Hiring for the month of November was strong, according to the Labor Department’s Friday announcement. Businesses added 203,000 new jobs total, and unemployment rates are down to about 7 percent. Many of these jobs were in manufacturing, logistics, and warehouses. But analysts aren’t yet convinced that these new jobs are enough evidence of a strengthening…
The high-speed rail program spearheaded by President Obama was intended to improve access to and service by passenger trains to commuters in the Pacific Northwest, specifically in the state of Washington between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia. However, the same railways used for Amtrak’s commuter trains are shared by freight trains, owned by BNSF Railway,…
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) announced their quarterly index for manufacturing growth this quarter through November was up to 57.3 percent, which is a significant improvement over the 56.4 percent reading announced in October. Any percentage over 50 is considered a sign of market growth. This is the highest growth seen in two and…
The Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration recently pushed through changes to truckers’ hours of service regulations, and, at the time, many truckers and the American Trucking Association said that the FMCSA did not use sound research or good judgment when drawing out the rules. Now that the plan is in place, and truckers are losing 2-10…
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recently released a report card of U.S. infrastructure, including roadways and bridges that the trucking industry depends upon to transport 68 percent of of all U.S. freight tonnage. Already, bridges have collapsed in Saint Paul, Minnesota; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and Mount Vernon, Washington. The ASCE gave roadways in…
As reported earlier, a non-union Nissan plant in Mississippi is under pressure from the United Auto Workers union (UAW) is orchestrating picketers at Nissan dealerships in Brazil, just as the country, travel agencies, and authorities are trying to stage a positive environment for the upcoming Olympic games. Now, another automotive factory, the Volkswagen facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee…
In the face of a $20 million budget gap, the U.S. Postal Service has announced its second rate hike to take effect in 2014. The latest announcement, on Nov. 14, included shipping rates for its flat rate services. A retail flat rate, padded flat rate, and priority express legal flat rate envelopes will cost $19.99…
The Teamsters and the Independent Pilots Association have both thrown their support behind a new bill in Congress known as the Safe Skies Act of 2013. This bill would apply the same regulations governing rest periods to cargo pilots that are already in place for pilots of passenger planes. The bill would affect the pilots of…
American Airlines and US Airways are giving up 52 vested slots at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport as part of an agreement with the Department of Justice in order to get plans for their merger approved. Without buyers for these slots, some small and mid-sized airports around the country could lose flights into Washington National…
According to a new report by the Los Angeles Times, Amazon is blazing into the holiday season with a new option for its customers, Sunday deliveries. The deliveries are part of a joint effort with the United States Postal Service, which plans to use flexible worker schedules to cover the delivery routes instead of hiring…