Freight availability on the spot market has been trending upward since February, as depicted in Figure 1: 2008-09 Spot Market Freight Index, below. The graph represents available freight loads on TransCore load boards in 2008 and 2009. The blue line in the graph, which represents 2009 spot market loads, first exceeded the 2008 totals in October, ...

Two California residents, both Russian citizens, were sentenced in June on charges related to a double-brokering scheme that yielded $2.9 million over three years. Beginning in 2005, Nicholas Lakes and Viacheslav Berkovich of Los Angeles hacked into the FMCSA SAFER database and substituted their own contact information for the records of real ...

Every carrier wonders when the recession will bottom out, so economic recovery can begin. Well, we looked in our crystal ball – otherwise known as the DAT® Network – and we saw a glimmer of hope. TransCore's DAT Network is the spot marketplace for 50 million freight loads and trucks per year, so it is considered a leading indicator for the ...

By Steven Hausman, President and CEO, Advanced Business Capital Most old trucking dogs look at economic downturns similar to bodily scars.  Each one has their own story.  Over time, the similarities seem to outweigh the differences but some, of course, hurt more than others.  Now, as far as trucking is concerned, this current ...

This article is adapted, with the author’s permission, from an investment brief titled “Running on Fumes: Number of Trucking Failures Drops Dramatically.” The brief was published by Avondale Partners for information purposes on January 9, 2009. Truck company failures removed 7% of the nation’s truckload capacity in 2008, but demand declined in ...

The transportation industry was shaken in mid-September by the credit freeze and accompanying financial uncertainty, but it adjusted quickly to the new environment. A glance at TransCore’s customer credit records for the months of August, September and October revealed a distinct pattern. Credit scores declined, and days-to-pay spiked. (See ...

We’ve all heard plenty of bad news lately. Declining freight volumes. Trucking company failures. Layoffs. Well, here’s a surprise: Some carriers are doing just fine. In fact, they’re optimistic about the future. These are not just giant carriers, either. Small and mid-size truck lines are also profitable, even in this tough economy. If you’re ...

In September 2008, 49% more loads and 79% more trucks were posted on the DAT® Network freight marketplace than in September 2007. This increase in activity confirms that the DAT Network is a great place to find freight loads. It may also indicate a structural change in seasonal freight patterns.   “Historically, September has been ...

Regardless of their own credit scores, all carriers depend on the creditworthiness of an important customer group: freight brokers. Freight brokers with good credit are more likely to pay carriers on time, even if shippers are slow to pay the broker. That’s because high-performing brokers are adept at managing cash flow, and they understand the ...

With the economy reeling and fuel prices still high, every load can make a difference. And a single unpaid job can cause a serious headache for any carrier, large or small. That’s why TransCore offers a unique payment guarantee for carriers, as well as collection assistance, dispute resolution, access to factoring and other financial services. ...