2021 Was a Very Busy Year for Mergers and Acquisitions in the Logistics Industry

Even in an industry where mergers and acquisitions are commonplace, 2021 was a particularly busy year for large carriers looking to purchase a few of their smaller industry brethren. In April, Canadian carrier TFI International completed its acquisition of UPS Freight before purchasing Missouri-based D&D Sexton in November. On that same day in November, Werner […]

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That’s a wrap on the holiday season

With known supply chain issues plaguing holiday shoppers, many shopped early to acquire the hot holiday gifts.  Mastercard SpendingPulse called 2021 a “resurgent season for retailers” for the holiday season that runs from November 1 to December 24.  Retail sales, excluding automotive, increased 8.5% in comparison with 2020.  Online sales grew 11% from the same […]

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The LNG U-Turn

Ship containing bulk fuel for distribution

Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) ships that were headed for Asia rerouted yesterday to Europe as they are facing a winter shortage of natural gas from Russia. European consumers are willing to pay a large premium as prices across the region surge to new peaks.

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Blue Skies Ahead for Crude Oil?

Fuel Prices Stock Market Chart

Crude oil prices have been on a tumultuous ride for the past month, but is the worst behind us? We first learned of the Omicron variant in South Africa on Thanksgiving Day, and when financial markets re-opened on black Friday, the oil patch was terrified. As you can see in the chart above, WTI crude […]

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A new EPA standard

On Monday, December 20th, President Joe Biden committed to raising the average fuel mileage on new vehicles to 40 MPG in passenger cars and light duty trucks.  EPA standards will be improved upon annually until the 40 MPG target is achieved in the year 2026.   The most recent target was 32 MPG, set by the […]

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Omicron Fears Send Oil Prices Tumbling

A sharp rise in global Omicron variant cases has sent oil prices tumbling.  At the time of this writing, WTI crude is trading at $66.77, down $4.09 for the day.  The United States hasn’t committed to new lockdowns; however, many other countries are implementing new policies that will certainly lead to demand destruction.

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Half of US Pipelines Empty

Overall pipeline capacity utilization in the United States stands at 50 percent. In early 2020 before the pandemic, capacity utilization ranged between 60-70%. According to Reuters, oil and gas shippers often find themselves building pipelines amid a production boom only to find there is too much capacity when downturns occur. Numerous pipelines were built in […]

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Gearing Up for Holiday Travel

The AAA holiday travel forecast for 2021 is in and it looks much different from last year. Many family get-togethers and getaways were cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic and this year travel is expected to increase by 34%. According to Newsroom, more than 109 million people will travel 50 miles or more as […]

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Preparing Your Fleet for Winter? Start Early

Winter is a beautiful time of year, but it can also be a dangerous one, especially in the logistics industry. Fuel suppliers and their fleets face unique challenges in the winter season, whether it be an unexpected snowstorm or below-freezing temperatures. In order to continue serving clients well into the winter months, it’s important to […]

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