Commerce Express Weekly Road Map: February 22nd, 2022
Keeping you informed on the latest news/insights in our industry.
Commerce Express Blog
Of course, accurately predicting the future is futile—especially in the logistics industry. However, this uncertainty sparks the workings of a colorful debate. Which fuel source (diesel or electric) will lead the industry into the next decade?
Trucking Update
- The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has lifted the ban on avocado imports from Mexico, after extra safety measures for U.S. inspectors were put into place, reported Freightwaves. This announcement comes after the USDA suspended the import of avocados from Mexico back on February 12th, 2022, due to safety concerns.
- January spot truckload volumes dipped, as rates are hitting new highs. The van rate for reefer freight averaged $3.11 per mile in January and the average reefer rate was $3.59 per mile, up 11 and 12 cents respectfully, reported FleetOwner. In addition to spot rates, contract van and reefer rates have also seen increases. The national average shipper-to-broker contract van and reefer rate was $2.98 per mile and the average contract reefer rate was up to $3.16 per mile, according to FleetOwner.
- The mountain west, the northern Plains and Great Plains are expected to get hit with some impactful weather at the beginning of this week. Truckers can expect periods of heavy snow (up to 24 inches out west, and around 12 inches in the Midwest), high winds, and some freezing rain possible in certain areas – this weather has the potential to cause some delays in the Cascades, Rockies, and Sierra Nevada to the northern Plains and Great Lakes, reported Freightwaves.
- Some major lanes of concern for truckers to keep an eye on, according to Freightwaves
- Interstate 70 from Denver to the Interstate 15 junction in Utah
- Interstate 90 from Seattle to Chicago
- Interstate 90 from Reno, Nevada, to Chicago
- Interstate 94 from Billings, Montana, to Minneapolis
- Some major lanes of concern for truckers to keep an eye on, according to Freightwaves
Industry FAQ's
How can I make sure my cargo is secured correctly?
Commerce Express has put together a lashing guide to help show you how your containers should be properly secured. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions!
Does Commerce Express have some kind of tracking and tracing software for visibility?
Yes, we do! It is important for our customers to be provided with excellent communication as well as the visibility to track and see where their shipments are at. Hit the ‘contact us’ button and we would be happy to discuss it more in depth.
Rail Update
- U.S. shippers saw record contract savings in quarter four under intermodal contracts vs. long-haul trucking than ever before. Now U.S. railroads will raise rates by 10 percent all across the U.S. to help close the gap in 2022 reported the Journal of Commerce (JOC). An interesting tidbit to add, is the gap between intermodal and truck contracts was $1.01 per mile as of December 31st, 2021 reported the JOC.
- Ceres Terminals and JAXPORT agree to a 20-year lease of the TraPac Jacksonville container terminal, operating effective March 1st, reported Freightwaves. Ceres also operates the JAXPORT intermodal yard, which is near the TraPac terminal. This will not have any impact on operations and ocean carrier services during the transition.
- Railroad round up: Last week, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) saw total U.S. weekly rail traffic at 504,482 carloads and intermodal units, which is up 5 percent from the same week in 2021; coal, non-metallic minerals, and farm products all saw increases compared to the same week in 2021. In addition, the first six weeks of 2022 U.S. railroads saw cumulative volume of 1,357,008 carloads, which is down 0.8 percent from the same time in 2021, with intermodal units down 11.8 percent at 1,509,334, from the same time in 2021.
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