Variant

Peering into the future with U.S. Xpress — Taking the Hire Road

Dustin Koehl, SVP of sales at U.S. Xpress, joins this week’s episode of Taking the Hire Road to discuss U.S. Xpress’ Variant Model fleet, a digitally orchestrated fleet, with host Jeremy Reymer, founder and CEO of DriverReach. They also dive into a recent U.S. Xpress report about freight demand and trucking capacity issues, as well as Koehl’s work on the American Trucking Association’s (ATA) subcommittee on autonomous trucks.

Koehl said Variant derives its name from the Latin variantem, roughly...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/peering-into-the-future-with-us-xpress-taking-the-hire-road

Western Express to deploy Platform Science’s full technology suite

Western Express to deploy Platform Science technology

Western Express has become the latest large, national fleet to adopt Platform Science’s connected vehicle platform, announcing Thursday that it would roll out the open Internet of Things (IoT) technology across its fleet of 3,000 trucks.

The Nashville, Tennessee-based truckload carrier will deploy the full suite of technologies available from Platform Science. The complete rollout is expected to be finished before the end of the year.

“Platform Science has helped streamline our operations,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/western-express-to-deploy-platform-sciences-full-technology-suite

U.S. Xpress: ‘Inflection point’ reached with over 900 carriers carrying Variant brand

U.S. Xpress’ (NYSE: USX) first-quarter earnings release and subsequent conference call with analysts gave CEO Eric Fuller an opportunity to start putting some numbers on the impact of its Variant initiative, a truckload carrier inside a truckload carrier. 

One number that was not released for Variant: an operating ratio. But for what is believed to be the first time since the tech-driven alternative to U.S. Xpress’ legacy business was announced last year, a figure on mileage was provided.

Variant’...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/u-s-xpress-inflection-point-reached-with-over-900-carriers-carrying-variant-brand

U.S. Xpress makes its case on Variant at length in public forum

When U.S. Xpress (NYSE: USX) held its fourth-quarter earnings call a few weeks ago, the frustration of CEO Eric Fuller was palpable. He wanted to talk a lot about the company’s Variant initiative, which is building a completely different trucking company inside an existing truckload carrier. Unfortunately for Fuller, the analysts on the phone call seemed far more concerned about the short to medium-term economics of the legacy business.

Fuller and several of his management colleagues had no such...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/u-s-xpress-makes-its-case-on-variant-at-length-in-public-forum

U.S. Xpress to deploy Platform Science technology

US Xpress to deploy Platform Science platform

U.S. Xpress’ (NYSE: USX) development of its Variant fleet has generated plenty of buzz in the industry, and on Wall Street. On its recent earnings call, one analyst questioned what Variant is really about and why it is different.

“This is not incremental change,” Variant President Cameron Ramsdell said in response. “Our mission is a step change from anything else that’s out there.”

The Variant fleet is designed to haul the most efficient loads. Load planning and scheduling are performed by...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/us-xpress-to-deploy-platform-science-technology

The Daily Dash: DB Schenker’s US plans; Variant’s growth

DB Schenker eyes US trucking market

The Daily Dash is a quick look at what is happening in the freight ecosystem. In today’s edition, DB Schenker, a leading global logistics player, has its eye set on conquering the U.S. Plus, U.S. Xpress’ CEO sees big things coming for its Variant division, and flatbed operator Daseke reports earnings and issues a mixed outlook for 2021.

A new North American player?

After decades operating a major international freight and warehousing business in the U.S., the logistics division of German rail...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-daily-dash-db-schenkers-us-plans-variants-growth

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

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