Latest news with #trucking
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
FedEx Freight opens new service center in Indianapolis area
This story was originally published on Trucking Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Trucking Dive newsletter. FedEx Freight is expanding its presence in the Indianapolis market with the recent opening of a new service center, per an email to Trucking Dive. The facility in Greenwood, Indiana, enables the company to accommodate anticipated less-than-truckload growth in South Indianapolis. The 43-acre site at 2955 Allen Road along Interstate 65 looks to serve the Louisville, Kentucky, and Muncie, Indiana, markets as well, FedEx Freight says. 'We are constantly working to optimize our facility footprint in alignment with the goal of investing in strategic markets,' the company said in an emailed statement this month. FedEx Freight's door count will grow from 252 to 377 with the opening of the 125-door terminal. At nearly 90,000 square feet, the service center includes an office, dock, break room pod and on-site fueling services. There's also a 10,800-square-foot shop maintenance facility with six service bays and a truck wash bay, according to site contractor Meridian Design Build. While the company did not provide an exact number of employees who will work at the facility, FedEx Freight will hire for various roles, such as drivers, freight handlers, operations leadership, fleet maintenance technicians and other support roles. FedEx Freight is in the process of becoming its own publicly traded company, following the completion of its spinoff from FedEx this year or next. Last month, FedEx Freight named John A. Smith — currently COO for FedEx's U.S. and Canada ground operations — as its next top executive. It's a homecoming for the leader as he previously served as CEO and president for the carrier between 2018 and 2021. Recommended Reading FedEx names CEO for Freight post-spinoff Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Motor Trend
19 hours ago
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
Hotshot Dream Mobile? 2025 Ram 3500 HD Laramie Sport Long-Haul Towing Test
Pros 6.7 liters of Cummins diesel power Adaptive cruise comes standard Automatic exhaust smooth as butter Cons Not cheap Technically not the strongest hauler in the segment Needs one Ford feature in the cabin Ram introduced the 2025 2500 and 3500 heavy duty-lineup with a striking grille, an expanded tech suite, and more standard features—and notably for people who put their pickup trucks to work, an upgraded Cummins inline-six diesel engine with an improved eight-speed ZF automatic transmission behind it. Let's Talk Numbers The high-output Cummins diesel engine now makes 430 horsepower and 1,075 lb-ft of torque, an improvement of 30 horses and 75 lb-ft compared to its previous generation. There is also a reworked ZF TorqueFlite HD 8AP1075 eight-speed gearbox Ram says is stout enough to grind out all 1,075 lb-ft of torque in each gear. Because of improvements to power and torque management, a taller 3.42:1 gearset is offered behind the new I-6 for better fuel economy. With all this beef, you can option a Regular Cab Ram 3500 4x4 with an 8-foot bed and the brawn to haul 36,610 pounds. This puts the Ram HD ahead of rival General Motors' 36,000-pound max trailer rating but a couple tons behind Ford's massive 40,000-pound capacity. Hotshot 101 I left the recent first drive event for the Ram HD lineup with visions of hotshot trucking filling my mind, and a story was born. I just needed a big truck, a bigger trailer, and some heavy cargo. Ram tossed us the keys to a well-appointed crew cab 2025 3500 HD dually decked out in Laramie trim and with a gooseneck hitch already installed in the 8-foot box's floor. In this configuration, the truck's max trailer weight rating is 33,890 pounds. With some help from Liberty Trailers, I hitched the Ram to a shiny red 30-foot flatbed gooseneck; we just needed one more thing. My bill of lading showed four pieces of cargo: three pallets with a combined 10,000 pounds of 4x6-foot rubber horse mats and one 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 at 5,000 pounds. I picked up this load in Gardena, California, at 11 a.m. on a Monday—with my arrival scheduled for no later than the end of the day just four days later at MotorTrend 's secondary office in Royal Oak, Michigan. No tarps, no refrigeration. With help from the onboard cameras, I managed a 47-point turnaround to get the Ram 3500 and 30-foot gooseneck positioned at the shipping yard. Here was also the first time I truly appreciated this pickup truck's return to a column-shifted transmission, as I relished the muscle memory of guiding the shift lever from drive to reverse and back again repeatedly. This is much preferable to the dainty detents of the old twist-dial gear selector. Strapping the 15,000-pound load to the trailer deck was the easy part. I did some mental math as the first miles rolled past. My initial drive with the new Ram 3500 HD occurred with roughly 19,000 pounds in tow. Between tackling the Davis Dam and putzing around city traffic, the truck self-reported a steady 10 mpg. So I rounded the Ram 3500's 32-gallon diesel tank down to 30, giving me a rough and rather conservative 250 miles between fuel stops. The first push was 235 miles. I dispensed 26.2 gallons from the green pump, flicked all the straps, kicked the tires, and checked the diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tank. Just less than 80 percent full. Back to chasing white lines. Arizona brought cheaper fuel and hills. Thinking back to a few days prior when the Ram engineers encouraged me to mash the pedal from a standstill on a decent uphill grade, I had no problem digging into the throttle to pass big rigs on the grades. The TorqueFlite eight-speed slid right down into the next appropriate gear, and the Ram growled past slower traffic. Smart haulers know to disregard the instantaneous reports of 2 mpg during these maneuvers because as soon as the grade levels out, fuel economy returns to a pleasant 10 mpg. I passed a sign reminding me Buc-ee's Travel Stop was quickly approaching ... in 834 miles. Fire Season Crossing New Mexico, I found horrendously gusty winds, warm temps, and no humidity. Interstate 40 was a proverbial tinder box, and all it took was one small wreck to spark a blaze that quickly engulfed a 5-mile swath of the highway. Traffic stopped in both directions as a smoky haze covered the horizon of the Land of Enchantment. Hours later as the procession was allowed to wend its way through the smoke and remaining flames, I idled past the smoldering remnants of abandoned vehicles in the ditches and in the median. I was lucky to have passed through with only a two-hour delay. Whoever is at the helm of the Buc-ee's marketing department, cheers to you! These billboards (much like the 'Mysterious Thing 'of the desert advertised across I-10)had me anticipating a BBQ brisket sandwich from California to Missouri. For much of the Midwest, I could use almost entire tanks of fuel without touching the throttle. With adaptive cruise control (now a standard feature), lane centering, and the smart exhaust brake, this truck almost drove itself. No bouncing within the lane, no unnecessary interruptions when another vehicle cuts in front. Managing your speed only requires a few thumb blips to the buttons on the wheel, and the automatic exhaust brake gracefully engages and manages your speed on bigger descents. After multiple five-hour stints in the cabin, I appreciated the truck's ergonomics. The eight-way adjustable seats can morph from an upright throne to a relaxed easy chair at a moment's notice, and this kept my fatigue at bay. Controls for tow/haul, the exhaust brake, and even the transfer case and climate controls are all within easy reach with nothing crucial buried three menus deep inside the 12.0-inch Uconnect 5 system. Even the simple action of stowing a smartphone is streamlined. Instead of a tray, where an errant pothole could send your Android bouncing toward the floormats, I became well acquainted with the rubber wireless charging dock below the infotainment screen and its secure rubber clasp. Bravo, engineers; this one holds even the bulkiest phone and its oversized protective case. Noise, vibration, and harshness seemed very well managed in this truck, even with heavy exhaust braking and aggressive accelerations. Cruising on the interstate was so plush and quiet, I found myself sometimes wishing for the visceral sensory inputs of an 18-wheeler. Transitioning to office tasks at the truck stop is where I had some gripes. Although there are plenty of USB ports to power a laptop and storage space to keep it stowed, I wished for Ford's fold-flat work surface instead of balancing the computer awkwardly on the console. No biggie, as swapping into the passenger seat worked in a pinch. Way Out of Its Element After unloading in Michigan from the 2,300-mile haul, we dropped the Liberty trailer and learned three things at the test track: First, the Cummins diesel engine will happily smoke all four rear tires with zero traction control intervention. Second, this is not the way to achieve the truck's 7.0-second hustle to 60 mph. For that you must resist the urge to indulge in the full turbo boost from launch and instead remove your left foot from the brake at about 2,000 rpm, letting the big train surge forward. Finally, and this is more of a confirmation than a surprising discovery, the big truck will understeer its heart out when pushed hard through a turn. How does this translate to heavy-duty truck buyers? Well, unladen, the 6.7-liter high-output Cummins will shove the big pickup truck down the dragstrip at a pace right on par with its competitors. Both the 2017 GMC Sierra Denali 3500HD and the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD High Country (both in DRW configuration) accomplished the same task in 6.6 seconds. The 2023 Ford F-350 Super Duty Lariat needed 7.8 seconds. And from our testing and observations, traction and stability control remain at bay until you're really close to getting into trouble. Stopping the big Ram takes some thigh engagement to cycle the brake pedal, but its 135-foot 60–0-mph stopping distance is better than many of its close competitors. The 2024 Silverado 3500 HD needed 139 feet, the 2017 GMC Sierra Denali 3500 HD needed 141, and the non-dually 2023 Ford F-350 Super Duty 162 feet. It's no surprise these four-ton beasts require some of the longest stopping distances of any vehicle we test. When it matters, the service brakes (and the automatic exhaust brake) do a stellar job at scrubbing off speed. How Much Gas and DEF? The EPA doesn't require anyone to report efficiency scores for heavy-duty trucks, but we will. During this 2,342-mile heavy-duty haul, we burned 251 gallons of diesel for about 9 miles per gallon. We also squeezed about 300 miles to the gallon of DEF—again, all while pulling 22,500 pounds. Is Ram the Best Hauler? If you need a heavy hauler, GM, Ram, and Ford all offer one-ton duallies trimmed in everything from work truck pleather to cowboy cosplay. Ram leads the charge on standard adaptive cruise control, which only comes as part of a $5,075 Lariat Ultimate package on the Ford F-350 and wc. Fiddle with options to your liking, but this is a world where these trucks can fetch close to $100,000, and each one boasts towing figures that are equally staggering. So where does your diesel loyalty lie? After a week of punishing the 2025 Ram 3500 HD, siding with Team Cummins seems like a solid choice.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Deadhead Reduction Strategies That Work
Most carriers don't realize how much empty miles are quietly killing their bottom line. You can have the best rates in the world, but if your truck runs 150 miles empty between loads, you're bleeding profit—and most of the time, you don't even notice it until it's too late. Deadhead doesn't show up on a check stub. It doesn't pop up in factoring reports. But it's one of the fastest ways to destroy margins and wear out equipment chasing freight that isn't worth the move. Too many owner-operators and small fleet owners accept deadheading as the cost of doing business. They say things like, 'That's just trucking,' or, 'I had to bounce 200 miles to get a better paying load.' But here's the hard truth—if you're constantly running empty, it's not a rate problem. It's a planning problem. And if you're not actively tracking, analyzing, and attacking your deadhead strategy, you're burning fuel, time, and opportunity every week. This article breaks down real-world tactics that actually work to reduce deadhead—whether you're running one truck or managing a growing fleet. These aren't theories. These are moves we coach on every week inside the Playbook. Most carriers can tell you their rate per mile. Few can tell you their deadhead percentage. That's a problem. If you don't know how many of your total miles are unpaid, how can you measure if your planning is improving? Let's say you drove 2,500 total miles last week. If 600 of those were deadhead, that's 24% of your miles making zero revenue. You wouldn't give away 24% of your revenue—but that's exactly what happens when you ignore this number. Track it weekly. Use your ELD data or your TMS to separate loaded vs total miles. The goal is to keep deadheads under 15%. Under 10%? You're running sharp. Over 20%? You're leaking cash. A $3.00/mile load sounds great—until you realize you ran 200 miles to get to it. That's the trick the load board doesn't show you. You might see a flashy rate, but if you had to burn half a tank of fuel just to get to the shipper, the math falls apart quickly. You have to evaluate total revenue per all miles, not just loaded miles. Here's a basic example: Load A: 200-mile deadhead + 800 loaded miles = 1,000 total milesRate: $3.00/mile on 800 = $2,400 Load B: 50-mile deadhead + 700 loaded miles = 750 total milesRate: $2.60/mile on 700 = $1,820 Load B actually pays better once you factor the deadhead—and your truck spends less time and fuel to do it. This is the level of math serious carriers are using every day to make smarter moves. Most carriers think lane to lane. Smart carriers think from zone to zone. Instead of jumping from city to city chasing random freight, identify 3 to 5 origin zones where you consistently find strong outbound loads. Then build your weekly plan to get back into those zones—on purpose. For example, if you run out of Atlanta, you know there's usually decent freight coming back from: Dallas Harrisburg Chicago Orlando (depending on season) That means if you see a Florida load that ends in Miami, you skip it—because you know getting back to Atlanta is a mess. But if it ends in Jacksonville, you take it and plan your reload right back into Atlanta. You're not playing checkers anymore. You're playing chess. Short hauls don't always look pretty on paper, but when used correctly, they're one of the best tools to kill deadheads. Let's say you're empty in Indianapolis, and the good loads are in Columbus. That's 175 miles of deadhead. Now imagine you take a 90-mile short haul paying $500 that drops you halfway to Columbus. That $500 just turned your deadhead into profit. Then you reload in Columbus with the original long haul. You turned a zero-mile segment into revenue—and you protected your fuel spend along the way. The key is to layer short hauls, not just bounce aimlessly waiting on the perfect rate. The biggest reason small fleets suffer from deadhead is simple—they're relying 100% on the spot market. When every load is one-and-done, you're constantly chasing the next pickup. But when you develop relationships with brokers or shippers who give you regular freight, you gain consistency—and predictability. Example: Let's say you have a broker who always gives you loads from Charlotte to Louisville every Monday. That means your Sunday planning becomes intentional. You stop gambling with freight, and you start reverse-engineering your weekend to land near Charlotte by Monday morning. That's how you reduce deadhead before it even happens—by planning for freight you haven't even been offered yet. Inside the Playbook, we coach our carriers to set a hard deadhead limit. For many, it's 100 miles. For some, it's 75. That means if a load requires more than that to get to the shipper, you either: Negotiate more money to offset the deadhead Find a short-haul filler load to cut the distance Or pass on the load entirely Without a rule, you'll make decisions emotionally. With a rule, you stay consistent and protect your profit. Deadhead is the silent killer in most trucking operations. You won't see it on the invoice. You won't hear a broker mention it. But it shows up in your fuel bill, your maintenance schedule, and your worn-out drivers. The carriers who win aren't just chasing the next big rate. They're planning their weeks like dispatchers. They're tracking their deadhead percentage like it's a KPI. And they're making decisions based on total miles—not loaded lies. If you want to run profitably in this market, you've got to stop giving away empty miles like they don't matter. Every mile counts. Every move costs. And every decision you make either builds margin—or burns it. Smart trucking is intentional. Deadhead reduction isn't a suggestion. It's survival. The post Deadhead Reduction Strategies That Work appeared first on FreightWaves. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Overseas conflict between Israel and Iran causes diesel prices to climb in Canada
The conflict between Israel and Iran is fuelling a rise in diesel prices across Canada. The cost of diesel fuel has jumped more than 6 cents per litre in Nova Scotia. Several days earlier, prices climbed by more than 7 cents per litre in New Brunswick. According to petroleum analyst Patrick De Haan, jarring increases in diesel prices are happening across Canada and around North America with more hikes expected. 'Just about up everywhere, diesel is more than gasoline and you will find that south of the border as well,' said De Haan. 'That is something we have been predicting that diesel could go up 10 to 20 cents a litre.' The diesel price increases in Nova Scotia came after the province's energy board invoked the Interrupter Clause, responding to changes in geopolitical global issues. De Haan said the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in diesel prices climbing to their highest levels in years and it's linked to supply and demand issues. 'The troublesome spot has been distillates which are diesel, heating oil and things like that and inventories of distillates are almost 20 per cent below the five-year average for this time of year,' said De Haan. 'When you talk about the conflict in the Middle East and inventories being vastly below normal, that is going to have an impact on those types of products.' For Nova Scotia trucker James Roache, the already pricey cost to do business is now even more expensive. 'It's hard enough to put diesel in trucks, as it is,' said Roache who added, when fuel goes up, the cost usually gets tacked onto product prices and is then passed along to customers. 'Well, companies usually put their prices up.' Truck companies usually deploy a fuel surcharge to cover the added diesel cost, according to Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association Executive Director, Chris McKeen. 'For the most part, they've been able to pass this cost along to shippers who then decide if they are going to pass that along to the consumers.' A cost increase can be especially tough for independent truck drivers and smaller companies. 'When we see prices jump by 7 cents per litre, that equates to an additional $70-$100 per fill-up,' said McKeen. De Haan said the instability in the Middle East could cause these rising diesel prices to climb even higher, not just in North America, but around the world.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Chicagoland trucking firm files for bankruptcy following railroad suit
This story was originally published on Trucking Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Trucking Dive newsletter. Illinois transportation firm Nortia Logistics — which allegedly defaulted on repaying Union Pacific Railroad for freight services — filed for Ch. 11 bankruptcy on June 9. Union Pacific sued Nortia in May and alleged the asset-based business lapsed in repaying a $3.6 million promissory note, representing freight debt from Dec. 6, 2023, through May 6, 2024. The Chicagoland business also owes over $1.3 million in lease terminations, among other unsecured claims. Nortia has around $1.4 million in estimated assets and nearly $5.8 million in liabilities, according to the bankruptcy filing. Assets included forklifts and Volvo trucks, and the company was leasing 26 trucks through Penske Truck Leasing along with warehouse and office space with 36 months remaining. The firm had 56 power units and 45 drivers as of Feb. 20, according to a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration database. With the Union Pacific debt, Nortia was on a repayment schedule starting a year ago but missed monthly payments in Q4 2024 totaling over $499,000, Union Pacific's suit said. The trucking firm still owed a remaining balance of $3.2 million, the railroad said in a January letter. Large carriers and analysts have been noting in recent years how they expect capacity to retreat from the surge of trucking businesses due to pandemic-fueled demand. Recent bankruptcy filings have come from firms such as Balkan Express, AZA Transportation and Angie's Transportation. Nortia generated $40 million in revenue in 2023, nearly $29.5 million in 2024, and over $8.3 million from Jan. 1 up until the bankruptcy filing, according to the court document. Recommended Reading Illinois carrier files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
