General News
Key Inflation Gauge Remains a High 6.3%
WASHINGTON — A measure of inflation that is closely tracked by the Federal Reserve jumped 6.3% in May from a year earlier, unchanged from its level in April.
OPEC+ Oil Boost Unlikely to Ease Fuel Prices
NEW YORK — The OPEC oil cartel and allied producing nations decided June 30 to boost production of crude by an amount that will likely do little to relieve high gasoline prices at the pump and energy-fueled inflation plaguing the global economy.
Buttigieg Launches $1 Billion Pilot to Build Racial Equity in Roads
WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on June 30 launched a $1 billion first-of-its-kind pilot program aimed at helping reconnect cities and neighborhoods racially segregated or divided by road projects, pledging wide-ranging help to dozens of communities despite the program’s limited dollars.
Texas State Police to Begin Border Checks After Migrant Tragedy
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said state police will begin inspecting vehicles crossing the border from Mexico in response to the deadly migrant tragedy that killed 53 people this week.
Former Roadrunner CFO Ordered to Pay $1.1 Million in Restitution
A federal judge earlier this month ordered Peter Armbruster, former chief financial officer of Roadrunner Transportation Systems Inc., to pay $1.1 million in restitution in connection with a sophisticated account fraud scheme.
Biden Administration Holding Its First Onshore Oil Sales
BILLINGS, Mont. — The U.S. government this week is holding its first onshore oil and gas drilling lease auctions since President Joe Biden took office after a federal court blocked the administration’s attempt to suspend such sales because of climate change worries.
US Gasoline Market Dips in Peak Season as High Prices Slow Demand
Gasoline demand in the U.S. shows signs of further softening just three weeks into the peak driving season, with near-record prices likely encouraging people to stay closer to home.
Age of Electric Box Trucks Within Reach, NACFE Reports
The entire U.S. and Canadian market of hundreds of thousands of simple medium-duty box trucks will come to embrace electrification, leading the way for other more complex medium-duty applications over the next decade as the industry pursues zero emissions, according to the North American Council for Freight Efficiency.
Hyzon Motors Appoints Shawn Yadon President of Commercial Operations
Hyzon Motors Inc. has selected Shawn Yadon to be president of commercial operations, the fuel cell electric mobility company announced June 29.
NHTSA’s Steven Cliff Says Agency to Scrutinize Auto-Driver Technology
WASHINGTON — The new head of the government’s road safety agency says it will intensify efforts to understand the risks posed by automated vehicle technology, so it can decide what regulations may be necessary to protect drivers, passengers and pedestrians.
New Fuel Taxes Kick in July 1 in Number of States
Higher gas taxes will sweep across pumps in several states on July 1 to drive fuel prices even higher.
Tesla Cuts 200 Autopilot Workers as California Site Closes
Tesla Inc. laid off hundreds of workers on its Autopilot team as the electric vehicle maker shuttered a California facility, according to people familiar with the matter.
Export Controls ‘Matter More Than Ever,’ Commerce Chief Raimondo Says
U.S. restrictions on exports “are at the red-hot center of how we best protect our democracies” because they cut off supply of crucial technologies to countries that threaten American national security, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said.
Economy Slipped 1.6% to Start Year
WASHINGTON — The U.S. economy shrank at a 1.6% annual pace in the first three months of the year, the government reported June 29 in a slight downgrade from its previous estimate for the January-March quarter.
FedEx Predicts Profit Growth Under Three-Year Plan
FedEx Corp. expects to grow earnings per share as much as 19% annually over the next three years by targeting “high-value” customers and squeezing more efficiency out of its networks.
Road Fuel Demand to Peak by 2027
Global road fuel demand will peak in five years, though it will be decades before shifts in consumption reshape transportation’s reliance on fossil fuels, according to a report from BloombergNEF.
Complexities in Trucking Supply Chain Cause Shippers’ Logistics to Evolve
Shippers are looking at developing their own truck fleets due to low service levels and greater affordability, a leading logistics report says.
J.B. Hunt, Waymo Add Wayfair to Autonomous Trucking Program
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. and Waymo added the home goods company Wayfair to its autonomous trucking program, the companies announced June 28.
Supreme Court Declines to Hear C.H. Robinson Appeal
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review a federal appellate court decision involving a personal injury suit alleging that freight broker C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. was negligent in connection with a serious injury from an accident in 2016 involving a carrier it hired.
Roadrunner Adds Five New Direct Lanes to LTL Network
Roadrunner grew its nationwide metro-to-metro service network for less-than-truckload shipments with the addition of five direct lanes, the company announced June 23.