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New Class 8 truck sales in the United States continued an upward trend in April with total sales of 24,024 compared with 22,834 in March, an increase of 5.2%. Sales during the first four months of 2019 total 86,908 units as compared with 69,479 for the same period in 2018, a hefty 25.1% increase. Sales in April 2019 also bested April 2018 by 26.8% While the increases seemed to indicate that total 2019 sales would top the 250,627 totaled in 2018, orders for new Class 8 trucks have been down in recent months. The two major organizations that report on and analyze commercial vehicle data both said year-over-year Class 8 orders were down sharply in April. ACT Research said preliminary North America Class 8 net order data show the industry booked 14,800 units in April, dropping a moderate 6.2% from March, but down 57% from year-ago April. FTR reported preliminary North American Class 8 orders for April at 16,400 units, 52% below April 2018, noting April is the fourth consecutive month for Class 8 orders to be below the 20,000 mark and is the lowest April total since 2016. The Western Star brand showed the biggest increase from March to April with sales of 558 in April compared with 418 in March, an increase of 33.5 percent. Kenworth was second at 19.3% with April sales of 3,755 compared with 3,147 in March; Mack was third with an 18.5% sales increase in April with 1,924 units sold compared with 1,623 in March. Mack also posted the best gain over April 2018, when it sold 1,182 units. International continues to post the best year-to-date gain over 2018. The Illinois-based OEM has sold 12,902 units this year compared with 9,372 for the same period in 2018.      

EDINBURG, Texas — In a case that proves “going the extra mile” isn’t always a good thing, for anyone involved, a Texas jury awarded a professional truck driver $80 million Wednesday after it decided a 2015 crash in which the driver was severely injured was due to his employer having coerced him into falsifying his log book and driving beyond what federal Hours of Service regulations allow. The jury in the case, held in 93rd District Court in Edinburg, Texas, awarded Lauro Lorenzo Jr. $5 million in compensatory damages for the loss of income as well as the injuries and the ensuing pain and suffering he sustained from the accident, which occurred when he fell asleep at the wheel and rear-ended another truck on Interstate 59 in Alabama. The jury also ordered three companies: JNM Express, LLC; Anca Transport Inc.; and Omega Freight Logistics, LLC to each pay $25 million in punitive damages. All three companies are owned by Jorge and Silvia Marin under the umbrella Marin Enterprise. According to the original court petition, on May 3, 2015, Lozano had finished a run to San Antonio and had returned to McAllen, Texas. Lozano was due to take a 34-hour reset, per HOS regulations. Lozano said that a few hours after he got home, Jorge Marin called him and told him he needed to make another run, that he should adjust his log to make it look as though he had taken his 34-hour reset. According to Lorenzo’s lead attorney, Ray Thomas, “This was not an isolated deal.” Several drivers testified that this was a common practice at the Marins’ companies, that they were frequently pushed to drive beyond HOS limits. According to Thomas, evidence showed that Lorenzo drove an average of almost 5,000 miles a week. According to the petition, although Lozano was tired and initially objected, he feared for his job and went along with Marin’s demand. South Texas is not an affluent part of the country, Thomas said. Lorenzo has a special-needs son, and he couldn’t afford to miss even a week’s pay. Lorenzo went to San Antonio and picked up his load at 5 a.m. the next day and set off to Maryland. On May 6, the accident occurred, in which Lozano sustained a traumatic brain injury, as well a crushed pelvis, a crushed foot and broken ribs. “He was off work for several months,” Thomas said. In fact, he added, Lorenzo started dispatching for the Marins from his bed, before eventually trying to drive again. Thomas said that in January Lorenzo reinjured his foot, which had six pins in it. He’s working for another carrier now, but with wire and pins holding his hip together, he has to pull up to a loading dock to get in and out of his cab. He’s planning within the next year or so to switch to dispatching full time. “He’s a hard worker, he has a strong work ethic,” Thomas said. Despite the verdict, with appeals and other legal wrangling, it may still be some time before Lorenzo sees any money, and he’d rather earn a living than try to collect disability benefits. Actually, Thomas said, this case is unusual, and it only came to be because the Marin Enterprise was not subscribed to the Workman’s Compensation Act. “In Texas, the workman’s compensation system is voluntary,” Thomas said, but the vast majority of businesses subscribe to it, because if a worker gets hurt, they get benefits, or in cases of extreme injury, they can get a lump-sum payment. In exchange, the employer is protected from being sued by the employee. When an employer is not subscribed and is sued by an employee, Thomas said, the employer cannot try to claim comparative responsibility or contributary negligence on the employee’s part. In other words, the employer can’t turn around and say the employee knew it wasn’t the right thing to do but they went along with it. “The jury has sent a clear message that putting profit over the safety of not only their drivers but all drivers on public roadways will not stand,” Thomas said.

ELYRIA, Ohio — Discovery and curiosity drive inventors to create solutions that have a lasting impact on the world around them. In 2018, inventors from across Bendix (Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems and Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake) made their own lasting impact by earning 52 U.S. patents, the most ever for the company in one year, according to Richard Beyer, vice president of engineering and R&D. Spurred by their passion for safety technologies, 59 inventors contributed – individually or in groups – to the record patent total. In all, Bendix received 60 U.S. patents, including eight filed on its behalf by parent company Knorr-Bremse. Among the recipients, 22 inventors received their first patents and several Bendix employees gained personal milestones: six inventors were granted their fifth patents, two reached their 10th, and three attained the 15-patent mark. This year’s honorees also include two prolific innovators, individuals who each hold 42 patents. Bendix, the North American leader in the development and manufacture of active safety, air management, and braking system technologies for commercial vehicles, honored the inventors at its annual patent dinner. The dinner celebrated the inventors’ achievements, including 150 new invention disclosures submitted by employees last year. At the end of 2018, Bendix reached a total of 317 active U.S. patents and 171 active foreign patents. “We are proud to celebrate the inspiring work of our inventors as they strive to advance Bendix safety products and technologies through ingenuity,” Beyer said. “The patents are a testament to their passion for finding solutions to even the most complex problems. Together, these innovators are helping Bendix shape tomorrow’s transportation, and contributing to a safer future on our highways.” According to Beyer, the engineers and other inventors celebrated at the patent dinner also help define the Bendix culture of stressing training and education – and reflect the company’s emphasis on providing an environment that fosters creativity and knowledge expansion. Bendix employs more than 325 North American-based engineers performing R&D, design, quality, manufacturing, testing, and technical sales roles. To aid new and experienced professionals as they work on the forefront of technology, the company provides a variety of career development and hands-on activities, Beyer said. In addition, Bendix has in place a long-standing engineering co-op program across many of its North American facilities, along with a selective Engineering Development Program for new graduates. The Bendix Co-Op program offers engineering students currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs the opportunity to obtain meaningful, hands-on work experience that complements their classroom learning. Working closely alongside seasoned professionals in North America, as well as with Knorr-Bremse colleagues around the globe, the program offers participants a wide range of disciplines and enables Bendix to help develop a pipeline from which to recruit new talent. The Engineering Development Program (EDP), established in 2011, is a three-year rotational program that allows newly degreed engineers to develop in rotations of one year each in system development, product development, customer application, and/or advanced manufacturing engineering. The range of dynamic engineering challenges, at a variety of Knorr-Bremse global locations and Bendix North American facilities, increases the exposure to key areas within the organization and rounds out the capabilities of participants, providing significant experience, as well as the skill sets required to help deliver the next generation of commercial vehicle safety technology. “The commercial vehicle industry is evolving like never before. It’s an exciting time to be an engineer with the many emerging requirements of electric vehicles, highly automated driving (HAD), advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and advanced safety systems. But with these new technologies comes the need for new skill mixes and skill sets.  That’s why continuous learning and growth are essential,” Beyer said. A part of that growth opportunity is the company’s Technical Skills Enhancement (TSE) program. TSE is a robust engineering curriculum that offers diverse technical skills training and features the mechatronics educational curriculum at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), in Rochester, New York. The 18-month certification program, hosted primarily online, is open to practicing engineers at Bendix. Bendix and New York Air Brake LLC (NYAB) – a North American sister company within the Knorr-Bremse Group – enjoy a long-standing relationship with RIT, and helped develop the Knorr-Bremse North America Mechatronics Laboratory at RIT’s Kate Gleason College of Engineering. Mechatronics – the intersection of electrical and mechanical engineering – is a critical component in advancing many commercial vehicle and rail safety technologies. The laboratory serves both RIT students and engineers from NYAB and Bendix. While helping its engineers develop, Bendix also strives to prepare future technology leaders and generate interest in the commercial vehicle industry overall. Following on its strong commitment to education and to help advance Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs, the company supports a growing list of initiatives within the communities in which it operates – including robotics programs and maker spaces – as well as an annual Discover Engineering program, open to children and grandchildren of Bendix employees. The Discover Engineering program enables middle and high school students to visit company headquarters for a firsthand engineering experience. Bendix professionals provide an overview of engineering fields, plus lead demonstrations, site tours, hands-on activities, and more to show how a career in engineering can make a long-lasting impact on people’s lives. To further inspire the next generation, Bendix also regularly opens its doors to local schools to learn about engineering, including design, prototype, test, hardware-in-the-loop, and materials engineering. These tours give students an up-close look at the daily lives of engineers to help develop an interest in STEM. “Bendix engineers strive to reshape the world for the better – through everything from designing safer trucks to pioneering remanufacturing solutions,” Beyer said. “Their passion for engineering and innovation is visible not only through their work, but also in their commitment to inspire up-and-coming engineers. With their continued effort inside and beyond our walls, the future is bright for engineering – and brighter for all of us.”

LOWELL, Ark. — J.B. Hunt Transport Services is now offering a new trailer pool and drop-and-hook service, J.B. Hunt 360box, that the carrier says will improve the efficiency of freight operations for businesses and carriers. Launching this summer, 360box will introduce a pool of 500 additional 53-foot trailers that businesses can reserve for drop trailer purposes, with plans to accelerate the available units as market demand grows. Carriers will make offers to transport the trailers using Carrier 360 by J.B. Hunt, the company’s digital freight matching platform designed to help carriers save money, spend more time driving, and have an overall better experience. The new service is a part of J.B. Hunt’s continued effort to create the most efficient transportation network in North America, according to John Roberts, president and CEO. “360box adds capacity to a customer’s supply chain while moving more freight in a way that’s efficient for both the customer and the carrier,” Roberts said. “Usually only large carriers with available resources can provide this type of drop-trailer service. By using our trailers, however, shippers with consistent freight can now connect with the power of small carriers and owner operators, which together represent 83% of all drivers.” By eliminating the immediate need to load and unload trailers, 360box will prevent the loss in productivity that can occur during a live delivery such as dock door wait and detention, Roberts said. Drivers simply drop the trailer in a designated area and go on to their next load. The service offers shippers flexibility with their freight management, adds capacity to their supply chain, and provides access to one of the industry’s largest power-only carrier bases. For carriers, 360box eliminates the operational cost of maintaining trailers and increases driver productivity. “As much as one-third of a driver’s day includes idle time and empty miles,” said Shelley Simpson, executive vice president and chief commercial officer of J.B. Hunt. “When considering there are 3.5 million drivers, that’s a lot of waste. 360box is designed to transform that inefficiency into productivity, keeping drivers on the move with full trailers.” 360box trailers will be equipped with technology that provides end-to-end load tracking and monitoring. The company completed installation of tracking technology on all 100,000-plus company trailers and containers in 2018. “J.B. Hunt has a continued commitment to developing innovative solutions that address the supply chain’s evolving digital needs,” Simpson said. In 2017, the company announced a five-year, $500 million investment dedicated to creating disruptive technology and enhancing operating systems and infrastructure. The investment is advancing J.B. Hunt’s ability to see deeper within the supply chain, add new automation capabilities, and draw top talent in technology, engineering, data science, and logistics. For more information, visit www.jbhunt.com.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Expediter Services (ES) said that the company is launching a branding initiative that includes a new website release. The website, which encompasses the company’s work in the expedited sector and general trucking, provides a comprehensive look at the broad scope of its offerings and services. Through the brand update, the company will now operate under the market name ES, which reflects the organization’s history and expertise within the expedited sector as well as its success and growth with tractor-based opportunities in general trucking, according to ES President Jason Williams. The company’s new website, ESsuccessintrucking.com, offers visitors an easy-to-navigate platform to review the range of programs and services available from ES. As reflected by the name Expediter Services, the company’s initial focus began in the expedited sector of the industry, and the company has built a strong online brand presence through more than a decade of maintaining and growing its initial corporate website, Williams said, noting that in 2016, ES introduced its Success In Trucking brand with a website that focused primarily on tractor-based opportunities in the general trucking market, highlighting options that also became an area of rapid growth for the company. The new ESsuccessintrucking.com website provides a platform that allows visitors to smoothly toggle between the company’s offerings within expedited and the opportunities that ES has developed within general trucking. The website details how those entering the company’s truck ownership programs have access to competitive market-rate financing which places an emphasis on work history over credit history. Visitors to the new website can review equipment options and learn about the relationships that ES has established with some of the leading carriers and vendors in the trucking industry, Williams said. The website, which also highlights the wide array of support services available to members of the ES Community, has been designed to serve as a comprehensive resource for professional drivers, owner-operators and fleet owners seeking to build and grow their respective businesses within the trucking industry. “Our decision to place our offerings and support services for expedited and general trucking under one market brand name featured within a single, comprehensive website was driven by the overall growth of our company as well as by our desire to continue to the meet the needs of the participants in our program. The heart of our ES Community is made up of the people in our programs,” Williams said. “As a company with more than a decade of experience in transportation, we understand the importance of adapting to the opportunities in the market. The roots we planted within the expedited sector of the industry back in 2006 are still very strong, and our success as a leading resource for non-asset capacity has translated quite well to general trucking. Through our brand update and our new website, we believe we are well positioned for the future.” Williams said a prime example of company’s expansion and the ability to grow capacity on both the expedited truck and tractor sides of the business can be seen in the success of the 150 Business Challenge, the collaborative initiative ES developed with the Women In Trucking Association to assist in launching 150 women-owned businesses in transportation. Utilizing the infrastructure and expertise that ES has developed in more than a decade of providing ownership opportunities within the trucking industry, the 150 Business Challenge surpassed the halfway mark in reaching its initial goal during its first year, as more than 75 new trucking start-ups began their respective operations with either expedited straight trucks or Class 8 tractors. “Based on our experience in both markets, we believed that the 150 Business Challenge could be a success in opening new doors of opportunity for women while helping the industry move forward. This effort has also been an important step for us a company,” Williams said. “At the end of the day, whether we are working in expedited or in general trucking, we are a service company. We want to be of service to participants in the ES Community. We are invested in their success as they work to operate and grow their small businesses. Service, and working to assist all those in our program to find their success in trucking, is one of the key points we considered in updating our market brand.” The ES brand, with its range of offerings and services, will be on full display during the company’s inaugural Success In Trucking Expo (SITE), which will be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway complex June 7-8. The event will be focused on highlighting truck ownership opportunities and providing insights from experts. Attendees will hear from experts discussing the latest trends taking place in the industry and offering strategies for successfully operating small businesses in trucking. ES has chosen Pro Football Hall of Fame member and entrepreneur Anthony Muñoz to serve as the keynote speaker for the event. Williams said the SITE promises to be one of the most unique events on the trucking industry’s calendar. Not only is the company developing an expo program that is focused on being informative and fun, but ES is offering free hotel accommodations and free meals for pre-qualified expo registrants. A limited number of those slots are available for the event, and attendees receiving free hotel accommodations will be made from the registration submissions that have been pre-qualified by ES. The registration form and complete information on the event are available at SuccessInTruckingExpo.com. “We’ve had a strong response in the weeks following our announcement of the SITE, and I would encourage everyone who is interested in truck ownership to consider joining us at the SITE in June. We’ve seen a great deal of interest from professional drivers, owner-operators and fleet owners who want to know more about our programs and the kind of support ES can bring to the table,” Williams said. “The entire team at ES is gearing up for the SITE and welcoming all those who will be joining us in Indianapolis. When you look at what we are doing with the SITE, our new website rollout and our brand initiative, it’s an exciting time for our company. We are very grateful for the growth and success that has placed ES in a position where our company can work to make a difference in our industry by providing opportunities and support to those who are looking to build and grow small businesses in trucking. We are looking forward to the future and being of service to everyone utilizing our programs.”                    

PORTLAND, Ore. — Better weather combined with a 4.2% increase in the number of available loads pushed spot truckload freight rates higher during the week ending May 5, said DAT Solutions, which operates the DAT network of load boards. The number of available trucks, which has steadily increased in recent weeks, rose 1.6%. National Average Spot Rates Through May 5 Van: $1.82/mile, 1 cent above the April average Refrigerated: $2.18/mile, 3 cents higher than April Flatbed: $2.33/mile, 1 cent lower The price of fuel was $3.17 per gallon as a national average, nearly unchanged from the previous week. Van trends Individual lane rates are trending up as rates increased on 53 of the top 100 van lanes last week, the first time in six weeks that more lanes were up than down. The national average van load-to-truck ratio rose from 1.6 to 1.8 last week. Market to watch: The average outbound spot van rate from Charlotte, North Carolina, increased 3 cents to $1.99/mile as several outbound lanes improved: Charlotte to Buffalo, New York, up 11 cents to $2.24/mile Charlotte to Atlanta, up 5 cents to $2.30/mile Charlotte to Memphis, up 6 cents to $1.57/mile One caveat: The load-to-truck ratio from Charlotte peaked around April 29 to May 1 and declined through the first week of May. It remains to be seen whether this is an end-of-month surge or the beginning of a sustained upward trend. Reefer trends The national average reefer load-to-truck ratio popped up from 2.5 to 2.9 last week, a sign that produce-shipping season in the Southeast is stepping into higher gear. Market to watch: In Florida, the number of spot reefer loads from Lakeland, Florida, increased 13% and freight paid an average of $2.21/mile, up 49 cents compared to the previous week. Volume from Miami jumped 20% and paid an average of $2.59/mile, a 51-cent increase. Key lanes: Lakeland to Baltimore, up 85 cents to $2.86/mile Lakeland to Charlotte, up 57 cents to $2.62/mile Miami to Boston added 62 cents to $3.09/mile Miami to Baltimore gained 51 cents to $3.05/mile California has been slower than usual, with freight volumes down nearly 3% compared to the previous week. The wet winter and spring delayed planting in many regions but should deliver strong harvests in the coming weeks, including substantial numbers of cherries and table grapes. 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 $60 billion in freight payments. DAT load boards average 1.2 million load posts searched per business day. For the latest spot market loads and rate information, visit dat.com/trendlines and follow @LoadBoards on Twitter.    

INDIANAPOLIS — The Celadon Group on Tuesday revealed title changes for certain executive officers. The company announced the following title changes: Thom Albrecht will become executive vice president and chief commercial and strategy officer. Albrecht had previously served as executive vice president, chief financial and strategy officer. He has been devoting a substantial portion of his time to pricing and customer strategy, and this will be his primary responsibility. Vincent Donargo will become executive vice president, chief accounting officer and chief financial officer. Donargo had previously served as vice president and chief accounting officer. He will have responsibility for the financial restatement, audit and public reporting. Kathryn Wouters has been appointed to the position of senior vice president of finance and treasurer. Wouters previously served as the company’s vice president of finance and treasurer. She will have responsibility for our capital structure, including refinancing our existing revolving credit facility, financing the replacement of our tractor fleet and cash management. “Thom, Vince, and Kathryn have been key contributors as we have streamlined our business and paid down our credit facility over the past several quarters,” said Chief Executive Officer, Paul Svindland. “Their title changes reflect our priorities as a newly focused asset-based truckload carrier: enhancing commercial relationships across our customer base, completing our financial statement audits and returning to public reporting, and obtaining and managing a long-term capital structure, including a refresh of our entire U.S. tractor fleet.   We look forward to their continuing contributions as we move forward.” The Celadon Group said only recently that it had disposed of substantially all of the assets used in its Logistics business division in an all cash transaction. The purchaser was TA Services, a PS Logistics, LLC. PS Logistics is said to be a rapidly growing full-service provider of asset-based transportation, brokerage, 3PL, and supply chain services.

The two major organizations that report on and analyze commercial vehicle data both said year-over-year Class 8 orders were down sharply in April. ACT Research said preliminary North America Class 8 net order data show the industry booked 14,800 units in April, dropping a moderate 6.2% from March, but down 57% from year-ago April. ACT will publish complete industry data for April, including final order numbers, in mid-May. FTR reported preliminary North American Class 8 orders for April at 16,400 units, 52% below April 2018, noting April is the fourth consecutive month for Class 8 orders to be below the 20,000 mark and is the lowest April total since 2016. FTR said orders have remained remarkably consistent for the first four months of the year, tracking within a narrow 1,000-unit range, with April just 5% up from March. Class 8 orders for the past 12 months now total 380,000 units. “We continue to contend that current order weakness has more to do with very large Class 8 backlogs and orders already booked than with the evolving supply-demand balance,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst. “Of course, contracting freight volumes, falling freight rates, and strong Class 8 capacity additions suggest that the supply-demand balance will become an issue later this year.” FTR said fleets continue to search for open build slots in the 2019 production schedule.  Backlogs remain fluid with orders being rescheduled, often opening up build slots in the near term. FTR said it expects this type of order pattern continuing until ordering for 2020 begins, said Don Ake, FTR vice president of commercial vehicles. “Near-term build slots are becoming available as fleets rearrange orders based on current needs. There still is limited cancellation activity, as fleets do not want to give up build slots they may need at a later date. They remember what happened last year when they needed trucks but could not get enough of them.” Ake said economic growth is expected to moderate soon, slowing down the freight markets. “However, currently there is still a need to replace older trucks and also get more new trucks on the road,” he said. “Fleets have their expected requirements orders in for the year and are working with the OEMs to schedule production and deliveries as needed. Some washout of the backlog due to increased cancellations is still expected to occur later this year.”  

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Landstar System reported record first quarter diluted earnings per share of $1.58 in the 2019 first quarter on first quarter revenue of $1.033 billion. Landstar reported diluted earnings per share of $1.37 on revenue of $1.048 billion in the 2018 first quarter. Gross profit (defined as revenue less the cost of purchased transportation and commissions to agents) was $155.6 million, a record first quarter gross profit, in the 2019 first quarter compared to $155.5 million in the 2018 first quarter. Operating margin, representing operating income divided by gross profit, was 52 percent in the 2019 first quarter. Truck transportation revenue hauled by independent business capacity owners (“BCOs”) and truck brokerage carriers in the 2019 first quarter was $953.1 million, or 92 percent of revenue, compared to $979.1 million, or 93 percent of revenue, in the 2018 first quarter. Truckload transportation revenue hauled via van equipment in the 2019 first quarter was $619.0 million compared to $656.1 million in the 2018 first quarter. Truckload transportation revenue hauled via unsided/platform equipment in the 2019 first quarter was $310.7 million compared to $299.4 million in the 2018 first quarter. Revenue hauled by rail, air and ocean cargo carriers was $60.7 million, or 6 percent of revenue, in the 2019 first quarter compared to $52.8 million, or 5 percent of revenue, in the 2018 first quarter. “I am pleased with Landstar’s financial performance during the 2019 first quarter,” said Landstar’s President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Gattoni. “We began the quarter facing very difficult year over year comparisons plus decelerating rates of growth in both truck revenue per load and truck loadings that began in late 2018. Truck capacity became more readily available at the end of 2018 and that market condition carried through the 2019 first quarter putting additional pressure on rates. Landstar performed very well during the 2019 first quarter given the softening environment. Diluted earnings per share was $1.58 in the 2019 first quarter, the highest first quarter diluted earnings per share in Landstar history. Gross profit, operating income and the number of loads hauled via truck each also set new all-time Landstar first quarter records. The company set a new all-time record for trucks provided by BCOs with 10,637 as of the end of the quarter.” Gattoni said the number of loads hauled via truck was higher than any first quarter in Landstar history. “Given the freight environment during the quarter, I am pleased with the increase in truckload volumes,” he said. “The number of loads hauled via truck in the 2019 first quarter increased 2 percent over the 2018 first quarter, driven by a 1 percent increase in the number of loads hauled via van equipment, a 4 percent increase in the number of loads hauled via unsided/platform equipment and a 6 percent increase in less-than-truckload volume. The number of loads hauled via railroads, ocean cargo carriers and air cargo carriers was 2 percent higher in the 2019 first quarter compared to the 2018 first quarter.” Gattoni said through the first few weeks of April, the number of loads hauled via truck was consistent with the volumes experienced in the corresponding period of 2018 and said he expected that trend to continue during the remainder of the 2019 second quarter.

VANCOUVER, Wash. — Instructional Technologies, (ITI), providers of training solutions for the transportation industry, is making available On Ramp ELDT (Entry-Level Driver Training). The online training, testing and recordkeeping system helps CDL schools meet the new federal entry-level driver training standards that go into effect in February 2020. “While the entry-level driver training rules will make new drivers safer and easier to hire, if you’re a CDL school or a fleet that trains drivers the list of changes will add time and cost to training,” said Laura McMillan, VP of training development at ITI.  “Responsibility for the written test has essentially been put on CDL schools instead of DMVs, which places a great burden on them not only for providing training and content but also for recordkeeping. On Ramp eases that burden.” On Ramp meets entry-level driver training mandatory theory training requirements on the 31 core curriculum areas required under the new standards, eliminating the need for CDL schools to create new ELDT-compliant content, McMillan said, adding that ITI evaluates and updates content on a regular basis so schools remain compliant. After students’ complete courses, instructors can use a Group Training Module to lead in-class discussions about real world situations, answer individual questions, and cement learning points. In addition to providing ELDT-compliant training, On Ramp includes a custom-built LMS that records the completion of mandatory courses, regardless of whether students took the course individually or in a group setting. This capability makes it easier for CDL schools to meet the recordkeeping requirements of the ELDT mandate. McMillan said On Ramp can also automatically send student completion data, including proficiency scores, to the DOT’s Training Provider Registry (TPR). While details of the TPR are pending, DOT will use the registry to keep track of approved training providers and drivers who complete training. ITI is working closely with the Department of Transportation and the Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA) to ensure that connection between the TPR and On Ramp, including secure data storage capabilities, is seamless and automatic. Along with providing ELDT training and instructor certification and meeting training provider requirements, ITI can help assess a fleet’s or CDL school’s overall ELDT readiness. For more information, please visit www.instructiontech.net.  

COLUMBUS, Ind. — According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, conditions in the Class 8 market are solid, while data from the medium duty sector diverged in February, with strength in backward-looking indicators, like build and sales, and some softness in forward-looking metrics, like orders. The used Class 8 market remained challenged longer-term as robust sales translate into strong trade-in activity, and February net trailer orders are reported down sequentially, as well as versus last year at the same time. The report, which combines ACT’s proprietary data analysis across a wide variety of industry sources to paint a comprehensive picture of trends in transportation and commercial vehicle markets, also suggests that U.S. economic growth in 2019 remains positive, although slowing, and in a less certain environment. “Our near-term outlook for heavy duty trucks changed very little again this month. As we transition into spring, the contours of the rest of 2019 and beyond are becoming clearer and pretty much conform to our expectations,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst. “What marks current business conditions as ‘strange’ is the volatility and the rapid change of many of the freight-related indicators and signals that we track.” Regarding the medium duty market, Vieth said, “Weaker medium duty orders are the largest detractor from a higher 2019 forecast, with softening in key end markets, such as light vehicles and housing acting, as a governor on demand. And, with higher interest rates and rising prices, growth is expected to remain restrained.” 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. For more information about ACT’s Transportation Digest, visit www.actresearch.net/services/publications/transportation-digest/    

PORTLAND, Ore. — The number of load posts fell 13% last week and activity on the spot truckload freight market tapered off significantly as Easter weekend approached, said DAT Solutions, which operates the DAT network of load boards. The number of trucks posted was virtually unchanged compared to the previous week, and with less freight available, rates slumped on lanes across much of the country. National Average Spot Rates (through April 21): Van: $1.82/mile, down 3 cents compared to the March average Refrigerated: $2.15/mile, 2 cents lower Flatbed: $2.34/mile, unchanged Van and reefer rates declined despite a 3-cent rise in the national average price of diesel, which was $3.15 a gallon last week. Spot rates include a fuel surcharge portion. Van trends Rates were up on 42 of the top 100 van lanes week over week. The van load-to-truck ratio peaked on Tuesday at 1.8 loads per truck and skidded to 0.8 by Good Friday as shippers and receivers curtailed their activity for the holidays. Van freight volume last week is actually 11% higher year over year. Markets to watch: Los Angeles and Denver had higher average outbound rates, but those were the only standouts. Just a handful of lanes had double-digit rate increases compared to the previous week, including: Los Angeles to Seattle, up 10 cents to $2.27/mile Denver to Dallas gained 10 cents to $1.24/mile Atlanta to Philadelphia rose 17 cents to $2.10/mile All major van markets lost volume as many shippers and receivers ran on a reduced schedule on Good Friday. In general, demand and rates were weakest in the Northeast and parts of the Midwest. Buffalo to Charlotte dropped 20 cents to $1.93/mile, while Chicago to Denver fell 15 cents to $2.29/mile. Flatbed trends Flatbed volume has slowed after a strong first quarter. Weather appears to be a factor, as well as reduced oil production in West Texas. On the bright side, recovery from flooding in the Midwest is creating opportunities to move heavy equipment and construction supplies. And with produce season under way, onions, potatoes, and melons can be moved short and intermediate distances in open-air containers on flatbeds. Markets to watch: Flatbed rates increased on major lanes from Houston, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. Among them: Houston to Los Angeles surged 46 cents to $2.24/mile. Such a large rate increase on a relatively high-mileage flatbed lane is a sign that the Los Angeles market is picking up. Las Vegas to Phoenix gained 42 cents to $2.97/mile. Usually it’s L.A. that drives up rates in Las Vegas, so to see Phoenix here is another unusual occurrence. Southeast and Northeast markets faded last week, driven by lower rates from Atlanta, Cleveland, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Harrisburg to Springfield, Massachsuetts, plunged 46 cents to $3.60/mile, still a good rate for this lane. DAT Trendlines are generated using 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 $60 billion in freight payments. DAT load boards average 1.2 million load posts searched per business day. For the latest spot market loads and rate information, visit www.dat.com/trendlines and follow @LoadBoards on Twitter.

ARLINGTON, Va. — American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index was down 2.3% in March after decreasing 1.5% in February. In March, the index equaled 113.2 (2015=100) compared with 115.8 in February. “In March, and really the first quarter in total, tonnage was negatively impacted by bad winter storms throughout much of the U.S.,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “While I expected tonnage to moderate in the first quarter, the late Easter holiday and the winter storms made it worse. It is likely that tonnage will improve in the second quarter, although year-over-year gains will be significantly below the 2018 annual increase of 6.7%.” February’s reading was revised down compared with our March press release. Compared with March 2018, the SA index increased 1.6%, down from February’s 3.9% gain. During the first quarter, tonnage was up 3.8% from the same period in 2018. The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 116.3 in March, 10.3% above February’s level (105.5). 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.

WASHINGTON — The average on-highway price of a gallon of diesel jumped 2.9 cents a gallon for the week ending April 22, according to the Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy. It’s the second consecutive week of a significant increase. For the week ending April 15, the price went up 2.5 cents a gallon. Since price of 2.965 for the week ending January 28, the price has gone up 18.2 cents a gallon. Every region of the country was up with a 6.1 cents a gallon increase in the Rocky Mountain states (Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado), a 5.7 cents increase in the West Coast minus California (Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Alaska), and a 4.5 cents a gallon increase in California itself. The price for the week ending April 22 was 1.4 cents higher than the same week last year. For a complete list of prices by region for the past three weeks, click here.      

BLOMINGTON, Ind. — FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index fell in February to a reading of 1.71, the lowest reading for the index since August 2017 and reflective of the easing market conditions for this transportation segment. Economic indicators linked to freight volume are generally weaker entering the new year and the rate environment in trucking continues to soften. FTR projects the TCI measure to remain close to neutral throughout 2019 and into 2020. Details of the February TCI are found in the April issue of FTR’s Trucking Update, published April 1. The ‘Notes by the Dashboard Light’ section in the current issue analyzes a driver shortage commentary recently published on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website. Along with the TCI and ‘Notes by the Dashboard Light,’ the Trucking Update includes data and analysis on load volumes, the capacity environment, rates, costs, and the truck driver situation. “We continue to see modest weakening in trucking conditions because of the near-term easing of freight rates and volumes, but we should remain generally above neutral during the coming year. However, we are close enough to neutral that negative TCI readings are now a possibility.” The Trucking Conditions Index tracks the changes representing five major conditions in the U.S. truck market. These conditions are: freight volumes, freight rates, fleet capacity, fuel price, and financing. The individual metrics are combined into a single index that tracks the market conditions that influence fleet behavior. A positive score represents good, optimistic conditions. Conversely, 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, while readings high above zero spell opportunity. Readings near zero are consistent with a neutral operating environment, and double-digit readings (both up or down) are warning signs for significant operating changes. In addition to the Trucking Conditions Index, FTR has recently started releasing a weekly Trucking Market Update on the State of Freight Podcast. The weekly update is provided by Vise, and covers industry news and key indicators on a more frequent basis. To listen to recent episodes and download the indicators that are covered, go to www.FTRintel.com/podcast. For more information about the work of FTR, visit www.FTRintel.com, follow on Twitter @ftrintel, or call 888-988-1699, ext. 1.    

SEATTLE — Convoy, a nationwide trucking network and platform, has launched Convoy Go, a drop and hook marketplace that allows any carrier or owner-operator in the U.S. to start hauling pre-loaded trailers, and to operate at the same level as large asset-based carriers. Drop shipments, or pre-loaded trailers, currently represent the majority of Fortune 500 company shipments. To date, most of these shipments have been serviced by large asset-based carriers. Convoy Go enables any carrier or owner-operator in the U.S. using the Convoy app to operate at the same level as large asset-based carriers, in terms of fleet utilization, service levels and access to shipments. With its drop and hook marketplace, Convoy Go creates a seamless “grab and go” system, where carriers simply bring their power unit, pick up a pre-loaded trailer and hit the road, according to Tito Hubert, product lead for Convoy Go. To accomplish this, Convoy Go leverages its Universal Trailer Pool, a nationwide pool of Convoy-managed trailers that can be used by any driver in Convoy’s network, with no rental fees, he said. “Convoy’s data shows that up to a third of the cost of truck freight in the U.S. is attributable to time spent either waiting for appointments, or waiting at the dock to load and unload,” Hubert said. “This massive amount of waste has a direct impact on increased transportation costs, decreased drivers’ earnings and reduced overall trucking capacity for shippers. We built Convoy Go to enable drivers to increase their productivity and earnings, all while providing shippers with greater capacity.” He said Convoy Go reduces driver wait time in facilities from an average of three hours to less than an hour and provides five- to-10 hour appointment windows, offering drivers more flexibility to optimize their schedule. Together, this translates into increases of carrier productivity of up to 50%. Carriers can find, book and complete a load, all using the Convoy app. Convoy’s Universal Trailer Pool is shared across all shippers and trucking companies, Hubert said. Since Convoy initially piloted this offering in 2017, the company has worked with select shippers and thousands of drivers to tune the model across the Northeast, Southeast, South and West regions. Today, the program is available to all shippers and carriers nationwide. Carriers, most of which are doing drop and hook loads for the first time, experience shorter wait times at facilities and flexible appointment windows, which translate directly into increased carrier productivity: Convoy is a nationwide trucking network and platform striving to transform the $800B U.S. trucking industry. With Convoy, carriers get access to a free mobile app that allows them to find loads they want, save time, drive fewer miles empty, and get paid quickly. Hubert said shippers use Convoy’s data-driven insights and industry-leading service levels to book loads, improve their supply chain operations, lower costs, and reduce waste.    

GREEN BAY, Wis. —  With its end-to-end delivery portfolio, Schneider says it is able to deliver seamless shipping that keeps businesses one step ahead from the first to the final mile. The middle mile, which provides connectivity from and between local last-mile terminals, is equally as important as its first- and final-mile counterparts. To optimize the movement of freight through its 24 terminal networks across 48 states, Schneider is broadening its middle-mile configuration to include its van truckload and intermodal owned assets, according to Rob Bulick, senior vice president and general manager of First to Final Mile. With its acquisition of Watkins & Shepard Trucking in 2016, Schneider became a provider in first to final mile delivery of over-dimensional goods for omnichannel retailers and manufacturers. Schneider now capitalizes on the full force of its broad network for the middle and final mile, with access to more than 10,700 trucks, 22,000 intermodal containers and a suite of technology tools for comprehensive freight management, Bulick said. Throughout this process, Schneider is able to fully apply its proprietary network optimization system to freight within the middle mile to enhance consistency of the engineered network. An engineered network determines required departure and processing times, expected delivery times and regulates workflow through the terminals. Schneider’s engineering management tools apply data-driven recommendations to optimize operations and manage the movement of freight through the middle mile. The overall engineered network will also contribute to standardizing pricing and transit, he said. “Full incorporation of Schneider’s assets into the middle-mile service offering will reduce the number of freight handlings through the terminal network, ultimately reducing product claims. This optimization will also improve driver efficiency and increase consistency in service standards and delivery times,” Bulick said. Along with middle-mile optimization, Schneider is implementing a standardized delivery day for ZIP codes, creating predictability. Customers will be provided with the exact transit flow of their shipment, as well as a projected day and time for delivery from ZIP code to ZIP code for a holistic, end-to-end scheduled solution. “A seamless delivery experience – whether it’s the first mile, the last mile or the miles in between – means there’s a consistent, reliable network working hard for a customer’s business,” Bulick said. “Expanding our middle-mile strength to include Schneider’s owned assets and data-driven network optimizations ensures we’re constantly meeting the high expectations for final-mile delivery that customers and consumers can depend on and trust.” To learn more about how Schneider’s and Watkins’ end-to-end portfolio of services makes for smooth first to final mile deliveries, visit https://schneider.com/our-services/first-to-final-mile.