FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index reflects benign conditions for shippers
FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) for September, at a near neutral reading of -0.5, reflects benign conditions for shippers. The index will start a steady downward trajectory during 2015 Q4 through 2016, reflecting the current expectations for freight haulers to institute increased pricing toward the end of next year. A portion of the index is
Fleet Sentiment Report indicates solid equipment ordering from fleets into 2016
The quarterly Fleet Sentiment survey conducted in early October by CK Commercial Vehicle Research (CKCVR) indicates that fleet equipment ordering activity could be similar in 2016 to what it has been for 2015. A majority (76%) expect their heavy-duty truck orders to match what was purchased in 2015, with a few more even planning an
Kenworth Icon 900 fleet reward truck ride along
With the driver shortage putting pressure on fleets to employ drivers and keep them in their seats, OEs are offering premium reward trucks as an equipment-based solution to entice drivers to their business. Kenworth’s limited edition Icon 900 is definitely an eye-catching, head-turning, chromed-out killer of a trucker’s truck, but what does it offer a
Fleet sentiment ticks up, Q2 order predictions on the upswing
A fleet survey conducted in mid-April by CK Commercial Vehicle Research predicts that both Class 8 and trailer orders will improve in the second quarter from the January to March timeframe. Calculated units for orders planned in the next three months by the group reporting for the Q2 2015 Fleet Sentiment Report shows an increase
XTRA Lease adding 9,000 new trailers this year
XTRA Lease ordered approximately 9,000 new trailers for 2015. The company is adding a mix of dry vans, liftgated vans, reefers, flatbeds and chassis, according to its announcement. New trailers will arrive at each of the company’s 53 rental locations throughout the year. As with recent XTRA Lease purchases, all 53-ft. vans and reefers will
Peterbilt’s latest truck packages push for productivity, efficiency
Peterbilt Motors Co. is coming off a big year, as the company celebrated its 75th anniversary and launched two new truck package offerings—the Model 579 EPIQ and APEX options—and its Driver Performance Assistant technology, but the truck OE has no plans of slowing down in 2015. “Peterbilt had a very good year in 2014, our
Equipment that drives retention
While you may be able to spec the most efficient truck the world has ever seen, designed to reap the benefits of unprecedented fuel economy, it would all be for naught if there weren’t an operator to drive it down the road. The looming driver shortage cloud is growing darker month by month. The latest
Mountain River Trucking makes every mile count
From its single location in Mt. Airy, N.C., Mountain River Trucking hauls truckload (TL) to less-than-truckload (LTL) general freight and high-value loads, primarily food and pharmaceuticals, coast-to-coast to Oregon, Washington and California, hauling 250,000 miles annually. It’s the combination of these high-value loads and long, cross-nation drives that has Mountain River focusing on two things
Conducting your truck fleet in 2015
I’ve always had a soft spot for classical music. There’s something about all the individual instruments coming together to make moving, powerful music. It’s not unlike spec’ing a truck. As a fleet manager, you carefully determine what truck equipment instrument goes where to create an application-specific, street-savvy rolling symphony. Taking the first step into the
State of the industry: 2014 recap
As we continue to see more sophisticated technology integrated into commercial vehicles, and as fleets continue to add new trucks like they have over the course of this past year, fleets have also had to update technician and driver training to bring those folks up-to-speed on the changes—and what those mean for maintenance and driving
