Tag Archive for: intermodal freight

Calhoun Truck Lines Optimistic for 2014

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Many trucking companies are looking ahead to 2014 to try to assess budget needs, driver hires, tonnage requirements and more for the coming year. It’s not as easy task. As any trucking firm will tell you, there are uncertainties along the way, amid the still-stagnant economy. Our company is looking at a variety of economic factors, including load projections, retail purchasing levels, and housing starts, among other things.

Some of the economic news is slightly better than what we’ve seen in recent years. There has been slow but steady job growth throughout 2013. Home starts were lower in August 2013 than through the earlier summer months, but still above where they were in 2012. And Deloitte is forecasting that expected holiday sales from November to January 2014 will be around $965 billion. That’s about a 4.5% increase over last year’s holiday sales.

Taken together, we can be slightly more optimistic that 2014 tonnage levels and cargo loads will be above 2013 figures. As the cost of diesel gas continues to drop, trucking companies like Calhoun Truck Lines can better manage our budget on diesel costs.

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But regulatory measures scheduled to come into effect in 2014 may play havoc with those budgets, writes Fleet Owner magazine. It notes that the hours of service (HOS) regulations may still impact intermodal and cargo firms in 2014 in ways not yet expected. And there is still the issue of the Bridge Act that is being debated in Congress to restore our country’s roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure.

Based in Minnesota, with hubs around the Midwest, Calhoun Truck Lines maintains a solid presence across the heartland, maintains its fleets and driver levels to proper levels and works hard to deliver our loads to operations all across the Midwest. With a little luck, good timing, and restored economic growth in 2014, business levels should continue to show promise across the board.

Senator Melisa Franzen Visits Calhoun Truck Lines

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What a treat to have MN Senator Melisa Franzen visit Calhoun Truck Lines HQ last week to learn more about our intermodal trucking business.

Senator Franzen was very interested in learning more about Calhoun Truck Lines, the U.S trucking business and some of the top issues on the table for the trucking industry in our home state of Minnesota.

Calhoun President Brent Bois (pictured with Senator Franzen) Senator Franzendiscussed with the Senator issues like finding proper funding for roads and bridges, the MTA’s position on repealing the warehousing tax, and preserving the current classification of independent contractors in our industry.

We really appreciate Senator Franzen taking the time in her schedule to visit with Calhoun Truck Lines to understand issues facing the trucking industry in Minnesota.  We look forward to working with her in the future.

Price of Diesel Falls for 4th Straight Decline

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In the midst of uncertain news from our nation’s capital, there has been a small glimmer of good news from the Department of Energy in recent weeks.diesel fuel costs_2013

The cost of diesel gas has fallen for a 4th straight decline. The national average price for a gallon of diesel fuel fell about 2 cents to $3.897 a gallon, according to the Department of Energy. That’s good news for the nation’s trucking companies, who base much of their annual budget on diesel costs.

In the past month, according to the Department of Energy, diesel’s price has fallen about 8.4 cents. The costs of an average gallon of diesel is nearly 20 cents lower than what it was a year ago. That figure translates into thousands of dollars in savings for many trucking companies hauling intermodal freight.

The Department of Energy releases its fuel-price surveys on a weekly schedule, but there is uncertainty for next week’s fuel price survey results if the government shutdown enters a second week. The survey gets compiled by the DOE from about 400 diesel stations and 800 gas stations.

Calhoun Truck Lines supplies intermodal trucking services throughout the Midwest from our locations in Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and Omaha. Find us at https://calhountrucklines.com.

Learning at the ATA Management Conference Oct 19-23

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Calhoun Truck Lines executives look to gain more insights into trucking trends, driver growth, natural gas trends and more at the upcoming annual ATA Management Conference and Exhibition 2013, taking place October 19-23 in Orlando, FL.

ATA-Management-ConferenceThe American Trucking Association’s Management Conference & Exhibition is definitely one of the calendar highlights for the U.S. trucking industry. It’s probably the most popular gathering of trucking industry colleagues and executives from across the US. We at Calhoun Truck Lines shared in the excitement and challenges of the industry at the 2012 conference.

Last year’s conference had large numbers of attendees who learned about trucking initiatives, shared in substantive policy discussions, took part in technology learning exercises, experienced great networking and enjoyed evening entertainment.

Here’s what in store at this year’s ATA:

Three General Sessions:
● State of the Industry keynote address by ATA’s President & CEO, Bill Graves
● All About the Driver; and
● The Highway Funding Crisis: Finding Solutions in the Age of Budget Deficits

In addition, there will be 12 educational sessions focused on intermodal trucking solutions and aiming to solve trucking’s biggest challenges and their solutions. Session tracks include: Government Regulation & Your Bottom Line; Trucking Technology & Natural Gas; Advocacy Toolbox; and Legal Issues.

Three Luncheons featuring:
● An “All Eyes on the Economy” panel (moderated by Fox News’ Stuart Varney)
● Jeb Bush, former Florida Governor, will speak to America’s Promise in Uncertain Times.
● A fun lunch in the exhibit hall will round out the program.
● Networking opportunities galore!

Watch ATA President and CEO Bill Graves describe below what’s in store for attendees to the conference:

From everyone at Calhoun Truck Lines, we hope to see you there!

Trucking in 2013: Where is it Headed?

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The U.S. trucking industry still faces uphill battles in getting fleets to where the sizes they once were,  and to get more younger drivers involved in the business.  

In 2012, truckload activity was barely up 1 percent, according to the American Trucking Association. But tonnage was up, according to latest ATA surveys. And overall, that’s good news, sasys ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello.   yearly traffic totals, Calhoun Truck Lines

“The trucking industry started 2013 with a bang, reflected in the best January tonnage report in five years,” ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said in a press release. “While I believe that the overall economy will be sluggish in the first quarter, trucking likely benefited in January from an inventory destocking that transpired late last year, thus boosting volumes more than normal early this year as businesses replenish those lean inventories.”  

Some trucking categories experienced declines in fourth quarter 2012. This graph below shows the yearly traffic totals continues to decline, even as 2013 moves through its first half.

According to the IANA, the industry needs nearly 100,000 new drivers per year for the next 10 years to replace lost drivers in the recession, and those who are getting out of the business. That’s an incredible amount of drivers to sustain in the economy. Also, the average truck driver is 10 years older than the average American, and many young people are not exactly flocking to trucking jobs.  

And highway congestion is a problem for many drivers and trucking companies as well. Recent statistics show that the trucking industry suffered $25 billion in lost productivity from trucks being in congested areas. And when cargo is tied up in highway congestion, then that’s valuable money lost.  

At last year’s American Trucking Association’s conference, ATA President Bill Graves said that intermodal transportation industry can be stimulated by job growth and more jobs. We are waiting on our U.S. government to put some of those steps in place. At Calhoun Truck Lines, we are hopeful that the economy will continue to grow, container volumes will rise and we will be able to move more freight from our five Midwest trucking facilities.  

Each of Calhoun Truck Lines’ operational facilities is fully equipped to handle your intermodal trucking needs. The company is dedicated to delivering a level of service that consistently meets our customers’ expectations. Our responsibility continues with providing a professional working environment for our employees and maintaining a safety conscious truck fleet to share the roads with fellow motorists.

News: Trucking Companies Add Jobs, Fuel Costs Drop Lower

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Mid-March 2013 and there are some positive signs on our radar for the intermodal trucking services industry.  

The US Labor Department announced this week that 5,600 for-hire trucking jobs were added in February in the trucking industry. That’s a positive sign for both truckers and the companies hiring them. The Associated Press wrote: “Stronger hiring shows businesses are confident about the economy, despite higher taxes and government spending cuts.”  

And that’s despite recent troubles in ports among dockworkers and others involved in helping to move cargo around the country. Check the Calhoun Truck Lines blog for recent posts on that topic. It’s one we hope to keep a close eye on there.   midwest intermodal trucking calhoun truck lines

And in equally good news, the cost of diesel fuel has also declined for the first time in nearly two months. The price of diesel fuel fell nearly three cents to $4.13 a gallon. This was the first diesel fuel decline in seven weeks, according to the Department of Energy. Previously, diesel fuel had gained 26.5 cents in six previous increases, including a 23.2-cent jump last month to its highest February level on record, coming in at almost $4.16/gallon.  

At Calhoun Truck Lines, we are encouraged by these positive economic changes. With more drivers leading intermodal cargo around the country, our stores and businesses can keep stocked up on goods necessary for their own business growth. We are proud of these drivers and their ability to move freight safely and swiftly across the country.  

Calhoun Truck Lines’ operational facilities at our five Midwest trucking facilities are fully equipped to handle your intermodal trucking needs, for whatever freight assignments you might have. We deliver a level of service that consistently meets our customers’ expectations by providing a professional working environment for our employees, and maintaining a safe truck fleet.

Intermodal Shipping Cargo Chaos Averted with Settlement in ILA Talks

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Some of the best news of last weekend didn’t come from New Orleans and had nothing to do with the Super Bowl. For intermodal cargo shippers in the United States, the best news of all came from New Jersey, where labor mediators for the ILA and US Maritime Alliance were working all last week to come to an agreement on labor disputes.   intermodal cargo, Calhoun Truck Lines

The International Longshoremen’s Association and United States Maritime Alliance hammered out a tentative agreement for a new Master agreement between the two groups. This was huge news to cargo companies all over the country, as it helped to ensure that for the next six years, there will be no economy crushing coast-wide strike.  

Along with other leading intermodal cargo shipping companies, Calhoun Truck Lines has been carefully watching the labor talks and contract negotiations taking place between the International Longshoremen’s Association and United States Maritime Alliance.  And the fallout has been terrible for the intermodal freight economy.  

The continued threat of a coast-wide port shutdown has wreaked havoc on the supply chain for the past year. Difficulties in planning cargo shipments because of possible striking workers has forced U.S. retailers, manufacturers, farmers and shipping companies like Calhoun Truck Lines to build contingency plans into its supply chain disruption, affecting their normal business plans and monthly goals. It’s been a difficult operating time for the firm, as we’ve had to continually adjust plans to make sure our cargo reached its destination.  

The National Retail Federation released a statement over the weekend that said its members were pleased with the agreement. “The retail industry, which supports one in every four U.S. jobs, is pleased to hear that the ILA and USMX have reached a tentative, long-term master contract,” said NRF CEO Matthew Shay in the statement. “We urge the parties to quickly complete any outstanding negotiations, including local negotiations at each of the individual 14 ports, and quickly ratify the new labor agreement.”    

Calhoun Truck Lines is relieved that the talks have come to a seemingly successful resolution. An agreement was needed by the February 6th deadline, and we’re pleased it came over this past weekend. Frankly, we’re not fans of down-to-the-wire, last minute finishes. We’re sure some football fans we know on the opposite coasts aren’t fond of those types of outcomes either.

Shipping, Cargo Companies Watch East Coast Industrial Action

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Along with other leading intermodal cargo shipping companies, Calhoun Truck Lines has been carefully watching the labor talks and contract negotiations taking place between the International Longshoremen’s Association and United States Maritime Alliance.   shipping yard, Calhoun Truck Lines

If these contract negotiations are not settled very quickly, it could lead to a threatened East Coast port strike, which could seriously impair cargo shipments all around the United States. Even leading cargo transport companies like ours could lose business as a result of a breakdown in talks.  

It’s an important issue affecting business and commerce across the country. It’s so crucial that the Journal of Commerce has a continuing section on the ongoing ILA labor negotiations. In continuing contract negotiations that started in March 2012, the ILA and USMX agreed in late December to a second contract extension, through Feb. 6. The extension temporarily halted a threatened East and Gulf Coast port strike on Dec. 30. While the two sides came to a tentative agreement on container royalties, they still haven’t finalized talks about the contentious issue of work rules and productivity.

Calhoun Truck Lines is concerned enough to have addressed some of these points in a recent blog post on our site. However, we are somewhat encouraged by a late week story that wrote: “A federal mediator said three days of bargaining on an East and Gulf Coast dockworker contract yielded progress and that the International Longshoremen’s Association and employers have agreed to continue negotiations.”  

That’s a positive step, considering contract talks had earlier broken down. However, the two sides still need to come together by the Feb. 6 deadline date for a new contract with the ILA. As we wrote earlier, the effect of a strike is already being felt. Our Midwest trucking firm Calhoun Truck Lines is hearing about recent cargo cancellations, contingency plans being made or cancelled loading of containers already underway via NY/NJ ports from Detroit to Omaha. These cancellations are hurting the companies in intermodal cargo transport, as well as the drivers who operate the cargo transport.  

We hope that the two sides are able to come to an agreement before the end of January. Damage has already been done, now is the time to seek damage limitation.

Top Truck Drivers in the U.S. named to America’s Road Team

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One of the essential and crucial parts of a professional truck driver’s job is to drive safely. Making America’s highways safer for all who travel them is a paramount concern for many of us in the industry, and especially to the American Trucking Association.  

Because of this, the American Trucking Association (ATA) names a new team of professional truck drivers every two years to an elite team of drivers called America’s Road Team. The new group of 19 drivers was named as the 2013-2014 America’s Road Team this week by the ATA.  

A salute to the America’s Road Team Captains from Calhoun Truck Lines! We value and appreciate the way in which you all represent our industry and congratulate all of you for the success you’ve had behind the wheel.  

All of these drivers share common characteristics when it comes to safety on the road. They share millions of miles without any accidents, according to Transport Topics. Not only do they have clean driving records, but they all have strong trucking industry expertise, good communication skills, solid community service and lifetime safety records.   America’s Road team will spend the next few years carrying out the ATA’s message of driver safety in various outreach and events aimed at the motoring public.   

“America’s Road Team represents the best our industry has to offer:  pride, professionalism and dedication to making our highways safer for all who travel them,” ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said in the ATA press release. “Today as we honor our newest captains, I want to congratulate not just these fine individuals, but all those hardworking drivers who strive every day to deliver America’s most essential goods safely and efficiently.”  

Representing America’s 3-million-plus professional drivers, the team serves as an example of the professional dedication and teamwork needed to deliver America’s freight safely and on time, Graves added.  

At Calhoun Truck Lines, we are proud of all these drivers and their ability to move freight safely and swiftly across the country. Calhoun Truck Lines’ operational facilities at our five Midwest trucking facilities are fully equipped to handle your intermodal trucking needs, for whatever freight assignments you might have. We deliver a level of service that consistently meets our customers’ expectations by providing a professional working environment for our employees, and maintaining a safe truck fleet.

What Is Our Shipped Cargo Worth to America?

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If you recall, the 8-day strike at the Port of Long Beach in December 2012 disrupted the flow of containers inland right in the middle of the holiday season. For many of us in the intermodal freight industry, the unwarranted strike had a tremendous knock-down effect that impacted many cargo and freight operations all across the United States.  

According to the NY Times article, some 600 clerical workers were responsible for $650 million in idled trade each day of the strike. Because of the clerical worker’s demands, 10 of the 14 shipping container terminals at the two ports were closed down, and many union longshoremen dared not to cross the picket lines.  

This action ended up costing our country’s economy a lot of money, and disrupting the flow of goods across our nation’s interstates. Now we seem to be heading toward our version of a ‘fiscal cargo cliff’ on the East Coast that looks to affect our business in all markets.   

According to this week’s Journal of Commerce, contract talks about work rules and staffing between the International Longshoremen’s Association and the New York Shipping Association have broken down. The two sides were hoping to come to an agreement on these matters before the Feb. 6 deadline date for a new contract with the ILA.  

The talks broke down to to a call for ‘revolutionary changes’ in work practices sought by the NYSA. For more than two years, according to the article, they planned to use the current negotiations to seek changes in the port’s work rules and practices, some of which predate containerization.  

The effect of a strike cannot be understated. Our Midwest trucking firm Calhoun Truck Lines is already hearing from clients we currently work with that they are already making contingency plans or are making plans to cancel the loading of containers for export via NY/NJ ports from Detroit to Omaha. These cancellations will have a massive impact on trucking companies hauling containers throughout the country and more importantly, on the livelihoods of the drivers that haul the freight.  

We ask our readers to get in touch with their state representatives or Congressional leaders to step up and get involved in these negotiations. We cannot let these discussions negatively impact the still fragile and slightly growing U.S. economy spread across the country. We need your support.

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