Business

THOMASVILLE, N.C. — Dominion Freight Line continues to celebrate growing capacity with six service center open houses in the first half of 2019. Responding to business growth and client demand, one of the nation’s largest LTL carriers will celebrate the openings of new, relocated or remodeled facilities in Mobile, Alabama; Pompano Beach, Florida; Houston; Otay Mesa, California, Texarkana, Arkansas, and Anaheim, California. “Our 2018 results confirm that strategically opening new and renovating existing service centers to accommodate customer demand is helping to grow our business,” said Terry Hutchins, vice president of real estate. “We will continue that strategy of searching for new sites to increase capacity and grow our network to continue to deliver premium service that exceeds customers’ expectations.” Strategically placed and built with best-in-class technology, Hutchins said Old Dominion’s service centers reduce shipping time, increase daily volume and enhance delivery flexibility. Old Dominion’s real estate team strategically selects locations to anticipate future growth and heightened customer demand, he said. “We search for locations in growing markets where we have access to quality workers to expand our network capacity. Expanding our network allows us to immediately accommodate customer needs and is critical to maintaining our award-winning low claims ratio and guaranteed on-time delivery,” Hutchins said. The LTL carrier plans to increase service center count and capacity throughout the year. Early 2019 service center open houses include: Mobile, Alabama. One of five service centers in the state, the Mobile facility is a 44-door service center recently built to service cities across Alabama and Mississippi. OD will celebrate Mobile’s new service center on March 13. Pompano Beach, Florida. To service the growing market in Florida, Old Dominion renovated the Pompano Beach service center. The 42-door facility spans 4.9 acres and will continue offering service to Sunrise, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Oakland Park, Margate, Coral Springs, Davie, Tamarac, Plantation, Wilton Manors, Coconut Creek, Parkland, North Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale and Lighthouse Point, Fla. Pompano Beach’s open house celebration is scheduled for March. 20. Houston. Texas has steady growth in its customer base and Old Dominion is continuously adapting with upgraded facilities across the state, Hutchins said. The remodeled Houston service center has 104 doors, spanning 24-acres of land, servicing Houston, Humble, Porter, Crosby, Spring, Woodlands, Cypress, Tomball, Conroe, Brenham, Sheldon, Channelview, Baytown, LaPorte and Pasadena, Texas. This service center is one of 20 across the state. The open house celebration is scheduled for April 11. Otay Mesa (San Diego), California. Servicing customers in Otay Mesa, San Diego, San Ysidro, Eastlake, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and into Mexico, this completely renovated and expanded 28-door facility is located in a new market for the company, along the border of Mexico. The new Otay Mesa service center will deliver shipments throughout Southern California and across the border to Old Dominion’s customers in Mexico. This facility is the company’s second service center in San Diego. Otay Mesa will host its open house on April 24. Texarkana, Arkansas. Located along state borders, the 36-door service center broadens opportunity to cities across Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma. This new service center allows for future growth, including additional doors and employees as customer needs increase. The facility is also unique in that its location offers on-site fueling stations. Texarkana’s open house celebration is scheduled for April 25. Anaheim, California. After officially opening its doors in 2018, the 40-door service center recently hired three new employees to accommodate rapid growth. The 38-employee service center delivers across 11 cities in California. Its open house celebration is scheduled for Apr. 25. In addition to the open houses, Old Dominion’s existing facilities continue to expand in response to growing customer demand. The Hagerstown, Maryland, service center was remodeled with 84-doors in October 2018, hiring 31 new employees to accommodate the growth. This service center will help manage deliveries to Hagerstown, Williamsport, Frederick, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Westminster, Hampstead and Monrovia, Maryland, and Greencastle, Waynesboro and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. For more information about Old Dominion, visit www.odfl.com or call 800-432-6335. On Twitter: @ODFL_Inc and Facebook: Old Dominion Freight Line Inc.  

February preliminary North American Class 8 truck order figures show a slight increase over January and a substantial decrease from February 2018, two publishers of commercial vehicle data have reported. ACT Research called February’s increase as “modest.” FTR said February’s increase was “subdued.” ACT Research reported 16,900 net Class 8 orders, an increase of 5 percent over January but a decrease of 58 percent year-over-year. FTR reported 16,700 orders, also with a 5 percent gain over February and a year-over-year decrease of 58 percent. FTR said January and February were the two lowest combined months since October-November 2016. “February marks the third consecutive month of orders meaningfully below the current rate of build. Over that three-month period, Class 8 orders have been booked at a 194,000 SAAR,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst. “Even though orders are well off their year-ago highs, a trend that is expected to persist through most of this year, we continue to believe that current order weakness has more to do with the very large Class 8 backlog and orders already booked than with the current erosion of the truck-to-freight supply-demand balance.” FTR reported that several OEM’s are booked solid for 2019 with limited sales slots open for the remainder of the year, so orders are likely to stay in this depressed range until 2020 order boards are opened up.  The weaker orders mean that backlogs will tumble for the second straight month, but they remain at historically high levels.  Class 8 orders for the past 12 months have now totaled 429,000 units. “Fleets that need to order trucks are looking for any available open build slot, regardless of brand,” said Don Ake, FTR vice president of commercial vehicles.. “Specifying is also more difficult as the supply chain for parts and components stays tight. Production continues at high rates, as OEMs build those record orders that were placed in 2018. “The freight market started off the year strong and carriers have still been able to hire enough drivers to expand their fleets. Trucking capacity is not in the chaotic state it was in 2018, but business remains vibrant. Some moderation in freight growth is expected in the second half of the year and this should loosen things up a bit.”

WASHINGTON — The average on-highway price of a gallon of diesel went up another 2.8 cents a gallon to $3.076 for the week ending March 4, according to the Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy. The price has now increased 11 cents since the week ending February 4 when the average price was $2.966 a gallon. Every region of the country increased, led by a 4.5 cent increase in the Midwest and a 3.6 cent increase in the Lower Atlantic region. The price for the week ending March 4 was 8.4 cents a gallon higher than the comparable week one year ago, and 49.7 cents a gallon higher than the comparable week two years ago. For a complete list of prices by region for the past six weeks, click here.  

TYSONS, Va. — The year opened as expected in the commercial vehicle auction and retail channels with no real changes in pricing, but the new truck boom cycle is almost certainly in the rear-view mirror. So says the February Commercial Truck Guidelines Industry Review released Thursday by J.D. Power Valuation Services (formerly the National Automobile Dealers Association). The takeaway is that truckers are satisfied with the units they have in the production pipeline, the report said. Trucks sold in January continue to bring strong money, with depreciation essentially nonexistent month-over-month, the report’s Class 8 retail update said. “There appear to have been fewer buyers in January, but those who did write a check were paying similar money to last month,” the report said. The average sleeper tractor retailed in January was 70 months old, had 467,599 miles, and brought $56,379. Compared to December 2018, the average sleeper was one month older, had 7,632 (1.7cent) more miles, and brought $856 (1.5 more) more money. Compared to January 2018, this average sleeper was one month older, had 8,410 (1.8 percent) more miles, and brought $5,181 (10.1 percent) more money. Each January, J.D. Power considers each model year one year older. For example, a truck of model year 2015 would be five years old as opposed to four years old in December. With that in mind, January’s average pricing was as follows: 3-Year-Old Truck: $93,883; $3,238 (3.6 percent) higher than January 2018 4-Year-Old Truck: $77,560; $10,956 (16.4 percent) higher than January 2018 5-Year-Old Truck: $61,540; $5,975 (10.8 percent) higher than January 2018 On a year-over-year basis, late-model trucks sold in calendar-year 2018 brought 10.7 percent more money than in the same period of 2017. Class 8 sales per dealership came in substantially lower than expected in late 2018 and January of 2019, dropping in January to 3.9. This is the lowest volume recorded since the Great Recession. January is more often than not a slow month for used truck sales, so we are not overly concerned about the result, the report said, noting that in looking forward over the long term, Class 8 orders dropped dramatically in late 2018 and January 2019. “Orders have now been below deliveries for two months, which is an inflection point that should be noted,” the report said. “The new truck boom is behind us, as the ‘beat-the-tariffs’ business inventory buildup has ended and the ‘juice’ from the 2018 tax breaks has played out. Deliveries of new trucks will remain strong into the second half of 2019, but it looks like demand is on the downward slope as supply heads in the other direction.” The Class 8 auction update said with the seasonal lull in auction activity in place, there were very few units of the benchmark model sold in January. “Low volume can create anomalies in our averages, but this month’s figures looked stable,” the report said. “The exception was trucks of model-year 2015, which showed a dip that can be explained by a high-mileage and low-spec mix of trucks sold. Here is date for model years 2011-2016: Model year 2016: $51,895 average; $2,520 (4.9 percent) higher than December Model year 2015: $39,125 average; $4,425 (10.2 percent) lower than December Model year 2014: $31,500 average; $500 (1.6 percent) lower than December Model year 2013: $29,700 average; $550 (1.8 percent) lower than December Model year 2012: $24,175 average; $825 (3.3 percent) lower than December Model year 2011: No sales in January “There was essentially no depreciation in 2018 for 4-6 year-old examples of our benchmark model. On average, this group brought 21.5 percent more money year-over-year,” the report said. “We expect the supply and demand relationship to look more historically typical as 2019 progresses, resulting in more noticeable depreciation.”    

PORTLAND, Ore. — Spot truckload rates continued their mid-winter slide last week but freight volumes suggest that pricing should rebound soon, said DAT Solutions, which operates the DAT network of load boards. While the overall number of loads posted on the DAT network fell 6 percent and truck posts were up 3 percent during the week ending February 23, February van volumes to date are almost 10 percent higher year over year. Van rates weakened nationally but remained constant in core lanes from top markets, another signal that pricing is starting to firm up. And diesel prices, which are a component of spot rates, are holding in the $2.97 to $3 per gallon range recently after a four-month, 40-cent slide. Van trends The number of van load posts was down 6 percent compared to the previous week and truck posts were up 4 percent. Load-to-truck ratio (national average): 4.3 van loads per truck National average spot van rate: $1.89/mile, down 1 cent Average spot van rates are 3.6 percent lower compared to January and down 10.6 percent from February 2018. Of the top 100 van lanes by volume, pricing fell on 64 lanes. While the national average rates suggest an “off” market for van freight, volume jumped 13.3 percent from January to February, the biggest increase between the two months in the past four years. Ocean freight should start to hit U.S. shores in advance of the Spring retail season, and with the next round of tariffs postponed we may see at least the normal seasonal uplift. Strong volumes and stable rates on key individual lanes continue to suggest that spot van rates are bottoming out. Flatbed trends The number of flatbed load posts fell 5 percent and truck posts were up 2 percent. Load-to-truck ratio: 25.1 flatbed loads per truck, down from 27 National average spot flatbed rate: $2.34/mile, up 1 cent Despite lower demand for flatbed capacity, the national average spot flatbed rate made its first upswing in six weeks. Reefer trends The number of reefer load posts was down 5 percent and truck posts were up 1 percent. Reefer load-to-truck ratio: 5.5 reefer loads per truck National average spot flatbed rate: $2.22/mile, down 1 cent Among the top 72 reefer lanes last week, rates on 26 lanes were up, 44 lanes were lower, and two were neutral. Los Angeles and McAllen, Texas, both saw a rebound in reefer freight volumes but losses elsewhere help push spot rates lower for the fifth straight week. Volumes in this segment have fallen 3.1 percent in the last month. 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 load availability and rate information, visit dat.com/trendlines and follow @LoadBoards on Twitter.

LAKEWOOD, Colo. —  The average owner-operator net income in 2018 exceeded $65,000, says American Truck Business Services (ATBS). The figure is based on an analysis ATBS conducts after collecting data from its owner-operator clients. The $65,000 average is an increase of 8.6 percent increase over 2017, ATBS said, at the same time noting that 15 percent of its clients earned an average net income of $100,000 Based on the data collected last year, the average owner-operator annual net income in 2018 exceeded $65,000 which is an 8.6 percent increase over 2017. Furthermore, 15 percent of ATBS clients earned an average annual net income of over $100,000. “It was a record year in many areas and a great year to be an owner-operator,” says Todd Amen, president and CEO of ATBS. Amen urged owner-operator truck drivers to attend the following conference call to learn about the results of the 2018 benchmarking study. The call will be held Thursday, March 14 at 12 noon EDT. Click here to register for the conference call. During the conference call, Amen will provide insight on the analysis of the overall owner-operator population, miles driven, net income, fuel mileage, freight rates, and answer questions including: How much did the owner-operator population grow in 2018? What was the bottom line impact of ELDs on owner-operator miles, rates, and fuel economy? Why have spot market rates dropped so much and what does this mean for owner operators? What is the outlook for 2019 for owner operators? ATBS has provided consulting, tax, and bookkeeping services to over 150,000 owner-operators since 1998. Since 2003, ATBS has been able to track and analyze financial trends in the trucking industry as a result of working with owner-operator clients. For more information, visit www.atbs.com.      

U.S. trailer order volume slid sequentially for the fourth month in a row, but it’s all relative when one considers that more than 26,000 net orders were posted in January, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailer Report. The report explains that the long-running order stream that started in the fall of 2017 and never really seasonally slid in mid-year is finally running out of steam, but not from lack of demand. Meanwhile, FTR Intel reported that final order numbers for January came in at 26,300 units down 5 percent month-over-month and 39 percent year-over year. FTR said the considerable year-over-year negative comparison is primarily the result of the huge spike in orders during January 2018, as fleets scrambled to catch up with robust freight growth. Cancellations were elevated in January for the second straight month, as fleets shift orders around to more precisely fit their requirements. Orders during the month were particularly strong for specialty trailers. Trailer orders for the past 12 months now total 396,000. “Two factors are impacting order placement,” said Frank Maly, director – CV transportation analysis and research at ACT Research. “First, the dramatic surge in orders during the second half of 2018 rapidly filled available 2019 build slots, so few production spots are available, and secondly, just because fleets want to order doesn’t mean OEMs are willing to extend their obligations, given uncertainties of component costs that far into the future.” Maly said January’s minor sequential backlog decline was that metric’s first month-over-month slide since June, with net order volume not quite strong enough to outpace build during 2019’s first month, as seven of the ten trailer categories posted sequential backlog declines. Further, the report noted that with reefer backlog currently projected to extend into early February 2020, OEMs would like to increase build rates this year, but noting that cooperation from key component suppliers would be needed. ACT said overall, total industry backlog approaches Thanksgiving. “This was still a positive month for trailer orders considering how many orders are already in the backlog,” said Don Ake, FTR vice president of commercial vehicles. “All trailer segments are expected to start off 2019 with momentum, which is good news for the industry and general economy. The business uncertainty and more subdued economic indicators have not impacted the trailer market as of yet. We do expect the market to cool slightly in the second half of the year as freight growth moderates, but for now, there is still a huge demand for new trailers across most segments.”    

DALLAS — Omnitracs, a provider of fleet management solutions to transportation and logistics companies, has pledged $25,000 in support of Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), a non-profit organization that educates, equips, empowers and mobilizes members of the transportation and travel plaza industry to combat human trafficking. In an effort to bring more visibility to the mission of Truckers Against Trafficking, Kylla Lanier, deputy director and co-founder, will be speaking during the general session of Omnitracs Outlook Tuesday. In addition to the presentation, Outlook attendees will also receive CDs and cab cards with more information about the organization, their efforts and how they can get involved. “As members of the transportation industry, we have a responsibility to drive the change that will provide more safety and security on the roads,” said Ray Greer, chief executive officer at Omnitracs. “The programs offered through this organization give us an opportunity to bring more awareness, education and training to such an important cause.” “As we continue to work alongside law enforcement to disrupt trafficking networks and aid in the recovery of victims, it’s important to continue educating the driving community,” Lanier said. “The partnership between TAT and Omnitracs will significantly contribute to the number of trained individuals along our nation’s highways, and we are excited to be working with a leader in the transportation industry.” To learn more, please visit https://truckersagainsttrafficking.org.      

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. —  After a basically neutral reading in November, FTR’s Shipping Conditions Index (SCI) moved into positive territory in December. The December SCI measure at 1.7 was the strongest for the index since August 2016. After a short weakening period in the first quarter of 2019, the SCI is expected to maintain the December level through the balance of the year. The unusual dual positive readings in December for measuring both Shippers Conditions as well as Trucking Conditions were primarily driven by improved freight volume and lower fuel prices without much change in freight rates, according to Todd Tranausky, vice president of intermodal. “Stable fuel prices, a turn in rail service levels, and loosening truck capacity have combined to create a favorable environment for shippers seeking to move freight,” Tranausky said. “The situation is forecast to continue for much of 2019, as fuel prices remain stable and economic conditions hold firm.” 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 visit www.FTRintel.com.  

WESTLAKE, Ohio — TravelCenters of America, nationwide operator of the TA, Petro Stopping Centers and TA Express travel center networks, has signed an agreement with Heinz Inc., operator of Coffee Cup Fuel Stops, to convert four of its Coffee Cup locations to TA Express. The first of four existing locations that will become TA Express is located at Interstate 94/ND Highway 3, Exit 200 in North Dakota. This location was the first Coffee Cup Fuel Stop and will be the first of the four to join TA’s nationwide network of 257 travel centers. The TA Express branding is expected to take place by the end of April, with three more locations following suit within 12 months. The remaining Coffee Cup Fuel Stops converting to TA Express are in South Dakota —Vermillion, Summit and Hot Springs. Heinz also plans to build two new TA Express travel centers, in Rapid City and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in coming years. “We are proud to welcome these Coffee Cup Fuel Stops to the TravelCenters and TA Express network,” said Barry Richards, president and COO of TravelCenters. “We launched the TA Express brand to provide professional drivers the benefits of our full-service network in areas where large truck stops like our TA and Petro travel centers are not feasible. These existing Coffee Cup Fuel Stops are well suited for the TA Express brand, and we are always glad when we can expand our network and offer more amenities to our customers.” Tom Heinz, president of Heinz Inc is a veteran in the petroleum industry and a member of the NATSO (National Association of Truck Stop Operators) Foundation Board of Directors. “We’re very eager to join the TravelCenters and TA Express network,” Heinz said. “Being a part of the TravelCenters fueling system will allow us to participate in trucking fleet fueling contracts and grow our business in a way we weren’t able to on our own. Professional drivers and fleets trust the TA, Petro and TA Express brands, and now our travel plazas can be a part of this iconic network.” Plans for improvements and amenities to be added to the Steele location include the addition of a Cinnabon, five more driver showers and a three-bay TA Truck Service shop. Professional drivers will also be able to earn and redeem UltraONE loyalty program points at all of the rebranded locations. TravelCenters of America, headquartered in Westlake, Ohio, conducts business in 43 states and Canada, principally under the TA, Petro Stopping Centers and TA Express brands. For more information on TA and Petro, visit www.ta-petro.com. Coffee Cup Fuel Stops were co-founded by Tom Heinz in 1981. The Steele, North Dakota, location was the first travel plaza. The brand then expanded to South Dakota and Wyoming.

PHOENIX — Nikola Corp. said that Mark Russell has joined its executive management team as president. Russell, 56, joins Nikola at a time when the company is poised to start production of several groundbreaking zero-emission vehicles. “We needed the best. We needed a seasoned manufacturing executive to join the Nikola team. Mark’s background and experience match well with the challenge to ramp up production of the extraordinary vehicles we will unveil at Nikola World on April 16-17,” said Trevor Milton, founder and CEO of Nikola. A seasoned executive, Russell specializes in building successful manufacturing companies. “I’m thrilled to be joining the Nikola team at this critical time and look forward to assisting its growth into production and beyond,” Russell said. Russell has been building and managing companies in the manufacturing industry for over 20 years, helping them grow profitably while building significant value for investors. Most recently, Russell served as president and chief operating officer of Worthington Industries from 2012-2018, and prior to that served as president of WOR subsidiary Worthington Steel since 2007. Nikola currently has over four years of production committed with pre-order reservations. Nikola’s Coolidge, Arizona, manufacturing facility is scheduled to come online in 2022 and will be capable of building up to 35,000 trucks per year at full production. Nikola Corp. designs and manufactures electric vehicles, vehicle components, energy storage systems, and electric vehicle drivetrains. For more information, visit nikolamotor.com.

COLUMBUS, Ind. — In release of information it its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest and its Transportation Digest, ACT Research queries whether the current record-setting Class 8 cycle will close differently than previous peak periods, and in its Transportation Digest reported that the Class 8 truck market started 2019 with powerful positive momentum, although uncertainty surrounding trade and tariffs and a slowing global economy are still causes for caution. The Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest provides monthly analysis on transportation trends, equipment markets, and the economy. “ACT’s analysis of Class 8 cycles shows that peak build typically lasts between 13 and 15 months. The lone exception being the EPA’07-prebuy driven 2005-2006 cycle, which ran a remarkable 27 months at peak build rates,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst. “Given the exogenous benefits accrued from miles-per-gallon and safety technologies, we have to consider if the conditions are in place for this cycle to run farther than history would suggest.” Vieth said given slower freight growth, an easing of driver supply constraints, the resumption of the long-run freight productivity trend, and strong Class 8 tractor fleet growth, which are increasingly pressuring rates and by extension trucker profits, ACT’s forecast assumes a moderating of the Class 8 cycle into the end of 2019. Transportation Digest, 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 in a positive, if less certain, environment. “The month of January was marked by high volatility in policy, in financial markets, and in the data trends we follow,” Vieth said.  “Even in these turbulent times, the whipsawing of the past several months is atypical; while continuing growth is expected, uncertainty surrounding U.S. trade policy and a slowing global economy warrant caution.” Regarding the Class 8 market, Vieth said the heavy-duty truck market is maintaining its momentum, but the critical question remains cycle duration. “Putting the pieces of the puzzle together, we continue to maintain a largely unchanged Class 8 outlook, which anticipates that a growing supply-demand imbalance will erode demand into the end of the year,” he said. 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 More information can be found at www.actresearch.net.            

PORTLAND, Ore. — After a chilly start to 2019, spot truckload volumes and rates look like they’re starting to thaw. The number of load posts on the DAT network of load boards climbed 4 percent while truck posts fell 2 percent during the week ending February 16. Reefers remain in a seasonal decline but volumes rose and capacity tightened for vans and flatbeds, which elevated load-to-truck ratios in both segments: Van L/T ratio: 4.8, up 4 percent Flatbed LT ratio: 27, up 12 percent Reefer L/T ratio: 5.8, down 1 percent National average spot rates slipped but remain solid compared to previous years: Van: $1.90/mile, down 1 cent Flatbed: $2.33/mile, down 1 cent Reefer: $2.23/mile, down 2 cents Van trends Spot volumes firm up: Van load posts increased 2 percent while truck posts fell 2 percent. Van volumes appear to be firming up about a month ahead of schedule. Van rates in balance: Rates rose on 47 of the top 100 van lanes last week and drifted lower on 40. Rates were unchanged on the remaining 13 lanes; that’s a big number and a signal that rates are at or near the bottom for winter. Weather and rates: For an example of how weather affects rates, look at Seattle to Spokane. Snow and ice periodically shut down I-90 last week, and Seattle to Spokane—a typically weak lane — jumped 31 cents to an average of $3.54/mile. Flatbed trends Volumes build ahead of construction season: The number of flatbed load posts was up 7 percent last week while truck posts dropped 5 percent, a sign that seasonal construction activity is picking up. Reefer trends Will weak reefer markets affect van freight? The spot reefer market saw load posts fall 1 percent and truck posts hold steady last week. The downward trend may affect van capacity, as reefer haulers sometimes turn to spot van freight during lulls in the market. 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 load availability and rate information, visit www.dat.com/trendlines and follow @LoadBoards on Twitter.

COLUMBUS, Ind. — The latest release of ACT’s For-Hire Trucking Index showed an improvement in freight volumes and truck productivity in January, after a soft finish to 2018. The Volume Index rose to 52.0 in January from 49.0 in December. “The recovery in the Volume Index was offset by an increase in the Capacity Index in January, keeping the balance signal to the loose side,” said Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s vice president and senior analyst. “The past three readings have shown the loosest industry supply-demand balance in almost three years, since April 2016.” The Driver Index was in negative territory, below the neutral 50 mark, at 47.2 in January 2019. “Based on fleet feedback, we added a question about the driver market in January 2018, and after a year, we are now able to start reporting on this metric,” Denoyer said. “The January 2019 reading, as well as the December 2018 reading of 47.0 were up significantly from the 38.6 recorded in January of 2018. The index has been below the neutral 50 level since we started asking the question last year. However, the rise in the index over the past year signals modest easing of ongoing driver constraints.” The January fleet purchase intentions reading indicated an uptick in equipment demand, with 53.7 percent of respondents planning to buy trucks in the next three months, up from 52.3 percent, seasonally adjusted, in December. “After record orders last year, this series should remain elevated as long lead-time truck orders are built and hit the highways,” Denover said. “Over the past 12 months, the Buying Index has averaged a strong 57.6% reading.” 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. For more information, visits www.actresearch.net.                                    

SUNRISE, Fla. — dexFreight, providers of a decentralized, blockchain-based logistics platform, has launched the dexFreight Early Adopters Program for U.S. shippers, carriers, brokers, and forwarders. “The dexFreight platform built on blockchain technology allows supply chain stakeholders to transact and collaborate more efficiently, transparently and securely,” said Rajat Rajbhandari, CEO and co-founder of dexFreight. “Through our Early Adopters Program, we will be using the real-world expertise of logistics stakeholders to evaluate new and advanced features of our platform that will be launched in the near future. We don’t want to develop in a vacuum, and we believe the dialogue with and feedback from early adopters is vital in creating a platform that helps the entire logistics community.” The dexFreight Early Adopters Program is open to U.S.-based companies. By joining the Early Adopters Program, companies will have exclusive access to early release versions of the dexFreight platform. As members of the Early Adopters community, they will have the opportunity to interact with dexFreight’s development and product teams. Early Adopters Program participants will have free access to the platform’s basic features for three months and to advanced features at no charge when they first become available, and then at a discounted rate, Rajbhandari said. They will receive early notifications about new features before they are offered to all platform users. Basic features of the dexFreight platform include TMS/FMS integration, load and capacity matching, safety data, rate negotiation, accessorial selection, P&D scheduling, shipment tracking, navigation and communication, and payments built on blockchain technology from the ground up. Plans for the platform include escrow services, tokenized invoices, rate forecasting, on demand warehouse, load chaining, fleet optimization, bid preparation and risk prediction features, as well as third party apps. In October 2018, dexFreight completed its first blockchain-based shipment using smart contracts. The platform, an ecosystem of open source protocols, blockchain and machine learning technologies, allowed the shipper and carrier to directly connect, negotiate rates, and schedule pickup and delivery. For more information, visit www.dexfreight.io.

ITASCA, Ill. — The National Safety Council says according to its own research, 90 percent of America’s employers have been negatively impacted by tired employees. Forty-three percent of employees admit they may be too tired to function safely at work. With fatigue becoming an increasingly common workplace hazard, the National Safety Council is calling on all employers to implement comprehensive programs — known as fatigue risk management systems — that can help prevent the roughly 13 percent of workplace injuries attributable to sleep problems. As for the trucking industry, sources vary widely on the percentage of large truck crashes are the result of driver fatigue. On the low end, it’s 13 percent. On the high end, it’s approaching 40 percent. The council has outlined key elements of a fatigue risk management system in its paper Managing Fatigue: Developing an Effective Fatigue Risk Management System. Another report from the Campbell Institute — the center for EHS excellence at the National Safety Council — details results from a pilot study conducted among world class safety organizations to assess worker fatigue and effective countermeasures. In Understanding Fatigue Risk: Assessment and Countermeasures, the Campbell Institute identifies a persistent gap between how employers and employees view fatigue and makes the case for changing culture to enhance safety. To emphasize the importance of the issue, the council and the Campbell Institute also are gathering fatigue experts and researchers from around the globe in Seattle for a symposium that will focus on eliminating fatigue-related risks in the workplace. “In our 24/7 world, too many employees are running on empty,” said Emily Whitcomb, senior program manager for fatigue initiatives at the National Safety Council. “Employees are an organization’s greatest asset and addressing fatigue in workplaces will help eliminate preventable deaths and injuries.” Whitcomb said fatigue not only hurts employees’ wellbeing and safety, but it also carries a significant price tag. Fatigue costs the U.S. economy more than $400 billion annually. An employer with 1,000 employees can expect to lose more than $1 million each year in missed workdays, lower productivity and increased healthcare due to employee fatigue. “Even employers with state-of-the-art safety programs feel the negative effects of fatigue,” said John Dony, director of the Campbell Institute “As employers work to eliminate risks, we encourage them to implement fatigue risk management systems and lean on the Council and the Campbell Institute for help.” Workplace practices and policies that contribute to worker fatigue include working night shifts and overtime, a lack of time off between shifts and inadequate rest areas within the workplace for employees to take breaks. Whitcomb said strong fatigue risk management systems blend employee education and training with improvements to workplace environments, culture change and data-driven programs. Additional information about workplace fatigue is available at www.nsc.org/fatigue.      

INDIANAPOLIS — In a move to expand the Wheaton Van Lines network, Wheaton is acquiring Stevens Worldwide Van Lines. The new partnership will immediately expand the capacity and capabilities of the four brands under the Wheaton group umbrella: Wheaton World Wide Moving Bekins Van Lines Stevens Worldwide Van Lines Clark & Reid The Stevens family will continue to own and operate Stevens International Forwarding and Focused Logistics. Their three local agencies will continue to be agents of the Stevens Worldwide Van Lines brand in Saginaw, Michigan, as well as Toledo, Ohio, and Cleveland, and will maintain a significant hauling fleet within the new network. “I think this partnership is a huge opportunity for all parties involved,” said Morrie Stevens Sr., Stevens Van Lines chairman of the board and CEO. “Joining the Wheaton Van Lines network gives all of the drivers and agents in the Stevens network more opportunities for growth. I’m particularly excited for our corporate clients that will gain access to more capacity when they need it the most. I’ve admired the Wheaton network for a long time. Wheaton has proven to be a steady, stable, smart and consistent network that understands how to build upon the success it’s had for the past 74 years.” Wheaton will continue to operate all four of its brands throughout the United States. This is Wheaton’s third acquisition since 2012 when it acquired Bekins Van Lines and, a year later, Clark & Reid, making it the fourth largest van line group in the country. “Stevens and the agents in the Stevens network are a stellar fit for our growing company,” said Mark Kirschner, Wheaton Van Lines CEO. “It’s clear that our philosophies align and that we both see this as an opportunity to bring more to our drivers, agents and customers. I’m excited for our partnership moving forward.” Wheaton Van Lines is partner to approximately 400 Wheaton, Bekins, Stevens and Clark & Reid agents nationwide. The United States military is one of the company’s largest customers. To learn more, visit www.wheatonworldwide.com/why-wheaton/partners.

COLUMBUS, Ind. — While overall economic conditions are better balanced than they were a month ago, freight data remain soft, according to ACT Research’s latest State of the Industry: Classes 5-8 Report. “Slower freight growth, an easing of driver supply constraints, the resumption of the long-run freight productivity trend, and strong Class 8 tractor fleet growth will increasingly pressure rates, and by extension, trucker profits in 2019,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT Research’s president and senior analyst. “Regarding Class 8, orders have decelerated sharply over the past several months, with net orders in January reaching 16,089 units, the lowest monthly order intake since October 2016.” The report indicated that at present the slowdown seems to be more a story of the second-half 2018 order pull-forward and large backlogs, and less about freight cycle and capacity issues. Regarding the medium duty markets, Vieth said, “January’s Classes 5-7 net orders were a virtual carbon copy of December, at around 23,000 units, and medium duty orders have been a model of consistency the past ten months. However, they are entering a period of tough year-ago comparisons.” 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.        

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Stay Metrics, the leading provider of driver retention tools, has released a new indicator for trends in early-stage driver turnover. The new Stay Days Table serves as a “survivor” chart that shows the number of drivers hired by carriers each month and the percentage remaining at specific milestones after their date of hire —30 days, 60 days, 90 days, etc. This table allows Stay Metrics to follow specific cohorts of drivers and to show how well carriers are retaining them over time, according to Tim Hindes, Stay Metrics co-founder and CEO. As the table makes clearer than previous models, early driver turnover is a massive, industry-wide problem, Hindes said, noting that approximately 60 percent of the more than 3,000 drivers from 89 carriers hired in January 2018 did not make it one year with their carrier. Retention trends seem to have remained consistent throughout the year so similar results are expected for each month’s cohort. Hindes said the statistics come at a time when the driver shortage is of critical concern to motor carriers. According to the American Transportation Research Institute’s 2018 Top Industries survey, the driver shortage is the No. 1 issue faced by carriers. Unsurprisingly, driver retention is also high at the No. 3 spot. Together these concerns are causing significant problems for even the best carriers in the industry. They work exceptionally hard to find drivers in today’s market. If 60 percent of these drivers leave within one year, the driver shortage is not just an issue; it is a crisis, Hindes said. “We believe the new Stay Days Table demonstrates the depth and pervasiveness of the early driver turnover problem. Our clients consistently beat industry averages for overall retention and this is their Stay Days Table. It represents some of the best in the industry,” Hindes said. “With drivers leaving so early, the driver shortage cannot be effectively countered. Our current version shows data for 2018 and we plan to update the metric for 2019 and beyond to continue monitoring the industry’s progress.” The Stay Days Table saw a slight increase in overall retention for drivers hired in September and later. One possible explanation is that these drivers wanted to avoid changing carriers during the holiday season, Hindes said, adding that the data from the next few months will show if these fourth quarter hires match other groups’ retention percentages when they hit later milestones.