Freight slowing? Check the BLS data

Plus: Market shift hits freight | Safety tech for techs

Want to know where freight demand is headed? Start with the labor market. The BLS data can do more than guide hiring, it can help you read the road ahead.

Plus, one broker shares why stepping out of the spotlight might be the smartest move in a high-pressure supply chain.

But first, check out this video of a trucker reversing all the way back to the scene of a crash.

ROADSIDE READS

A deep dive. This report offers an in-depth look at the outlook and forecast for energy. Renewable diesel could get a production boost next year.

Payday. A crazy story of a truck driver who waited 10 months to get paid, recapped in this video.

Feeling blue? Here are five good things happening in the trucking and logistics industry.

On-the-road chef? This driver’s cooking game is strong.

INDUSTRY VOICES

Labor market serves as a guide to running a business

As fleet execs make strategic decisions around hiring and running their businesses, Paul Toomey, president of Geographic Solutions and an expert in labor market data, recommends a key resource: monthly reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

"Use the labor market as your guiding star to steer your business toward success and innovation," Toomey writes. Looking beyond transportation will give a sense of consumer sentiment, the impact of AI, changing demographics, alternative career paths and more that can help shape business plans.

Why this matters: Turnover issues are well-documented in trucking, but examining other industries' labor trends can provide a more holistic picture to run a business. Is retail suddenly on a hiring spree? That might be a sign of an impending increase in freight volumes, and being prepared could give your fleet a leg up. (Forbes)

FAST LANE

DIM FORECAST: Imports to slip below average for rest of year

TEAM UP: Fleets coordinate with shippers on new LTL classification

MORE TIME: FMCSA extends waiver til Jan. for medical card requirements

GRAND OPENING: Love's opens new Truck Care facility for maintenance, oil changes

CLOSING TIME: Flatbed trucking firm cuts 1,000 jobs, files for Ch. 7

HIGH TIDE: Container transits boost Panama Canal revenue, traffic

SEEN & HEARD

"There needs to be a true and honest understanding from the broker side that at the end of the day, we are here as a broker to insert ourselves into a situation where we are not necessarily the principal actors." - Gary Horton, ACI Transport

When Horton started his freight brokerage, he realized the main goal was not to be the star player, but to provide great service and ease friction between shippers and carriers. He's carried that philosophy through today, developing a TMS that integrates with various systems and aims to boost visibility between freight partners. (CCJ Digital)

ROAD REPORT

Freight recession shifts from capacity issue to demand-driven

The multi-year freight recession that trucking firms continue to endure has shifted gears. What started out as a capacity problem is now more related to demand. Inflation, tariffs and other economic factors are shrinking freight volumes and demand from shippers, continuing the market imbalance.

Why this matters: The carriers remaining in the market are vying for a smaller pool of available freight. Those that execute top-notch service, build relationships and offer a competitive advantage will be the ones that come out ahead as the market turns. (Logistics Management)

CONNECTED FLEET

How technology keeps fleet technicians safe

Trucking companies are tapping into technology for better maintenance, and that's helping make conditions safer for technicians. In one example, fleets use technology to diagnose a problem remotely, so when a technician shows up at the scene, they have all the equipment they need and can avoid multiple back-and-forth trips. In another, tech is useful at night to help crews understand the issue and avoid distracting bright lights.

Why this matters: Safety is paramount at any trucking company, and that extends beyond drivers to all staff who may at times face dangerous conditions. It's a welcome sign that technology has the potential to create a safer working environment. (Transport Topics)