner Up JR Schleuger, Britt, Iowa, 1980 Kenworth W900A, $4,000 from Shell Rotella, 40,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points. Best of Show 2nd Runner Up Ryan Mahens, Ellenwood, Georgia, 2006 International 9900, $2,000 from Shell Rotella, 30,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points. 1st Place Working Truck – Limited Mileage Ron Brubaker, Sigourney, Iowa, 1993 Peterbilt 379, $1,500 and 10,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 2nd Place Working Truck – Limited Mileage Dan Brubaker, Sigourney, Iowa, 2003 Peterbilt 379, $1,000 and 8,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 3rd Place Working Truck – Limited Mileage David Gramberg, New Richmond, Wisconsin, 2019 Kenworth W900, $750 and 7,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 4th Place Working Truck – Limited Mileage Bill Rethwisch, Tomah, Wisconsin, 2019 Peterbilt 389, $500 and 6,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 5th Place Working Truck – Limited Mileage Jerry Linander, Winona, Minnesota, 2007 Kenworth 900L, $250 and 5,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points Most Hard-Working Trucker David Gramberg, New Richmond, Wisconsin, 2019 Kenworth W900, $500 and 10,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points People’s Choice Brenny Specialized Inc/Todd Brenny, Saint Joseph, Minnesota, 1977 Peterbilt 352, $250 and 10,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points Show Truck Michael Holland, Spring, Texas, 2007 Peterbilt 379, $250 and 10,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points Mike Meyer, Theilman, Minnesota, 1984 Kenworth 900, $250 and 10,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points Brandon Farley, Neosho, Missouri, 2004 Peterbilt 379X, $250 and 10,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points Best Engine Theresa S. DeSantis, Apache Junction, Arizona, 1985 Peterbilt 359 EXHD, 15,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points Best Lights Gary Jones Jr., Lawson, Missouri, 1999 Peterbilt 379, 15,000 My Miles matter Reward Points Best Chrome Clinton Schutjer, Woden, Iowa, 2006 Peterbilt 379, 15,000 My Miles matter Reward Points Best Theme Theresa S. DeSantis, Apache Junction, Arizona, 1985 Peterbilt 359 EXHD, 15,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points Best Interior Dustin Shipman, Sparta, Missouri, 2008 Kenworth W900L, 15,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 1st Place Tractor/Trailer Division Jonathon Eilen, Hampton, Minnesota, 2007 Peterbilt 379, 2017 MAC Dump, $1,500 and 10,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 2nd Place Tractor/Trailer Division Gary Jones Jr., Lawson, Missouri, 1999 Peterbilt 379, $1,000 and 8,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 3rd Place Tractor/Trailer Division Kyle Wagner, Waupun, Wisconsin, 2016 Peterbilt 389, 2016 MAC Flatbed with a QuickDraw Curtain, $750 and 7,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 4th Place Tractor/Trailer Division Bradley Beuthien, Michigan City, Indiana, 2020 Peterbilt 579, $500 and 6,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 5th Place Tractor/Trailer Division Joe Rondeau, Menomonie, Wisconsin, 2014 Peterbilt 389, 2017 Brenner, $250 and 5,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 1st Place Tractor Division Kaleb Hammett, Dodd City, Texas, 2017 Peterbilt 389, $1,500 and 10,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 2nd Place Tractor Division Cody Jaeschke, Fort Dodge, Iowa, 2017 Peterbilt 389, $1,000 and 8,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 3rd Place Tractor Division Jake Lindamood, Irving, Texas, 2007 379 Extended Hood, $750 and 7,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 4th Place Tractor Division Everett Ford, Webb City, Missouri, 2008 Kenworth W900L, $500 and 6,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 5th Place Tractor Division Matt Brune, Caldwell, Texas, 1999 Peterbilt 379, $250 and 5,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 1st Place Classic Division Tod Job, Everest, Kansas, 1996 Peterbilt 379, $1,500 and 10,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 2nd Place Classic Division Jay Palachuk, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 1996 Kenworth W900, $1,000 and 8,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 3rd Place Classic Division Buck Crombie, Binger, Oklahoma, 1989 Peterbilt 379, $750 and 7,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 4th Place Classic Division David “Beerman” Brewer, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1970 Peterbilt 358A, $500 and 6,000 My Miles Matter Reward Points 5th Place Classic Division Daniel and Phyllis Snow, Harrison, Arkansas, 1996 Freightliner Classic XL, 2006 Utility 4000        

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — Averitt Express recently celebrated a major achievement in its ongoing efforts to support military veterans transitioning to civilian careers. After making the pledge in 2016 to hire an additional 1,200 veterans by 2020, the company officially completed its 1,200th veteran hire on July 9, accomplishing its intended goal with over four months to spare. This adds to the hundreds of veterans that were already employed at the company – including members of the executive leadership team – and all branches of the military are currently represented: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Guard. “We’re proud of our team’s strong track record of working with military veterans and for being a prime choice for these heroes as they transition to civilian life,” said Gary Sasser, Averitt’s chairman and CEO, who himself served in the United States Marine Corps reserves. “The level of leadership, pride and professional experience veterans bring to the table is a perfect fit with our own culture. That’s why we’ll continue bringing on more even after achieving our 1,200 by 2020 goal.” Sasser said Averitt Express is known in the industry for providing fulfilling truck driving careers and on-the-job training for veterans and their families. In addition to weekly driver pay and tuition/transition bonus earnings, service members who are eligible for GI Bill benefits can earn up to $1,140/month tax free as part of Averitt’s GI Bill Driver Training Program. Associates in this program receive six weeks of paid behind-the-wheel training before working alongside a mentor. To qualify, drivers must be at least 21 years old, have a Class A CDL and Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits available, and meet all requirements outlined in Averitt’s driving application. CDL-A opportunities at Averitt range from local and regional routes to shuttle, dedicated, and flatbed freight. Averitt Express has more than 100 locations throughout the United States. For more information, visit averitexpress.com.              

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) for May improved sharply to a reading of 5.6, nearly four points higher than the April reading. Market conditions are the most favorable for shippers in years and are expected to continue in the current range for the remainder of 2019, according to Todd Tranausky, vice president of rail and intermodal at FTR. The principal strength is continued softening of truckload and intermodal rates with rail stabilizing, he said, adding that fuel prices may put some pressure on shipper costs because of the recent rise in crude prices; however, those increases appeared to level off at under $60 a barrel. “Softness in freight volumes combined with more abundant capacity in the truckload market than was present last year have made it a good time to be a shipper,” Tranausky said. “Sustained weakness in freight volumes through the summer suggest the positive results for shippers could continue for much of the rest of 2019.” The July issue of FTR’s Shippers Update, published July 8, 2019, details the factors affecting the May Shippers Conditions Index. Also included is data and analysis on load volumes, the capacity environment, rates, costs, and the truck driver situation. The Shippers Conditions Index tracks the changes representing four major conditions in the U.S. full-load freight market. These conditions are: freight demand, freight rates, fleet capacity, and fuel price. The individual metrics are combined into a single index that tracks the market conditions that influence the shippers’ freight transport environment. A positive score represents good, optimistic conditions. A negative score represents bad, pessimistic conditions. The index tells you the industry’s health at a glance. In life, running a fever is an indication of a health problem. It may not tell you exactly what’s wrong, but it alerts you to look deeper. Similarly, a reading well below zero on the FTR Trucking Conditions Index warns you of a problem…and readings high above zero spell opportunity. Readings near zero are consistent with a neutral operating environment. Double digit readings (both up or down) are warning signs for significant operating changes. For more information about FTR, visit www.ftrintel.com.

PORTLAND, Ore. — With most of the country in a heat wave, spot truckload rates wilted during the week ending July 21, said DAT Solutions, which operates the industry’s largest network of load boards. Load-posting volume on the DAT network slipped 16% while the number of trucks posted rose 3%. National average spot rates were negative compared to the previous week but still within mid-July expectations. National Average Spot Rates through July 21 were: Van: $1.86/mile, 3 cents lower than the June average Reefer: $2.21/mile, 5 cents lower than June Flatbed: $2.28/mile, 2 cents lower than June Van trends For truckers, pricing power slumped in most major markets, including Los Angeles ($2.27/mile, down 4% over the past four weeks) and Atlanta ($2.07/mile, down 5% over four weeks). Rates were higher on just 20 of the DAT Top 100 van lanes, and some of the stronger gains were on lanes where rates are generally low anyway: Columbus, Ohio, to Atlanta, up 10 cents to $1.98/mile Denver to Stockton, Calif., up 11 cents to $1.24/mile Van volumes are sliding in the Southeast. Houston averaged $1.77/mile, 3 cents lower than the previous week. With Texas oilfield production down, demand for van freight in outlying markets has slowed. Reefer trends Reefer volumes and rates continue to fall, with the load-to-truck ratio dropping from 3.8 to 3.2 last week. Volumes increased slightly in the Midwest but not enough to make up for declines in the rest of the country. Rates out of Sacramento, California, and McAllen, Texas, held up better compared to most markets, and two Midwest lanes stood out: Green Bay, Wisconsin, to Des Moines, Iowa, up 35 cents to $2.85/mile Grand Rapids, Michigan, Cleveland, up 15 cents to $3.30/mile Key takeaways Low volumes and rates are pushing reefer carriers into the spot van market, causing a drag on rates National average rates are still higher than May, a positive sign for the middle of July However, load-posting volume declined sharply at the end of last week; activity could stabilize and rates still may slip further this week DAT Trendlines is a weekly snapshot of month-to-date national average rates from DAT RateView, which provides real-time reports on spot market and contract rates, as well as historical rate and capacity trends. The RateView database is comprised of more than $65 billion in annualized freight payments. DAT load boards average 1.2 million load searches per business day. For the latest spot market loads and rate information, visit www.dat.com/trendlines and follow @LoadBoards on Twitter.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 1.1% in June after falling 4% in May. In June, the index equaled 115.2 (2015=100) compared with 116.5 in May. “Tonnage continues to show resilience as it posted the 26th year-over-year increase despite falling for the second straight month sequentially,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “The year-over-year gain was the smallest over the past two years, but the level of freight remains quite high. Tonnage is outperforming other trucking metrics as heavy freight sectors, like tank truck, are witnessing better freight levels than sectors like dry van, which has a lower average weight per load.” May’s reading was revised up compared with our June press release. Compared with June 2018, the SA index increased 1.5%, the smallest year-over-year gain since April 2017. The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 117.6 in June, 3.3% below May level (121.7). In calculating the index, 100 represents 2015. Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy, representing 70.2% of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods. Trucks hauled 10.77 billion tons of freight in 2017. Motor carriers collected $700.1 billion, or 79.3% of total revenue earned by all transport modes. ATA calculates the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership and has been doing so since the 1970s. This is a preliminary figure and subject to change in the final report issued around the 5th day of each month. The report includes month-to-month and year-over-year results, relevant economic comparisons, and key financial indicators.        

STERLING, Va. — JK Moving Services, a global moving, storage, relocation and logistics enterprise, says it has added new technologies to further modernize the move experience for customers, including a mobile app to help the customer manage the move process and software to do virtual estimates with either a real person or by an artificial intelligence interface. “Great technology makes for better moves and that’s why we invest in cutting-edge solutions. Mobile apps and AI are now part of our customer tool kit,” said CEO Chuck Kuhn. “Giving clients choices in how they work with us helps us meet a variety of customer needs and styles.” Kuhn said JK’s tech team had created a downloadable mobile app that enables clients to go onto the app to receive and review estimates; accept and edit estimates; make payments; communicate with their sales consultant and move coordinator; and prepare for the move day. The app is monitored 24/7 by the JK team. Since this custom app was developed in-house, JK is able to incorporate feedback and improvements quickly, Kuhn said, adding that the mobile app complements new estimating software that clients can use to get a virtual estimate. The client gives a tour of their house with their phone to their choice of a real or AI representative. The AI estimating software recognizes shapes of objects and makes an inventory list. From that tour, JK can provide an estimate and send it to the mobile app. Estimators still are available to come to someone’s house if that is what the client prefers. “Going mobile improves our customer offerings since many clients want products that are seamless, easy and quick. We’re receiving terrific feedback for our new mobile app and virtual estimating. These tech advancements put us at the forefront of the residential moving business,” said David Cox, executive vice president, residential, JK Moving. Cox said the mobile app also reduces the use of paper, which is good for the environment. Environmental stewardship is part of the JK culture and a consideration in many of the company’s innovations. “In fact, JK was one of the first on many environmentally friendly practices, including: ordering Tesla semi moving trucks, embracing new technologies that will further its aggressive carbon emissions-reduction goals, leading with box-less moves and major recycling efforts, and starting a chemical free community farm,” he said. Another recent modernization includes the addition of dashcam technology in its whole fleet. These cameras are installed in the truck cabs. When a trigger event happens, such as a sudden stop or jostling movement, a 12-second video clip gets sent to DriveCam, a third-party vendor that monitors and evaluates the incidents. DriveCam sends JK feedback when opportunities arise to improve driving behaviors, enabling JK to provide customized training to drivers. The dashcams have resulted in employees improving their driving skills and experiencing fewer triggering events, resulting in fewer accidents and a reduction in claims.    

TUALATIN, Ore. — Reddaway, the longest continuously operating Oregon-based regional less-than-truckload carrier, is celebrating its 100-year anniversary this year. Founded in 1919 in Oregon City, Reddaway continues to advance its services for the 21st century while remaining the premier service provider in the Western United States and Canada, according to Reddway President Bob Stone. Reddaway’s founder, William Arthur Reddaway, began the company with one Ford Model T truck primarily serving Portland and Oregon City. One hundred years later, Reddaway operates with 5,000 trailers, 1,500 tractors, and is now part of YRC Regional Transportation, along with Holland in the Midwest and Southeast, and New Penn serving the Eastern United States. “It’s humbling to think about the legacy of innovation, continuous improvement, exceptional reliability and the personalized support that have not only carried us through the past 100 years, but have allowed us to thrive,” Stone said. “I have had the pleasure of witnessing it firsthand for the past 25 years. I’m honored to work alongside the dedicated people who make Reddaway a company that our customers enjoy doing business with. It’s this culture and our people who help us continue to thrive into the next century.” As part of the company’s 100-year celebration, Reddaway will be hosting appreciation events in the Tualatin office as well as field offices to recognize and thank the thousands of loyal employees who work hard to take care of the customers they serve, Stone said. The western U.S. provider of LTL services, Reddaway currently employs over 2,800 people and operates more than 40 service centers. With high on-time reliability and one of the lowest claim ratios in the west, Reddaway continues to lead the industry in customer satisfaction. Reddaway has earned multiple distinctions over the years, including these recent awards such as the 2018 West Coast Regional Carrier of the Year from Worldwide Express, 2018 LTL Carrier of the Year from DHL Supply Chain and the 2018 Carrier of the Year, West Regional, by GlobalTranz. For more information, visit www.reddawayregional.com.          

COLUMBUS, Ind. — The latest release of ACT’s For-Hire Trucking Index (June data) showed nearly across-the-board declines, with capacity again the lone exception. The Volume Index dropped further into negative territory, falling to 43.2 (seasonally adjusted) in June from 46.7 in May. The June Pricing Index at 43.8 (seasonally adjusted) recovered a good bit of last month’s sharp decline, up from 38.8 in May on a seasonally adjusted basis, the lowest in survey history. “Volumes and utilization have been down seven of eight months, and the supply-demand balance has been loosening for eight straight months,” said Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s vice president and senior analyst. “In line with several second quarter earnings warnings from truckload carriers this week, this is further confirmation of a weak freight environment. May’s Pricing Index looked a little anomalously bad, so it was good to see that pick back up, though still not a great level in June.” Denoyer said volumes reached a new cycle low in June, likely due in part to rapid growth of private fleets, the slowdown in the industrial sector and some inventory drawdown. “This coincides with most other freight metrics,” he said. “The supply-demand balance reading loosened to 41.4, from 42.1 in May. The past eight consecutive readings have shown a deterioration in the supply-demand balance, with June the largest yet.” ACT is a publisher of new and used commercial vehicle (CV) industry data, market analysis and forecasting services for the North American market, as well as the U.S. tractor-trailer market and the China CV market. ACT’s CV services are used by all major North American truck and trailer manufacturers and their suppliers, major trucking and logistics firms, as well as the banking and investment community in North America, Europe, and China.      

BANGKOK — The price of oil rose on Friday after the U.S. said it had destroyed an Iranian drone near the Persian Gulf, where a lot of the world’s oil is shipped through. Stock markets were largely stable as investors monitor earnings and the ongoing trade talks between China and the U.S. Energy prices were ratcheted higher after President Donald Trump said a U.S. warship had downed an Iranian drone that had been threatening. While Iran denied the incident, it’s the latest incident to increase tensions and uncertainty in the region, where oil tankers have been attacked or threatened. About 20% of all oil traded worldwide passes through the Persian Gulf, so investors are aware of the potential for disruptions to ship traffic. The U.S. benchmark for crude oil advanced 71 cents, or 1.3%, to $56.01 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent, the international oil standard, picked up 98 cents, or 1.6%, to $62.91 per barrel. Obviously, the price of on-highway diesel is an outgrowth of the price of oil. Diesel has gone down seven of the last eight weeks. After six weeks of declines that totaled 13 cents, the price went up 1.3 cents a gallon for the week ending July 8 but dropped four tenths of a penny last week. Stock markets were mixed, with Britain’s FTSE 100 shedding 0.1% to 7,484 and the CAC 40 in Paris falling by the same rate to 5,543. In Germany, the DAX rose less than 0.1% to 12,236. Wall Street looked set for small gains, with the future for the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.2% and the future for the S&P 500 adding 0.1%. Reports that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer spoke with their Chinese counterparts as planned, with more talks to come, helped ease some concerns over the deepening trade war between Washington and Beijing. The standoff over China’s longstanding trade surpluses and its policies aimed at building up advanced high-tech industries has added to concerns over slowing demand and weaker Chinese growth. Expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will move quickly to cut interest rates have also helped buoy sentiment recently. Comments by the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, John Williams, suggesting central banks need to “take swift action” when conditions turn adverse, have whetting investors’ appetites for buying, analysts said. “Investors are highly sensitive to dovish comments from Fed presidents these days, as they are trying to figure out whether the Fed would lower its interest rates by 50 basis points by the end of this month,” Ipek Ozkardeskaya of London Capital Group said in a report. “Given that a 50-basis-point cut would trigger a further rally in global equities, any remark of dovish nature translates immediately into higher asset prices,” she said. In Asian trading, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index jumped 2% to 21,466.99 while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng climbed 1.1% to 28,765.40. The Shanghai Composite index rose 0.8% to 2,924.20, while in South Korea, the Kospi added 1.4% to 2,094.36. India’s Sensex slipped 1.3% to 38,390.88. Shares rose in Taiwan and Southeast Asia. Investors are looking ahead to corporate earnings. So far, in the U.S. the results have been mixed, though only about 13% of S&P 500 companies have reported, according to FactSet. Analysts expect profits to fall 2.4% overall by the time all reports are tallied. In currencies, the dollar rose to 107.60 Japanese yen from 107.30 yen on Thursday. The euro weakened to $1.1239 from $1.1279.

COLUMBUS, Ind. – According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: Classes 5-8 Report, June’s Class 8 orders broke the string of falling order volumes with the opening of 2020 order books, garnering a 19% rebound. While better orders slowed the rapid backlog decline, the situation is temporary, as coming months represent the seasonally weakest order period of the year, suggesting rapid backlog declines should continue in the near-term, according to Kenny Vieth, ACT Research president and senior analyst. “The industry is currently astride the Class 8 demand inflection,” Vieth said. “On one side of the ledger, weak freight volumes and rates will increasingly pressure carrier profits, thereby moderating demand for new equipment. On the other, significant new capacity additions and steadily increasing inventory volumes suggest current build rates are unsustainable.” Vieth said medium duty metrics remained in-line with expectations again in June, with most metrics close to their prevailing trends, if displaying some fraying at the edges.” ACT Research is a publisher of commercial vehicle truck, trailer, and bus industry data, market analysis and forecasting services for the North American and China markets. ACT’s analytical services are used by all major North American truck and trailer manufacturers and their suppliers, as well as banking and investment companies. More information can be found at www.actresearch.net.    

ARLINGTON, Va. — American Trucking Associations Chief Economist Bob Costello said Wednesday the turnover rate in the first quarter of the year demonstrated a muddled picture of the labor market for drivers, as the turnover rate at large truckload fleets rose five percentage points, but the rate at smaller fleets dipped four points. “While the market for drivers in certain segments continues to be tight, we’re seeing the impacts of a softer freight environment,” Costello said. “Despite weaker freight growth, it is clear that there is still strong demand for quality drivers industry wide, which will continue to put carriers under pressure to recruit and keep good ones.” In the first quarter of the year, the turnover rate at truckload fleets with more than $30 million revenue rose to 83%, lower than 2018’s average rate of 89% and 11 points below a year earlier. At smaller truckload carriers, the rate fell to 73% – exactly where it was in the first quarter of 2018. Turnover at less-than-truckload fleets ticked up eight points and now stands at 18%, the highest level in 15 years, but well below truckload driver turnover.