Ok guys and gals!!!!! It’s been a good minute since I’ve posted. Just want to share some newsi got my CLP this past Monday got my physical and DT done. My medical card is only good for a year due to some medicines I am on. It’s all good. I start class this coming Tuesday. I have a few trucking companies that have gotten back in touch with me and a few of them are in the process of working with me for possible pre hire. I’m excited, nervous, and really scared right now. The ball has hit the…
Each week, TruckNews.com lists notable events, promotions and awards in the trucking industry. This week, Patrick Archambault was named Gatik’s first chief financial officer (CFO) while Judi Otteson has been named the […]
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The tariff hike has driven a sharp drop in China – US container flows with manufacturing in China also being negatively impacted. And even with a 90-day tariff pause for many other US trading partners and the US’s recent easing of terms for auto tariffs, some countries, like Taiwan and Korea where automotive goods make up a significant share of exports to the US, are seeing manufacturing take a hit as well.
Many US importers have paused orders out of China, but shippers (as well as manufacturers) can hold out only so long before consumers will start to see empty shelves or higher prices.
There are reports that some major US retailers have already restarted ordering from China, either out of necessity or anticipation that tariff levels will be lower by the time of arrival as the US and China get closer to direct negotiations. In any case, the reduction in US sourcing from China for the last few weeks will start to be felt soon in fewer May container ship arrivals and lower import volumes.
The pause is also raising concerns over what will happen if US tariffs on China are reduced and volumes quickly rebound. The longer the pause the more disruptive the potential surge – in the form of increased container rates and possible congestion – might be.
In the meantime, the White House continues to express interest in negotiations that would reduce tariffs on a long list of trading partners before the 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs ends in July, with the European Union being asked, for example, to buy more US goods as part of their deal.
Despite dropping volumes out of China and some increase in demand out of other countries like Vietnam, transpacific container rates were level this week as carriers have successfully reduced capacity to current volume levels through a significant number of blanked sailings and service adjustments.
Despite persistent congestion at several major container hubs in Europe which typically puts upward pressure on container rates, Asia – Europe spot prices dipped slightly last week, possibly due to an increase in capacity as carriers shift transpacific vessels to these lanes.
Carriers are moving now-excess transpacific capacity to other trades like the transatlantic and Middle East too, which could further complicate a smooth restart of China – US volumes as vessels will be out of position.
With the current capacity management measures in place, despite the recent trade war induced volatility, carriers have succeeded in keeping rates about 50% higher than in 2019 on the major lanes with Red Sea diversions also helping to absorb capacity. But even so, rates on these trades are around 30% lower than last year due to fleet growth and increased competition between the recently launched carrier alliances.
Though a rapid return of container traffic to the Red Sea in the near future is probably still unlikely, President Trump’s announcement yesterday that the US reached a ceasefire deal with the Houthis is the most significant change to the status quo since the group pledged to only target Israeli ships during the Israel-Hamas ceasefire early this year. Houthi statements indicate they will cease targeting US vessels as long the US holds off attacks on Houthi positions in Yemen, but they promise to continue attacks on Israel and it is unclear what all this means for vessels from other countries.
Container carriers won’t return to the Suez until there is clarity and they feel assured of safe passage, but when they do resume traffic on this lane the shorter voyage will – after an adjustment period – release a significant amount of capacity back into the market, increasing the prospect that carriers will face oversupply and strong downward pressure on rates.
Following the US’s suspension of de minimis eligibility for Chinese goods last week, Temu announced it will no longer ship goods directly from China to US customers. This move implies a significant shift away from air cargo for China-US e-commerce and to ocean freight and domestic fulfillment in an effort to avoid tariffs as long as possible, reduce costs from air cargo, or shift the tariff burden to domestic sellers.
The B2C e-commerce shift away from air cargo has resulted in a sharp drop in China – US air volumes – as much as two million kilo per day – reflected in a 30% capacity decrease since the suspension. But as e-commerce shipments from these platforms traveled mostly in chartered freighters, as charter and other capacity is being removed from this lane, and as spot demand from other sectors – like many electronics exempt from tariffs for now – may still be relatively strong, spot rates have yet to collapse.
Freightos Air Index China – US rates eased only 5% last week to a still well above normal $5.28/kg. And as Temu and Shein shift some of their focus to other markets, carriers have started moving capacity to other lanes as well. This capacity shift may partly explain China – Europe rates falling to less than $3.50/kg last week, their lowest level since early March. Transatlantic rates of $1.90/kg are more than 20% lower than in late March, possibly from capacity additions as well.
Sebastien Podgorski, VP of Airline Solutions at WebCargo by Freightos, explains that since the lion’s share of the e-commerce effect was felt by charterers, many carriers are actually reporting a recent bump in volumes overall, driven partly by an ocean to air shift from shippers looking to beat tariff roll outs.
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Let’s all take a moment to laugh at me. I bought this 2016 Mack Pinnacle in Alabama, and barely made it to New Albany, MS with problems. Have had two significant oil leaks within 250 driven miles. First one was the oil feed line which I was able to replace in Birmingham. At this point I’m less needing a mechanic and more a place to store the truck around Memphis until I can have it trailered back to Montana in a couple days. I’m afraid with what’s happened so far even if I get this second…
Carload traffic provided most of the growth as U.S. weekly rail traffic remained above 2024 levels for the week that ended on Saturday.
Figures from the Association of American Railroads show traffic for the week totaled 490,775 carloads and intermodal units, a 3.4% increase over the same week a year ago. That figure included 229,226 carloads, up 7.1% over the corresponding week in 2024, and 261,549 containers and trailers, a 0.3% increase.
Through 20 weeks, U.S. volume of 9,791,934 carloads and intermodal units represents a 5.1% increase over the same period in 2024. That includes 4,354,834 carloads, up 2.2%, and 5,437,091 intermodal units, up 7.5%.
Coal, which has reversed a longtime decline, maintained its lead among commodities, up 17.5% for the week and 6.5% year to date, benefiting from cold outbreaks this winter and rising exports that are projected to reach 95 million short tons (MMst) this year, up from 91 MMst in 2024, mostly on record Asia demand, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
North American traffic for the week, as reported by nine U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads, was 687,953 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.8% from the same week in 2024. That includes 338,480 carloads, up 5.9%, and 349,473 intermodal units, up 1.9%.
The year-to-date North American volume is 13,497,647 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3% from the first 20 weeks of 2024. That includes 3,247,385 carloads and intermodal units in Canada, a gain of 0.6%, and 458,328 carloads and intermodal units in Mexico, a decline of 11.2%.
Körber Supply Chain Software, a joint venture between Körber AG and KKR recently introduced its new company brand, Infios. Logistics Business spoke to Tim Moylan (pictured below), Chief Growth Officer, to learn about the thinking behind the re-brand.
Logistics Business: What was the thinking behind the new name? The letter ‘I’ is always very popular for software – any concerns about distinctiveness?
Tim Moylan: “Yes, the name Infios is intentional. ‘Info’ represents infinite possibilities and the critical role of information across modern supply chains. ‘OS’ nods to our role as a flexible, intelligent operating system that connects and orchestrates execution across transportation, warehousing, and beyond. While the letter ‘I’ is indeed popular in tech, we feel the name Infios properly conveys what we want to signal to our customers —both current and future. In the end, it’s more than a name — it’s a promise to deliver agility, scalability, and intelligence across the most dynamic parts of the supply chain.”
Logistics Business: Was the rebrand made necessary by the MercuryGate acquisition? What else drove it?
Moylan: “The rebrand reflects a broad transformation, signifying our commitment to delivering a fully connected, end-to-end, best-in-class supply chain execution platform — seamlessly integrating warehousing and fulfilment, transportation, order management and commerce, AMR and voice. With this transformation, Infios stands as a true supply chain execution leader, providing adaptable solutions that empower businesses of all sizes to simplify, optimize, and accelerate their supply chain operations. While the MercuryGate acquisition was a catalyst for the rebrand, we are very respectful of all our acquired companies. They all helped us reach the point where we could rebrand, and all the innovation they have delivered make us the supply chain execution powerhouse we are today.”
Logistics Business: Infios will still work closely with Körber for integrating warehouse automation. Will that be exclusive, both ways? How does the rebrand affect the relationship between the companies?
Moylan: “Our partnership with Körber remains strong and collaborative. Infios will continue to integrate with Körber’s warehouse automation offerings, just as we will with other partners. The relationship is not exclusive either way; it’s about delivering what’s best for customers. The rebrand clarifies our role in the ecosystem – we are focused on supply chain execution solutions, which means being open and agile in how we collaborate across the supply chain technology landscape.”
Tim Moylan, Infios
Logistics Business: What is the growth objective for Infios?
Moylan: “Our regional and solution diversity allows us to grow across many dimensions, closely aligned with the growth strategies of our customers. Our short-term focus is on strengthening our foundation, driving execution and delivering measurable impact. A key priority is enhancing customer success by improving implementation, support and account management, ensuring that our customers derive maximum value from our solutions. Innovation remains at the forefront, as we continue to advance our cloud, AI, and automation capabilities, making our solutions more adaptable and future-ready. Additionally, we are focused on driving revenue growth, expanding our market reach through a strong go-to-market strategy, increased cross-sell opportunities and deeper industry partnerships.”
Logistics Business: Will you be extending the product range/offering?
Moylan: “The rebrand is just the beginning. Infios will continue to build out our product ecosystem — strengthening our core offerings like TMS, WMS and OMS while also exploring adjacent areas that support end-to-end supply chain execution. We’re actively listening to customers and aligning our roadmap with what they need to thrive in an increasingly complex supply chain environment.”
Logistics Business: Do you anticipate further acquisitions?
Moylan: “We’re open to acquisitions that align with our mission and enhance our value to customers. As supply chains grow more interconnected, strategic acquisitions can help us accelerate innovation and expand capabilities. That said, we’re just as focused on organic growth — delivering consistent, scalable improvements to our platform and ensuring every customer gets the most from their investment with Infios.”
Martins Industries has expanded its reach, by acquiring tire repair company Safety Seal. Safety Seal produces tire repair tools and kits, including for heavy commercial trucks. Founded in 1964, its […]
Penske has again been recognized among the “Elite 30” highest-ranking companies on the Women in Trucking Association’s (WIT) Top Companies for Women to Work for in Transportation list. This is Penske’s sixth consecutive placement on this prestigious list, which is determined by an industry-wide vote involving more than 31,000 transportation professionals.
The annual Top Companies list highlights organizations that promote gender diversity through an inclusive corporate culture, competitive compensation, quality benefits and equitable opportunities for development and career advancement.
In addition to these attributes, Penske is proud to support associates through Impact Programs, including Women in the Field, Penske Women in Logistics and our associated-led Women’s Business Resource Group. These programs offer opportunities to network, share perspectives that advance the organization, and support the communities in which we do business
Penske is a gold-level partner of WIT, which works to advance gender diversity in the trucking industry, address obstacles for women and promote the accomplishments of female transportation professionals. Penske’s support for WIT also includes the sponsorship of its annual conference and the courtesy transport of its educational trailer.
Pictured: Tiffany Blandford, lease sales representative – existing accounts, based in Austin, Texas
