We’re fortunate enough to work with the brightest minds in logistics, not least of these, Dr. Chris Caplice. Dr. Caplice is DAT’s Chief Scientist. He also works as a logistics and transportation researcher at MIT.  Recently, Dr. Caplice led a discussion of how data science is poised to revolutionize trucking. If you were lucky enough to attend, you’re all set. If not, don’t worry – we’ve got a summary here. Let’s dive in.  Shippers face unique challenges, so they need unique solutions When we work with shippers, our focus is directed in three different directions.  First we look ..read more

As was the case with Valentine’s Day, when truckloads started moving two weeks prior, this week is the peak shipping week for flowers ahead of Mother’s Day. Most activities center in Miami, just 3.5 hours of flying time from where most Mother’s Day roses and carnations are grown.  According to the USDA, in 2023, 63% of rose and carnation stems were imported from Columbia, 35% from Ecuador, and 1% from Guatemala. 88.8% landed at Miami International Airport (MIA) before being trucked all over the U.S. and Canada. An additional 7.7% were shipped via West Coast airports, including Los Angeles ..read more

The contract freight market, a key indicator of the industry’s health, continues to soften despite last month’s slight increase in the American Trucking Association’s (ATA) advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index. The ATAs tonnage index, which includes truckload and LTL freight, is dominated by contract freight with minimal spot market loads. Compared to March 2023, the SA index fell 1%, the thirteenth straight year-over-year (y/y) decrease. Get the clearest, most accurate view of the truckload marketplace with data from DAT iQ. Tune into DAT iQ Live, live on YouTube or ..read more

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF) annual consumer survey, spending on Mother’s Day is expected to be the second highest in the survey’s history, following last year’s record $35.7 billion. At an expected $33.5 billion, spending could be around 6% lower than last year, with 84% of U.S. adults expected to celebrate the holiday. On average, those celebrating plan to spend $254.04 on Mother’s Day gifts and celebrations, the second-highest per-person figure, following last year’s record $274.02 per person. Get the clearest, most accurate view of the truckload marketplace with data f ..read more

According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), domestic raw steel production was 1,716,000 net tons, while the capability utilization rate was 77.3% for the week ending April 20. Compared to last year’s period, when production was 1,769,000 net tons at 78.6% utilization, raw steel production is 3% lower year-over-year (y/y). Production for the week ending April 20, 2024, is down 0.6% from the previous week. Get the clearest, most accurate view of the truckload marketplace with data from DAT iQ. Tune into DAT iQ Live, live on YouTube or LinkedIn, 10am ET every Tuesday. Adjusted yea ..read more

  On April 24th, DAT’s panel of experts hosted another broker Launch & Learn webinar. This session was packed with demonstrations and updates designed to empower freight brokers and logistics professionals with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive.  If you couldn’t make it or just need a summary of what you heard, look no further. Here’s what we covered. Click here to watch the webinar in full DAT One platform demo Attendees received a demo of DAT One, highlighting how it’s revolutionizing the freight brokerage process through enhanced load visibility, easy carrier communi ..read more

According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), sales of farm tractors and combine harvesters continue to lag the 5-year average by around 10 to 12%, based on the latest numbers. Even though unit sales of 100+ horsepower agricultural tractors increased for the second straight month, up 3.2% year-over-year (y/y), total farm tractor sales were down 12.1% y/y in March. Combine harvester sales fared worse, dropping 23.3% y/y and 20.4% year-to-date (YTD).  Get the clearest, most accurate view of the truckload marketplace with data from DAT iQ. Tune into DAT iQ Live, live on You ..read more

Typically, the Mexican produce season will peak over the next two weeks before cooling off until the cycle starts again in September. As of the middle of April, imported truckloads of produce were 1% lower than last year. However, there are signs the season may have peaked early due to weaker consumer demand in the U.S. Tomato shipments (16% of volume) were up 9% y/y, followed by avocados (14%) up 14% y/y and cucumbers (10%) up 10% y/y. Get the clearest, most accurate view of the truckload marketplace with data from DAT iQ. Tune into DAT iQ Live, live on YouTube or LinkedIn, 10am ET every Tue ..read more

Las Vegas has been going through a construction boom for almost a decade, with much more to come when the 2028 Olympics start in Los Angeles. On the drawing board or already underway are a high-speed rail link to Southern California, a new MLB ballpark, an NBA arena, two new mega-resorts, a 690-megawatt solar/battery storage facility, and thousands of self-driving taxis and shuttles. On top of this, the metro population of Las Vegas is expected to grow by 10% to 3.2 million residents by 2028. All of this translates into a lot of freight into the region.  More sports stadiums The recently ..read more

U.S. single-family homebuilding tumbled in March as a resurgence in mortgage rates pushed potential buyers to the sidelines. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, housing starts dropped by 14.7% in March to 1.321M vs. 1.480M expected and 1.549M prior (revised from 1.521M). Single-family housing starts ran at a rate of 1.022M, 12.4% below the revised February figure of 1.167M. Building permits also slid more than expected, falling by 4.3% M/M to 1.458M vs. 1.510M expected and 1.523M prior (revised from 1.518M). According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Mar ..read more