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February 1, 2014 - Entry-Level Drivers Will Be Sought

With the many changes taking place in the regulatory and economic environment, many carriers are reviewing their labor policies. Highlighting 4th Quarter BES results, Commercial Carrier Journal (ccjdigital.com) recently reported on these trends.

The TCP survey showed less than 30% of carriers hiring inexperienced, entry-level drivers. But that number is set to grow. Slightly over half of all carriers expect to soon be training and utilizing inexperienced, entry-level drivers.

While this majority is slight, a stunning 84 percent of carriers are willing to support allowing younger, properly trained drivers to enter the driving pool.

“We believe this means they support other carriers hiring and training younger driver so that they can then poach them later,” says Richard Mikes, TCP Partner.

Read the article here.

January 21, 2014 - Carriers Optimistic On Near-Term Volumes & Rates

A recent article in Commercial Carrier Journal (ccjdigital.com) references the TCP Fourth Quarter 2013 Survey to highlight carrier optimism for volume and rate growth.

Continuing the positive trends of the previous quarter, more carriers are expressing optimism for increases in volumes and rates. Since the fourth quarter of 2012, positive volume expectations have risen from 29 percent to 61 percent.

With those increasing volumes, a majority of carriers are also expecting rates to climb over the coming months. There are now close to three times as many optimistic carriers as pessimistic carriers.

“Volumes and rates continue to be more entwined as positive GDP numbers are laid on top of effective capacity brought down by the FMCSA driving hour mandates,” says Steven Dutro, TCP Partner.

Check out the full article here.

January 17, 2014 - Carriers Sensing an Improving Marketplace

TCP survey results in a recent TruckingInfo.com article show improving conditions in the industry, but also some cause for hesitancy.

The steady growth of the economy is producing increasingly positive expectations from carriers. A majority of carriers are expecting volumes and rates to climb in 2014.

But despite this optimism, rate and volume growth has yet to fully materialize – aside from the construction, petroleum and seasonal freight sectors.

Over the last 16 months, a majority of carriers have expected rate increases. However, only since the first quarter of 2013 have rates actually risen.

But Richard Mikes, TCP Partner, notes, “Initial carrier contacts and load board reports show strength in spot market rates. This, coupled with positive political news in D.C., gives hope for stability in the economy with carrier rate expectations in the survey.”

For the complete article click here.

January 14, 2014 - Four Consecutive Quarters of Mounting Optimism

Transport Topics ran an article in December that highlighted the 4th quarter 2013 TCP Business Expectations Survey.

In the article they note that most trucking companies are expecting their volumes to increase, and to be able to raise their rates, in 2014. As the TCP survey revealed, the indicators of mounting optimism for both volumes and rates have been in place now for four consecutive quarters.

“TCP illustrated the fact that optimism has outpaced pricing reality by noting that a majority of fleets have been predicting higher rates for four years, though prices didn’t begin to rise until 2013,” states the article.

Read more here.

December 17, 2013 - TCP Partner Lana Batts Interviewed by DC Velocity

Recently, TCP Partner Lana Batts was interviewed by DC Velocity as part of their Thought Leader Q & A series. The article highlights her extensive background in the transportation industry and her views on current trucking hot topics. Responding to questions from Senior Editor Mark B. Solomon, Lana Batts discusses the new hours-of-service regulations, her role in Tulsa, Okla.-based company Driver iQ, women in trucking, and the thorny issue of driver pre-screening.

Read the full interview here.

November 13, 2013 - What Are Your Hot-Button Issues This Fall?

The TCP 4th Quarter 2013 Business Expectations Survey is open.

We’d like to invite all carriers to participate. Help us bring you the most accurate picture of trucking industry hot topics and trends.

Click here to take the survey.

Get the answers you need – ONLY survey respondents will get the full results, complete with our expert analysis.

Contribute to the industry’s only survey which asks carriers what they think will happen in the future. Your ideas and opinions will be kept confidential.

This survey takes less than 5min. And it closes soon.

Take the Survey.

October 27, 2013 - Shippers Indifferent to CSA Scores, Carriers Focused on Safety

TruckingInfo.com echoes third quarter TCP survey results that say shippers are still largely unconcerned by carrier CSA scores. However, the use of e-logs continues to grow among carriers, and truck speeds are controlled.

Operating at posted speed limits is an essential aspect of truck and driver safety, and very important for managing fuel costs. Nearly half of carriers (46%) indicated their speed limit was set at 65 mph. Thirty-one percent indicated it was set at 63 mph.

Fifty-seven percent of carriers are now committed to using e-logs. Significantly more larger carriers than smaller carriers are committed to e-logs, 71% vs. 27%.

This may be a result of larger carriers having the necessary resources to fund, train and manage compliance and dispatch. Smaller carriers, on the other hand, continue to postpone the expense.

“Many carriers, on e-logs, tell us driver acceptance is good, HOS compliance is better, and CSA scores have improved since full implementation,” noted Steven Dutro, TCP partner.

Read more here.

October 26, 2013 - Capacity Additions Remain Moderate

Carriers are adding capacity but the growth remains conservative, says a recent article from TruckingInfo.com.

Using current TCP survey results, the article states that carriers expecting capacity additions of under 5% have increased, from 22% in February 2011 to 45% today. Carriers intending to add more capacity – i.e. 6-10% – have decreased, from 25% in February 2011 to 15% today.

In this quarter’s survey, smaller carriers were more conservative than larger carriers in their buying plans. Only 15% of smaller carriers intend to add more than 6% capacity, compared with 23% of larger carriers.

Smaller carriers are also less optimistic about volumes. It is thus unsurprising that they are less likely to add capacity. These smaller carriers may also be having a harder time finding financing for expansion than their larger competitors.

“Tight credit remains a challenge for a lot of businesses, particularly for truckers, and especially those not well positioned,” observed Steven Dutro, TCP Partner.

Full article here.

October 25, 2013 - Smaller Carriers May Be Disadvantaged Under ACA

According to a recent Transport Topics article citing TCP survey results, smaller carriers are more likely to report adverse effects from the Affordable Care Act than larger carriers. Thirty percent of smaller companies are considering dropping health coverage for employees compared with only 10% of larger carriers.

The article quotes TCP partner Richard Mikes, ”Smaller carriers are at a disadvantage to find and retain drivers if they cannot compete with the health packages offered by larger carriers.”

The new health care law will require most companies with more than 50 employees to provide health insurance to workers.

Read more here.

October 24, 2013 - TruckingInfo.com Shares Survey Results on Health Care Changes

Carriers are gradually coming to terms with the effects of the new health care law, and what they must do to comply, according to TCP’s third quarter survey.

Thirty-six percent of carriers last year indicated that the new law had made no difference to their business. This quarter, that number dropped to just 8%.

Carriers have also shifted their strategies for dealing with the increased costs. In the fourth quarter of 2011, 43% of carriers indicated they were likely to have employees contribute more toward health costs. Now, carriers are more likely to implement wellness programs (44%) and health savings plans (30%).

Read the article here.