Manufacturing PMI Slips to 54.6 as New Orders Cool 3 Points
Eighth straight month of expansion, but new-order index fell to 53.7 in August. Supplier deliveries slowed for the ninth month running, and 71% of…
Tess Crawford
Markets, Rates, Fuel & Carrier Business
Tess Crawford tracks the money flowing through trucking, spot and contract rates, diesel and crude markets, fuel surcharges, lane capacity, freight demand, LTL tonnage and yield, plus the carrier-business side: bankruptcies, M&A, layoffs, and insurance pricing. She writes for the dispatcher checking the load board between calls and the small-fleet owner reading the P&L over coffee.
Rejection Rates Stall at 13.5% as Rail Siphons Long-Haul Freight
Tender rejections aren't climbing into Labor Day like prior years. Spot rates down 2.5% month over month but still up 44% year over year. Rail is taking the…
Trump Venezuela Oil Deal Leaves Diesel Price Question Open
White House says the deal will lower pump prices and refill reserves, but neither outcome is guaranteed for fleets watching fuel costs.
Capacity Still Shrinking as Rejection Rates Hold at 13.5%
Accepted tender volumes near 2019 levels, but rejection rates more than double what they were then. The supply-side correction is still running.
Gatik raises $200M to put hundreds of driverless trucks on middle-mile routes
Autonomous freight startup now claims over $600M in contracted revenue and plans to scale from dozens of trucks to several hundred by year-end.
Brent Crude Ticks Up to $88.68 as Iran War Keeps Oil Volatile
International benchmark rose 0.2% Aug. 28, still swinging on Middle East uncertainty. Diesel and fuel surcharges follow every move.
Arrive Logistics to hire 1,000 after Mubadala takes majority stake
Austin brokerage plans workforce expansion, new freight modes, and TMS investment following capital infusion from $60B alternative-asset manager.
Brent crude hits $87.32 as Iran-Oman talks ease Hormuz tensions
Oil up 0.4% on August 27 after diplomatic progress and softer U.S. sanctions calm tanker-exit fears in the Persian Gulf.
Brent Crude Falls to $86.66 as Iran Sanctions Tighten
Oil dropped 5.5% in three days on new Trump administration pressure. What the slide means for diesel costs and when relief hits the pump.
Canada Hits U.S. Goods With 50% Tariffs Sept. 8, Targeting $20B in Freight
Ottawa's counter-tariffs cover steel, dairy, furniture, and 700+ products after weekend trade talks collapse. Cross-border truck volumes at Detroit, Port…
85% of New Carriers Failed in Three-Year Downturn
Equipment bought at $110,000 in 2021 is worth $45,000 today. The longest freight downturn in recent memory wiped out most carriers who started during the…
Mexico Cargo Theft Down 37% in 2026, But Violence Hits 76% of Incidents
National Guard reports 2,519 thefts through August, down from 6,263 in 2025. Overhaul data shows 76% involve violence, with central Mexico accounting for 77%…