U.S. Xpress

Mandatory hair testing proposal almost ready for rollout

A proposal to make drug testing using hair mandatory in trucking is nearly ready for public comment after being reviewed and approved by the White House Office of Management and Budget, regulators have confirmed.

“It has been a pretty lengthy review process, but I think we are at a point now where it is at the Federal Register, hopefully with publication dates being set,” said Ron Flegel, chairman of the Drug Testing Advisory Board (DTAB) within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/mandatory-hair-testing-proposal-almost-ready-for-rollout

FreightWaves Carrier Summit: U.S. Xpress CEO talks digitization, taking over family business (with video)

FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller interviewed his brother Eric Fuller, CEO of U.S. Xpress (NYSE: USX), Thursday in a wide-ranging discussion that touched on running a family business, change management and Variant, U.S. Xpress’ new digitally managed fleet that aims to transform over-the road trucking.

After working in various management roles at U.S. Xpress for over 20 years, Eric took over as CEO of the asset-based truckload carrier in 2017. Simultaneously his father, founder Max Fuller, became...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freightwaves-carrier-summit-us-xpress-ceo-talks-digitization-taking-over-family-business-with-video

U.S. Xpress has strong second quarter

U.S. Xpress turned in strong second quarter earnings, with its closely watched operating ratio (OR) improving both year-on-year and sequentially.

The truckload carrier’s GAAP operating ratio of 96.1% was 180 basis points better than the 97.9% it recorded in the second quarter of last year. But an even bigger improvement was posted in the company’s GAAP OR for the first quarter, when USX turned in an OR of 100.8%. 

The non-GAAP adjusted OR for USX in the second quarter was 95.9%, an improvement of...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/u-s-xpress-has-strong-second-quarter

TuSimple to build ‘5G network’ of autonomous trucking

TuSimple autonomous network
  • TuSimple launches an Autonomous Freight Network with UPS, Penske, U.S. Xpress and McLane Co.
  • President Cheng Lu describes the initative as the “5G network of autonomous trucking”

Autonomous trucking technology startup TuSimple announced on Wednesday the launch of a national transportation network that it says is designed to help bring self-driving trucks to market safely and efficiently.

The Autonomous Freight Network (AFN) consists of self-driving trucks, digital mapped routes, shipping...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/tusimple-to-build-5g-network-of-autonomous-trucking

Wolfe Research conference focuses on a truckload restart

unidentified truck on highway

Trucking executives were on hand on May 19 to discuss freight markets at the 13th Annual Wolfe Research Global Transportation & Industrials Conference. The panel format covered topics like demand, pricing and a potential restart.

Overview of freight trends

U.S. Xpress’ (NYSE: USX) President and CEO Eric Fuller said the company continues to see consistent volumes as the bulk of the carrier’s freight comes from grocery, discount retail and home improvement stores. In the company’s first quarter...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/wolfe-research-conference-focuses-on-a-truckload-restart

COVID-19 taking bite out of the driver pool

Trucking companies are realigning hiring practices to focus on experienced drivers as the supply of student drivers falls dramatically because of COVID-19.

The shift is a direct result of driving schools that have closed and state driver licensing agencies (SDLAs) that have either cut back hours or shut down entirely during the pandemic. This is constricting the pipeline of entry-level drivers that many carriers rely on for more than half of their driver positions.

“A lot of the driving schools...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/covid-19-taking-bite-out-of-the-driver-pool

Investor conference highlights trucking headwinds, tailwinds as economic restart looms

unidentified rig on highway

The outlook from management teams of several truckload (TL) and transportation companies participating virtually in the Bank of America Transportation and Industrials Conference this week hasn’t changed dramatically from their earnings reports a couple of weeks ago. However, sentiment is improving slightly as more of the economy is poised to come back online.

Thoughts on the overall market

John Kuhlow, interim CFO at J.B. Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ: JBHT), said some “uncertainty remains,”...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/investor-conference-highlights-trucking-headwinds-tailwinds-as-economic-restart-looms

DOT doubles progress in human trafficking fight

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) more than doubled a goal staked out earlier this year to get 100 pledges in 100 days to raise awareness of human trafficking in the transportation sector.

Over 200 companies and organizations answered the call for the effort that DOT Secretary Elaine Chao made in January. Those that have signed on to the effort “are joining the Department to ensure that America’s transportation systems are not hijacked to facilitate human trafficking,” said U.S....

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/dot-doubles-progress-in-human-trafficking-fight

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