Big truck sales slip in U.S., Canada

Heavy-duty truck sales in the U.S. fell 13.7% in September, and four of the five medium- and heavy-duty weight classes in Canada recorded double-digit losses for the month, according to WardsAuto data.

In the U.S., deliveries of medium- and heavy-duty trucks hit 32,357 in September compared to 37,514 the previous year, WardsAuto reports. Losses in Classes 4 and 8 outweighed the gains in the rest of the segments, according to the report.

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Bridgestone names Saoud new president

Covenant Transportation Group Announces Expectations Concerning Third Quarter Financial Results, and Timing of Earnings Release and Conference Call

Rolling for Hurricane Relief

Active duty military personnel along with National Guard units are continuing to use a variety of motorized vehicles across much of the southeastern U.S. to aid in recovery efforts following Hurricane Matthew: using trucks to evacuate residents, reach flooded-out neighborhoods, and deliver a wide assortment of relief supplies. (All photos courtesy of the Department of Defense)

USA Truck increases pay for its independents

TL carrier USA Truck said it boosted pay rates for new independent contractors by 33 cents a mile effective October 1; raising pay from $1.02 per mile to $1.35 per mile for them, depending on length of haul.

The company added that its independent contractors will also receive substantial discounts on retail fuel prices at all “in-network” fuel stops, along with preferred labor rates and discounted parts when they take their equipment to USA Truck maintenance facilities.

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5 Takeaways from ATA MC&E

The American Trucking Associations' annual Management Conference & Exhibition wrapped up in Las Vegas last week, and I've had a little time to reflect on the many sessions, press conferences and exhibits and pull together my thoughts on some key themes of the convention:

ATA's new president and CEO, Chris Spear, was introduced to attendees with a fiery speech. He lambasted “cubicle-dwelling ideologues” in Washington, D.C., who he said a refusal to compromise get in the way of creating sound public policies, such as funding our nation's infrastructure.

In private conversations I had with some ATA insiders after Spear was named the successor to Bill Graves, it became apparent to me that many ATA members were looking for someone who would push the association into a more aggressive lobbying stance, after previous lobbying efforts to fix flawed hours of service rules were seen as a failure.
Spear definitely delivered that tone in his speech in Las Vegas.

“The state of our industry is strong, but without leadership, unity or an aggressive pursuit of results, our future is uncertain,” he said. Warning trucking's foes not to mess with the industry, he said, “If you want to throw the first proverbial punch, you'd better knock us down because you will feel the one we throw back."

This theme of unity under fire was set up during the introduction to Spear's speech. Former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card emphasized the need to unite, emphasizing the “We the people” of the constitution. And U.S. soldiers spoke of Spear from his time in Iraq, where he was the deputy representative for the Coalition Provisional Authority during the George W. Bush administration.

Cross named HR Leader of the Year