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Getting in before sundown
The push is on to replace ELDs rendered obsolete by the sunsetting of 3G wireless data networks, and Transflo is ready, Doug Schrier, Transflo’s senior VP of Strategy, tells The Trucker. “We’ve been preparing for the rush and have sufficient inventory for our customers who will sunset our legacy Transflo T7 and G7 ELDs.”
Schrier added that Transflo has plenty of compliant T-Series ELDs on hand so current and new customers who haven’t yet made the switch can do so quickly. Orders can be expedited so fleets and owner-operators can have sufficient time to swap out units, which is a simple plug-and-play process.
Landstar brokers halt operations in Ukraine
In addition to being a vital logistics hub for Eastern Europe, Ukraine is home to a significant number of 3PLs and forwarding operations that broker freight in the U.S. and Canada.
Two independent agencies based in Ukraine account for 13% of the revenue at Landstar System, according to a FreightWaves report. Landstar said it stands to lose between $20 million and $25 million in weekly truckload revenue should the operations of both agencies be completely disrupted through the end of March.
Meanwhile, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, Maersk, UPS, FedEx, SEKO Logistics and a growing number of other carriers, forwarders and brokers have suspended service and/or deliveries to some or all of Russia, and shifted routes in order to avoid restrictions and service disruptions.
The pros and cons of a convoy
With several convoys headed to Washington, D.C., to protest vaccine and mask mandates, James Mennella, an attorney with trucking-focused law firm Road Law, says truckers should weigh the professional repercussions.
“If you’re a company driver, or you’re leased on to somebody and it has the corporate corporation’s name on the truck. There may be something buried in the corporate policy handbook about what’s acceptable conduct,” Mennella says.
Despite best intentions, once protests cross the line of peaceful to unlawful it’s too late for drivers to turn back, Mennella explains. Beyond the threat of criminal prosecution, the risks for drivers include loss of insurance and their CDL.
Diesel fuel jumps again
The average retail of on-highway diesel jumped $4.10 per gallon on Feb. 28, up 5 cents compared to a week ago, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The highest diesel costs on the East Coast were in the Mid-Atlantic region ($4.31, up from $4.29 the prior week), while in California, diesel was up to $5.08, up from $5.05 the prior week.
The national average fuel surcharge for dry van freight on the spot market was 45 cents per gallon, according to DAT, the highest since September 2014.
Used truck prices almost double compared to 2021
The average retail sales price for a used Class-8 truck eclipsed $88,000 in January to set a new monthly record, according to ACT Research.
At $88,293, a used truck costs nearly $40,000 more year over year, according to ACT. The previous monthly high was December, at $82,341.
Estimated used Class-8 truck sales were 22,300, up from 20,700 a year earlier and a little less than December’s 22,800. “Oh my gosh, what a crazy market,” ACT Vice President Steve Tam tells Transport Topics.
Trailer orders in January increased less than 1% from the previous month and were more than 15% lower compared to January 2021, ACT said. Net trailer orders were 26,595 units.
