Amazon has committed to lease 10 additional freighter aircraft from Air Transport Services Group and pay its partner to operate the aircraft over five years as part of a deal that deepens relations between the companies and underscores how the retailer is gaining in the U.S. parcel market. ATSG (NASDAQ: ATSG) announced late Monday that it will begin flying the Boeing 767-300 cargo jets for Amazon’s logistics network this summer, with the potential to add another 10 aircraft, under a five-year contract that bundles aircraft and transportation services. The agreement also extends the existing f ..read more

Another decline in the benchmark retail price of diesel used for most fuel surcharges is the most outward sign of a market that is sagging in several places. The Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration average weekly retail price declined 5.3 cents a gallon Monday, falling to $3.894. It was the fourth consecutive decline and the biggest one-week drop since Dec. 18, and it puts the price at its lowest level since Jan. 29. Retail prices are generally the last place to see the impact of other price moves up the supply chain, and this week’s price is no different. Oil overall and d ..read more

UPS announced on Monday that Brian Newman, executive vice president and chief financial officer, will leave the company on June 1 to focus on his health. According to a press release from Atlanta-based UPS, the company will look internally and externally to select Newman’s successor. Glenn Zaccara, UPS vice president of communications, told FreightWaves that the company has started that search process. “On behalf of the company and the entire Board of Directors, I thank Brian for his significant contributions to UPS,” said Carol Tomé, UPS chief executive officer, in a press release. “Brian ha ..read more

WASHINGTON — House lawmakers have approved legislation directing the U.S. Postal Service to set new rules for keeping track of crashes involving its trucking contractors, including penalties against motor carriers for failing to report them. On Monday the House passed, by voice vote, the Mail Traffic Deaths Reporting Act of 2024, which would require contract carriers and Postal Service employees to report to the agency roadway crashes involving vehicles carrying mail and resulting in injury or death no later that three days after the crash. It also would require the Postal Service to maintain ..read more

The Center for Transportation and the Environment launched a project in California to deploy Hyundai Motor Co.’s hydrogen-powered trucks to boost zero-emission freight transportation in the state. The $53 million project, NorCal Zero, will bring 30 of Hyundai’s Xcient Fuel Cell electric trucks to the San Francisco Bay and Central Valley areas, CTE said in a news release. The Xcient is touted as the world’s first mass-produced, heavy-duty truck powered by hydrogen. Officials celebrated the project’s launch at a dedication of a hydrogen fueling station in West Oakland last week.  “Hyundai ..read more

The weak trucking market, so evidenced in disastrous first-quarter earnings for both truckload and LTL carriers, is having a mixed impact on new Class 8 truck orders, according to the two key companies that track that data. FTR Transportation Intelligence reported that preliminary net orders for April were 14,000 units. That was down 28% from March but up 12.5% from April 2023.  Meanwhile, ACT Research pegged Class 8 net orders last month at 15,600 units. That was down 1,800, or 10.3%, from March but up 30% from a year ago. According to FTR, the April numbers on truck orders were “consis ..read more

On Episode 711 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking to Offshift’s Dr. Mark Manera about driver health. Do truckers have a ticking time bomb in their chest? We’ll find out how America’s road warriors can set their GPS toward better health.  FreightWaves’ Thomas Wasson looks at market health. A slew of bankruptcies, layoffs and disappointing earnings reports has struck the industry this spring. Will the beatings continue until morale improves? Roadtex’s Frank Hurst breaks down big-box retail on-time in-full requirements. We’ll also see how LTL is holding up in this weak market. Plus ..read more

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To view more FreightWaves infographics, click here The post FreightWaves Infographics: US parcel revenue sees first decline in 7 years, report finds appeared first on FreightWaves ..read more

Each year, around 3,000 people in the U.S. die from distracted driving incidents, accounting for close to 10% of all motor vehicle fatalities. Overall, car crashes are the leading cause of death in the U.S. for people ages 1 to 54. For Distracted Driving Awareness Month, FreightWaves’ Timothy Dooner spoke to Chris Hayes, Assistant Vice President for Workers’ Compensation and Transportation at Travelers Risk Control. Hayes said that drivers and businesses alike are growing more concerned with the dangers of distracted drivers. Travelers compiles a risk index survey every year to see what the ..read more