Monday, October 18, 2010

YRCW expects third quarter positive adjusted EBITDA with a range of $42 million to $46 million, and for the second and third quarters YRCW expects cumulative adjusted EBITDA within a range of $82 million-to-$86 million, topping the $50 million covenant level required as part of its credit agreement.

September retail sales showed slight gains, according to data released by the United States Department of Commerce and the National Retail Federation (NRF).

Data from Panjiva, an online search engine with detailed information on global suppliers and manufacturers, indicated that the number of global manufacturers shipping to the United States fell in September, following modest gains the past two months.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Transportation interests are bracing—hoping might be a better word—for a flip in control of Congress as the mid-term elections approach with much anticipation in Washington and various state capitals. Trucking and rail, in particular, are watching the upcoming elections with high interest as their industries would be most affected by any tilt toward Republican control.

Railroad volumes for the week ending October 9 remained consistent with previously solid weeks and were up year-over-year, according to data released by the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Carload volume at 297,029 was up 8.8 percent year-over-year. This was down slightly compared to the week ending October 2, which hit 299,394 carloads and the week ending September 25 at 300,908 carloads and the week ending September 18 at 304,679 carloads.

The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today that its Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) fell 0.6 percent in August from July.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

A report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) stated that data from the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) subsidiary of the Department of Homeland Security found that as of July 2010 roughly 80 percent of U.S.-bound ocean shipments were Import Security Filing—or 10+2—compliant.

As various economic indices, freight metrics, and trucking companies are reporting declining and stagnant volumes during the second half of the year, the most recent Ceridian-UCLA Pulse of Commerce Index (PCI) appears to be following suit, as the PCI declined 0.5 percent in September, following a 1.0 dip in August.

While August index is down 4% from July, it is up 25% from the August 2009 index of 101; shipments are up 13% from July and up 55% from August 2009.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Recent monthly volume gains at the Port of Baltimore’s public marine terminals continued their record-breaking pace in August, according to data released this week by the Maryland Port Administration (MPA). In August, 57,510 TEU (Twenty-foot equivalent units) moved through the Port of Baltimore, marking the second highest monthly volume total ever recorded at the port, behind only July, which hit 63,740 TEU.