Bulk Freight News & Industry Updates - Stay Ahead in Trucking

JONATHAN SPIERS http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2015/04/24/trucking-company-hits-the-racetrack/ A local trucking company is hitching a ride to NASCARs big leagues. Estes Express Lines, a freight shipping and transportation company headquartered on West Broad Street, has bought its way back into the spotlight of Richmond International Raceway. The Richmond-based c

http://seekingalpha.com/news/2445086-adm-to-use-drones-to-expedite-crop-insurance-claims Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE:ADM) says it has recei

OMAHA, Neb., April 23, 2015 /NEWS.GNOM.ES/ The Scoular Company announced today that Richard A. (Rick) Cogdill has been appointed its Chief Financial Officer. Cogdill is based in Scoulars corporate office inOmaha, Neb., and is responsible for providing strategic finance leadership for the companys worldwide operations. Prior to joining Scoular, Cogdill had an extensive career in finance and ag

Peter Tirschwell, Chief Content Officer http://www.joc.com/trucking-logistics/labor/attracting-truckers-one-shipper-time_20150423.html There is no easy or single solution to what many believe is a worsening truck driver shortage in the U.S., but thats not stopping mot

By National Workers Compensation Defense Network (NWCDN) http://www.workerscompensation.com/compnewsnetwork/workers-comp-blogwire/21206-freight-broker-liable-as-statutory-employee-and-unin

Reynolds Hutchins, Associate Editor http://www.joc.com/regulation-policy/transportation-regulations/us-transportation-regulations/bill-would-hit-shippers%E2%80%99-wallets-freight-grant-funding_20150421.html WASHINGTO

Freight factoring company, Smart Freight Funding, helps trucking companies of all sizes keep their trucks moving by getting paid quicker. Smart Freight Funding works with single truck operations, individual owner-operator, and larger companies managing several trucks and drivers. We offer competitive low rates, quick pay, and superb customer service. The team behind Smart Freight Funding has more than 50 years combined driving, dispatching, contracting and accounting experience in t

By Gavin van Marle in Singapore The greater complexity of todays shipping environment, caused by the larger carrier alliances and increased vessel sizes, is having a dramatic effect on the relationship between shipper and 3PLs. Speaking at todays TOC container supply chain conference in Singapore, Sundara Sundara, vice president for ocean product at Agility Logistics, told delegates that the twin trends of larger vessels and consolidated carrier alliances had

FARGO, N.D. Ag Processing Inc., based in Omaha, has announced plans to build a new soybean facility somewhere in South Dakota or North Dakota. The company tells Agweek it will be a state-of-the-art size of about 35 million to 40 million bushels of raw soybeans, largely to produce soybean meal for Pacific Northwest export markets. By: Mikkel Pates, Agweek - See more at: http:

BY MARK GILGER http://newsitem.com/he-wasn-t-behind-wheel-but-trucking-company-owner-gets-6-23-months-for-2013-crash-1.1866815 SUNBURY A Riverside trucking firm owner will spend 6 to 23 months in county prison because a truck he allowed on the road had a hazardous braking system when it was involved in a four-vehicle accident th

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor http://www.joc.com/regulation-policy/transportation-regulations/us-transportation-regulations/freight-brokers-want-truck-safety-scores-removed-web_20150417.html ORLANDO, Florida

Lawrence J. Gross http://www.joc.com/trucking-logistics/ltl-shipping/shippers-enjoy-truck-capacity-while-it-lasts_20150417.html Shippers are experiencing a period of relative tranquility on the trucking front. Although contract rates have been rising because of cost pressures such as increasing driver pay, lower fuel su

By Deborah Robertson http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/opinion/20150418/my-message-to-congress-freight-cant-wait From our growing logistics operations to more trucks on our roads, the future of the Inland Empire is dependent on an efficient, reliable and safe goods movement system. That will only happen, however, if Congress gets serious about passing a long-term federal transportation funding bill something it has be

Article by: DAVID SHAFFER , Star Tribune http://www.startribune.com/business/300405241.html Minnesota truckers and other interests sued Minnesota on Friday seeking to end the states requirement that diesel sold at the pump contain 10 percent biodiesel. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Co

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/driver-spent-4-days-in-jail-for-overweight-load/ A trucker who took a wrong turn was slapped with a huge fine and stuck in jail after he ended up on a street that had a lower max weight limit than he was expecting. The Florida trucker was jailed for 4 days before he could negotiate a release. When Canonsburg police officer Scott Bashioum saw the fully loaded truck pull on to the road with only a 10-ton limit, he p

Freight factoring company, Smart Freight Funding, helps trucking companies of all sizes keep their trucks moving by getting paid quicker. Smart Freight Funding works with single truck operations, individual owner-operator, and larger companies managing several trucks and drivers. We offer competitive low rates, quick pay, and superb customer service. The team behind Smart Freight Funding has more than 50 years combined driving, dispatching, contracting and accounting experience in t

Vic Lance http://www.joc.com/regulation-policy/transportation-regulations/us-transportation-regulations/are-you-ready-truckings-new-liability-limits_20150415.html Although theres plenty of speculation about how the proposed liability insurance increa

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) A 31-year-old Elysian man was arrested April 10 and is accused of stealing $5,000 worth of soybeans from a grain bin in rural Waterville, according to the Le Sueur County Sheriffs Office. Daniel James Fleming was charged with felony theft and criminal damage to property in connection with the case. Hes currently booked in the Le Sueur County Jail. The Le Sueur County Sheriffs Office said that in December of 2014, i

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor http://www.joc.com/trucking-logistics/truckload-freight/wall-street-analysts-say-us-truck-rates-may-soften-temporarily_20150414.html ORLANDO, Florida -- With a bit of luck, U.S. shippers may see the pace of truck rate i

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor http://www.joc.com/regulation-policy/transportation-regulations/us-transportation-regulations/will-congress-preserve-changes-trucker-hours-rule_20150414.html ORLANDO, Florida Congress most likely

http://seekingalpha.com/article/3070826-will-oil-prices-and-the-fed-kill-trucking-stocks Editor's note: Originally published on April 7, 2015 Shares of U.S. trucking companies have been great investments over the last few years. Pull up a long-term chart of any of the top five U.S. trucking stocks, and you'll see bullish trends ranging from 18 months to more than six years of advances. There are a number of influences which have helped to support these stocks

by Jennifer Saunders April 14th, 2015 http://logisticsviewpoints.com/2015/04/14/4-ways-freight-brokers-can-expand-in-a-tight-capacity-market/ <

By Tiffany Lane, Multimedia Journalist A new South Dakota law has the speed limit slated at 80 miles per hour in parts of the state after Governor Dennis Daugaard signed it into effect for April 1st. But some truckers are hesitant to drive that fast. A recent study out of Detroit shows that many tractor-trailers on the nation's roads are driven faster than the 75 miles per hour their tires are designed to handle. Some don't see any

http://www.trucknews.com/business-management/us-trucking-conditions-still-positive-but-shippers-pushing-back-on-rates-ftr/1003064979/ BLOOMINGTON, Ind. Trucking conditions in the US remained in modestly positive territory in February, as measured by the FTR Trucking Conditions Index. The reading of 7.4 reflected a softening capacity utilization thanks to the hours-of-service suspension, as well as fluctuating diesel prices. However, FTR says the

ROCK VALLEY, Iowa Following months of study and preparations, the Board of Directors for United Farmers Coop (UFC), Farmers Elevator Cooperative (FEC) and Cooperative Elevator Association (CEA) have approved a merger/unification to be taken to a vote of the Class A Members of the three companies. This is an exciting time for these three co-ops, each having a rich history, said Kennis Peters, board p

From the time he was a small boy Arlo Lott dreamed of driving a truck. Born on a farm in Eastern Idaho, he was the 11th in a family of 12. He acquired a social security card at age 5 when his brother taught him to drive tractor for the hay harvest. He gained an education in a small country school and was married during his high school years. Working before and after school loading hay trucks, he dreamed of one day owning a truck of his own. In 1971, with a used truck,and a lot of deter

The Trucker Staff 4/10/2015 NEW YORK The nation's highway safety chief says his agency will push for quick action on a regulation requiring electronic speed limiters on big rigs. It may also contact states about speed limits that are higher than commercial truck tires are designed to handle. The statements Thursday by Mark Rosekind, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (NHTSA), came at a discussion wit

The Trucker News Services 4/10/2015 WASHINGTON The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has declared Darlington, South Carolina-based trucking company Carnell Pompey, which does business as Mortise Trucking Co., to be an imminent hazard to public safety and ordered that it immediately shut down. Any vehicle, especially a large commercial combination vehicle such as a truck and trailer, that is not maintained or repaired

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor http://www.joc.com/trucking-logistics/truckload-freight/us-regulators-shut-down-fifth-trucking-operator-february_20150409.html Federal regulators ordered a South Carolina trucker off the road last week following a series of

US New rules to strengthen food safety and industry practice are being analysed by Americas animal feed industry as preparation for the new regime. Compliance with the Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA) and additions to the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) were discussed at the USPoultry Feed Mill Management Seminar in Nashville earlier this week. Speaking at the conference, Brad Tipton of Pilgrims (pictured) said: In your food s

ST. PAUL, Minn. CHS Inc., North Americas leading farmer-owned cooperative and a global energy, grains and foods company, and Northern Partners Cooperative, Mendota, announced CHS will build a 47,000-ton capacity fertilizer warehouse with product blending capabilities that will be operated by Northern Partners Cooperative. In addition, the two companies will form a joint venture to build and operate a grain barge loading facility that will handle corn, soybeans and wheat for exp

Posted by Angus Hinson http://baltimore.legalexaminer.com/tractor-trailer-accidents/danger-to-all-drivers-deadly-highways-and-truck-rollovers-2/ Sharing the road with 18-wheelers is usually a safe thing to do. The drivers of these massive rigs are highly trained and careful with the cargo entrusted to them. Unfortunately, there can be hazards

Cargill marks its 150th anniversary 4/8/2015 - by Morton I. Sosland http://www.world-grain.com/News/News%20Home/Commentary/2015/4/Cargill%20marks%20its%20150th%20anniversary.aspx?cck=1 As a company that was founded in grain,

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor http://www.joc.com/trucking-logistics/trucking-revenue-increasingly-flows-biggest-carriers_20150408.html In the U

The Associated Press 4/9/2015 A bipartisan group of lawmakers is filling legislation to require states to offer a percentage of construction jobs related to transportation projects to veterans. The measure, which is sponsored by Reps. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) and Don Young (R-Alaska), calls for states that receive federal money for transportation projects to include veteran-owned businesses in their contract

B.A. Morelli, The Gazette Alexander Kopitko, an independent truck driver from Philadelphia, pulled his trailer of new cars into the weigh station off Interstate 380. His truck as a whole weighed 70,000 pounds, well below the 80,000-pound federal limit. But one of his axles was 1,500 pounds over, so he had to offload a brand-new Mercedes-Benz to get in compliance. Despite the flap, Kopitko still resists a push to incre

A chat with Andrew Grobmyer of the Agricultural Council of Arkansas Apr 7, 2015David Bennett Delta Farm Press As planters move across Mid-South fields, a host of legislative issues

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor John Simone, the CEO who drove USA Truck back to profitability last year after several years of losses, will take medical leave, the Van Buren, Arkansas company said today. The truckload carriers board named Director Thomas Glaser interim chief operating officer. The board understands that it is in Johns best interests at this tim

Article Summary Back in 2009, the US Department of Energy issued its SuperTruck Challenge. The program provided funding for truck manufacturers to design and build a prototype vehicle that was at least 50 percent more freight-efficient than a baseline 2009 truck. Daimler Trucks North America recently unveiled its response the Freightliner SuperTruck. It goes beyond the 50 perc

US president Barack Obama is seeking new powers to require trucking companies to pay their drivers for time spent loading and unloading freight. The Obama administrations proposed multi-billion dollar transport plan includes a clause that will, if passed, allow the federal transportation secretary to order trucking operators to compensate drivers for non-driving work at a rate at least equal to the federal minimum wage. The current US federal minimum hourly wage is $7.25.

4/7/2015 by Jonathan Crotty,

Freight factoring company, Smart Freight Funding, helps trucking companies of all sizes keep their trucks moving by getting paid quicker. Smart Freight Funding works with single truck operations, individual owner-operator, and larger companies managing several trucks and drivers. We offer competitive low rates, quick pay, and superb customer service. The team behind Smart Freight Funding has more than 50 years combined driving, dispatching, contracting and accounting experience in t

By - Associated Press - Saturday, April 4, 2015 SHELDON, Iowa (AP) - Ag Partners feed mill plant in northwest Iowa is planning an expansion with $7.2 million in improvements to increase the plants ability to make livestock feed. The Sioux City Journal reports (http://bit.ly/1NPKyyw ) that Ag Partners officials announced the expansion

Marubeni Australia confirms closure http://www.farmweekly.com.au/news/agriculture/cropping/grains/marubeni-australia-confirms-closure/2728543.aspx JAPANESE trading house Marubeni has decided to close its Australian grain business. In a letter obtained by Fairfax Media, Marubeni Australia managing director Makoto Kajitani confirmed the company was closing its grain business in Australia. He said this was due to the companys global grain stra

BALTIMORE (WJZ) Big rig tires are only supposed to go a maximum constant speed of 75 miles per hour, but truckers across the country are exceeding that limit. As Amy Yensi explains, that could be causing an increase in crashes. A Virginia highwaythe site of a deadly crash. A truck flips into a ditch, killing the driver. Between 2009 and 2013, heavy trucks and buses were responsible for 14,000 fatal accidents. Government figures show that 22

LANCE LANGFORD, PRESIDENT, MINNESOTA STATE PATROL TROOPERS ASSOCIATION http://www.sctimes.com/story/opinion/2015/04/03/heavier-trucks-proposal-raises-road-costs-dangers/25277527/ We've all been there driving on Interstate highway 94 to the Twin Cities or going up north next to big, heavy semitrailers. There are some, like the o

Brian Straight Fleet Owner The Coalition for Transportation Productivity (CTP) is calling for the non-profit group, Coalition Against Bigger Trucks, to disclose who it is funded by following a New York Times investigative report published this week

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has approved a request from the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association that will exempt the industrys drivers from an hours-of-service requirement that they take a 30-minute rest break within the first eight hours of driving. The two-year exemption, requested by the association in August 2013, permits drivers to use 30 minutes or more of on-duty waiting time to satisfy the requirement for the rest b

Superior, NE -Up stairs and through loading stations, people got an inside look at Superior East, Aurora Cooperative's new grain terminal, on Thursday. The multi-million dollar elevator can hold 1.25 million bushels of corn, soybeans, wheat or sorghum in its silos, and more outside with a piling system. Company leaders say they'll unload trucks and put those crops on trains at the new facility faster than ever. Two-fold opportunities, one is to load trains on the B

The Trucker News Services 4/2/2015 WASHINGTON The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says it anticipates 20 United States-based and two foreign electronic logging device providers will register ELD devices with the agency. Those estimates are part of a Federal Register notice to be published Tuesday that the agency is posting in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The FMCSA said it i