Waste matters. For nearly every industry, waste contributes to higher costs. But in the freight industry, the stakes are even higher. In freight, waste means that more fuel is consumed, more carbon is emitted, and drivers spend more hours sitting idle. Empty miles are the primary form of freight waste. One of the most common […]
The number and share of miles that trucks drive empty is a critically important metric for the freight industry. However, as we have documented, there is a wide range of estimates of empty miles that are not necessarily comparable. There are no industry-wide standards or guidelines for calculating and reporting empty miles. Some carriers do […]
Self-employed truck drivers — known as owner-operators in the freight industry — earn more per hour and work more hours for a combined higher income than company drivers who are paid per mile or per hour, though owner-operator earnings also vary more widely. [1] Eleven percent of truck drivers [2] nationwide are self-employed, a share […]
This July, the United States economy marks the 120th consecutive month of economic growth. The economic expansion that began in June 2009 is now the longest period of sustained growth in American history. It is a nervous anniversary. With each passing month the questions grow louder, asking how long the good times can continue. Recent […]
Today we are launching Freight Economics at Convoy — an initiative to feature the best of our economic analysis and freight data on the Convoy Blog and to share our perspective on freight market developments. As a marketplace that connects shippers that move goods around the country with the tens of thousands of carriers who […]
In September Convoy surveyed more than 650 small and mid-sized trucking companies across the country in order to collect a snapshot of the trucking industry and how it impacts shippers. Survey participants include dispatchers and owner-operators. All the results are self-reported by the participants. Survey highlights: On average, 88% of dispatchers and owner operators use […]
In June 2018 Convoy surveyed over 300 small and mid-sized trucking companies across the United States to collect a snapshot of the industry. Survey participants include dispatchers and owner-operators. All the results are self-reported by the participants. Survey highlights: On average, 93% of dispatchers and owner operators use a mobile app to book loads. There […]
For both the 30 year veteran and the new owner-operator, 2017 proved to be a memorable year. The perfect storm of driver capacity crunches, hurricanes, and federal mandates created a market where truck prices surged and marketplace balance shifted. While this meant increased driver earnings across the country through the latter half of the year […]
For both the 30 year veteran and the new owner-operator, 2017 proved to be a memorable year for the trucking industry. The perfect storm of driver capacity crunches, hurricanes, and federal mandates created a market where truck prices surged and marketplace balance shifted. While this meant increased driver earnings across the country through the latter […]