Category: Trucking News

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8 Mar by Vitaliy Dadalyan

For-Hire Freight Movements Remain Steady

<img width="150" src="http://www.automotive-fleet.com/fc_images/news/m-march-tsi-graphic-original-1.jpg" border="0" alt="

The Freight Transportation Services Index, Jan. 2012 - Jan. 2017. Graphic: U.S. DOT

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The Freight Transportation Services Index, Jan. 2012 - Jan. 2017. Graphic: U.S. DOT

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While the amount of freight moved by the nation's for-hire transportation sector was unchanged in January from December, according to a new Transportation Department report, it did manage a slight increase from the same time a year ago.

The Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) remained at 123.2, but that's up 0.8% from January 2016, and just 1.6% below the all-time high level of 125.2 hit in July 2016.

The December index was revised to 123.2 from 124.7 in last month's release as a result of fewer actual air freight ton-miles than forecast.

The Freight TSI measures the month-to-month changes in for-hire freight shipments by mode of transportation in tons and ton-miles, which are combined into one index. The index measures the output for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight.

In January, there were increases in air freight, water, and rail carloads, while trucking, pipeline, and rail intermodal declined. The January steadiness in Freight TSI took place against a background of mixed signals in other economic indicators, according to the report, including growth in employment, personal income and manufacturing while housing starts fell by 2.6%.

The January Freight TSI remained in the same narrow range that has continued for two and a half years. Since the index reached 121.1 for the first time in August 2014, it has with only two exceptions fluctuated between a low of 120.5 and a high of 123.5, slightly above the January level. They were in March 2016, when the index dropped to a three-year low of 119.3, and July 2016, when it reached a new peak of 125.2.

The index dropped 3.4% in the two months after reaching that peak, then rose 2.1% in the following two months to reach 123.5 in November 2016, its ...Read the rest of this story

Trucking News
8 Mar by

Canadian equipment prices to rise with emission rules

OTTAWA, ON – The federal government has published its plans for new Greenhouse Gas limits that will apply to 2018-29 Model Year equipment, effectively mirroring changes introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The required upgrades will cost Canada's trucking industry an extra $4.1 billion, but save $10.3 billion in fuel, according to the Department of the Environment. When considering the overall lifespan of the affected vehicles, net benefits are expected to reach $8.8 billion between 2018 and 2050. The upgrades are projected to add 8% to the cost of a typical 2027 Model Year tractor, or $11,322. Vocational vehicles in the same model year will cost an extra 4%, or $4,369. Trailers – introduced in emissions standards for the first time beginning with the 2018 Model Year – will see an average 4% price bump on 2027 models. That will be up $1,237. Heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans, meanwhile, will see price tags increase an average of 3% or $1,324 per vehicle. ...Read the rest of this story
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