As relations between the U.S. and China remain in turmoil, and China shifts the focus of its economy away from low-value manufacturing, supply chain managers are increasingly scouting for new countries in which to do business, and many are particularly curious about India. India, after all, boasts the world’s ninth-largest economy, a booming IT sector, […]
When discussing the impending low-sulfur fuel (LSF) rule for maritime shipping, it’s tempting to borrow the imagery of disasters. For example, picture the coming regulation as an iceberg, and carriers as the ocean liners waiting until the last possible minute to swerve out of its way. If that picture seems dramatic, it’s because the situation […]
There’s no denying that the American trucking landscape is in turmoil. Transportation costs for U.S. businesses are up seven percent, year-over-year. What some were calling a “crisis” a few months ago has settled into a new normal, with higher rates and tighter capacity than anyone has experienced in decades. Along with rates, tensions between shippers […]
In the weeks since the U.S., Canada, and Mexico signed the USMCA trade deal, analysts around the world have begun to unpack how this new arrangement differs from NAFTA, and what it may portend for future negotiations with the U.S.. To be sure, the Trump Administration’s hard-line bargaining tactics secured some “wins” for American manufacturers, […]
China’s Belt and Road Initiative is one of the most ambitious undertakings in modern history, and of all its myriad projects, the construction of new rail lines to connect China with Europe are among the most visible. Like much of the Belt and Road, the impact of China-Europe rail is fiercely debated, with some observers […]
In today’s polarized America, it’s difficult to have a productive conversation about environmentally sustainable trucking. When people hear the word “green,” they retreat to their corners, disregarding any information that conflicts with their established position. This state of affairs is unfortunate but understandable. Truckers often feel misunderstood and overregulated, and see environmental demands as yet […]
In June 2018, Volvo and FedEx executives held a joint press conference on the shoulder of North Carolina’s Triangle Expressway. They announced that the road had been federally designated as a “proving ground” for truck platooning. They offered a demonstration of a three-truck convoy and touted the technology’s safety and environmental advantages. The executives could […]
According to the most famous formulation of chaos theory, a butterfly flapping its wings in China can cause a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. Whether or not you believe that, it is indisputably true that an actual hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico will undoubtedly cause ripples in supply chains throughout North America. So […]
Navigating conflict in any relationship–whether it’s between people, companies, or nations–is largely a matter of weighing your desire to win the current battle against your desire to protect the relationship as a whole. Resorting to bullying might help you come out on top of a single dispute, but it will make it that much harder […]
Joyce Brenny, chief executive of Brenny Transportation in Minnesota, gave her truck drivers a 15 percent raise this year, but she still can’t find enough workers for a job that now pays $80,000 a year. A year ago, when customers would call Brenny, she could almost always get their goods loaded on a truck and […]