The Daily: March 15, 2022
Good morning, folks.
We know it’s already been on your mind…
The Berlin Wall fell three decades ago and opened new routes to a global supply chain we’ve certainly taken for granted. But will the Russian invasion of Ukraine and resulting hard lines drawn by the West result in a 2022 version of the Cold War?
We can only speculate - and todays’ featured article from GCapitan puts it best. ➡️
“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Michael Jordan, former professional basketball player
Today’s Featured Article:
Will A New Iron Curtain Fall On Shipping? (gcaptain.com)
“Francis Fukuyama, the American political scientist who once described the collapse of the Soviet Union as the ‘end of history,’ suggested that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine might be called ‘the end of the end of history.’”
The Latest On…
Cab Tech 🚛
Pulsing Back-of-Trailer Lamps Aim to Prevent Crashes - Trailer Talk - Trucking Info
“I don’t think I’ve seen so much attention to rear trailer visibility since conspicuity tape became mandatory 20 years ago. This time, however, it’s not a controversial mandate, but optional additional rear trailer and body lighting that pulses when the brakes are activated.”
Company Culture 🏆
Watch: Three Priorities for Freight Companies Coping With Crisis | 2022-03-11 | SupplyChainBrain
“The pandemic has many logistics providers on the ropes. John Garden, vice president of freight and logistics with Mastercard, discusses three key areas on which they must focus in order to survive the current crisis.”
Driver’s Issues 🚚
To Find More Truck Drivers, DOL Expands Registered Apprenticeships | Material Handling and Logistics (mhlnews.com)
“More than 250 organizations and 70 employers have committed to joining existing programs or have already launched new Registered Apprenticeship programs, said Secretary Marty Walsh.”
Covid-19 😷
Premarket stocks: China's new Covid lockdowns are another threat to the economy - CNN
“Russia's war in Ukraine is roiling the global economy as policymakers race to get high inflation under control. But China's response to its worst outbreak of Covid-19 in two years is a reminder that the conflict isn't the only risk to the recovery.”
Trade & Border 🚢
Wheat Supplies At Risk; Limiting Russia Trade; FedEx Ground Contractors | Wall Street Journal Logistics Report
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is threatening a big portion of the world’s wheat supply and raising fears over potential global food shortages.”
Maintenance & Repair 🧰
CalAmp, Noregon Partnership Delivers Remote Diagnostics, Predictive Maintenance - Maintenance - Trucking Info
“CalAmp-Noregon partnership allows fleets to get preemptive alerts about vehicle issues before critical failures occur.”
Truck tire maintenance includes balancing | Commercial Carrier Journal (ccjdigital.com)
“One of the best things you can do to get the most miles out of your tires is to stay on top of balancing.”
Electric Vehicles 🔋
Amerit Fleet Solutions Targets Electric Vehicle Service - Fuel Smarts - Trucking Info
“The EVolution MSC will enable Amerit technicians to provide maintenance and repairs for electric vehicles, charging hardware, and ICE vehicles.”
Ford to address dealer concerns about separating its EV and legacy businesses (cnbc.com)
“Ford will attempt to soothe dealers’ concerns over the company’s recent decision to split its EV and legacy gas-vehicle business.”
Network Association 🤝
Building Carrier Relationships That Withstand the Stress Test - Inbound Logistics
“Developing mutually beneficial relationships guarantees your partners will be there for you—in good times and bad.”
Health & Safety 🦺
Federal Highway Administration aims to make America's roadways safer with new plan - TheTrucker.com
“The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has released a report to Congress detailing the agency’s plan to make America’s roadways safer and more accessible for all vehicles — from the tiniest Fiat to the largest big rigs.”
Leases & Loans 💰
Most small businesses want more federal aid. The odds aren't great (cnbc.com)
“The battle in Congress over the federal spending bill last week revealed a deep divide over more funding related to Covid as Main Street faces increased costs on everything from labor to raw goods and energy and transportation.”
Fuel ⛽️
Act now to mitigate rising fuel prices | FleetOwner
“It's not too late to start taking steps to improve your fleet’s fuel economy and freight efficiency.”
Hiltzik: 'Record' gas prices and inflation - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)
“With the price of a gallon of crude oil spiking, you’ll be reading and seeing lots of reports about gasoline prices setting records in the United States.”
Average US gas price rises 22% in two weeks to record $4.43 | AP News
“The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline shot up a whopping 79 cents over the past two weeks to a record-setting $4.43 per gallon (3.8 liters) as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is contributing to already-high prices at the pump.”
Where are you going? There’s more!
Assuming other people have it too | Seth's Blog (seths.blog)
“Whatever “it” is. That’s probably a mistake.”
“Supply chains and the shipping industry face a new threat as nearly half of the sector’s seafarers are directly affected by the Ukraine war, according to the International Chamber of Shipping. Secretary General Guy Platten also discusses growing concerns over crew safety.”
'There is no equipment cycle' as OEM supply chain struggles persist | Transport Dive
“Fleets big and small are rethinking their expenditure strategies as they race to keep up with the hot rate environment.”
Are cybercriminals waiting for an opportune time to attack U.S. trucks? | Fleet Maintenance
“After the pandemic and other problems showed vulnerabilities, hackers sponsored by nefarious states could attempt to cause more supply chain problems, cybersecurity expert warns fleets.”
FedEx delivery contractors petition for higher payments after holidays left them short | AJOT.COM
“FedEx Corp. delivery contractors are demanding higher pay and changes to operations, stung by rising costs and a drop in compensation for the most recent holiday season.”
Driver hours, new entrants and consumer savings all up | Commercial Carrier Journal (ccjdigital.com)
“High consumer demand and a shuffling driver supply shaped the freight market from July through December 2021 and those – three months in – are two pretty prevalent themes in 2022.”
Ukraine Farmers Urged to Sow But Fear for Workers’ Lives | 2022-03-14 | SupplyChainBrain
“Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is urging farmers to sow as many fields as possible to protect the food supply. But several of the nation’s largest agribusinesses say some plantings just won’t happen if Russia continues its war in Europe’s breadbasket.”
Is There an End to Amazon's Impact? - Inbound Logistics
“The absorption of industrial real estate is setting all-time highs as consumer demand, with COVID-19 as its catalyst, has shifted to a greater dependency on consumers having products shipped to them rather than them visiting brick-and-mortar retailers.”
Europe Burns More Coal to Wean Off Russian Gas | 2022-03-14 | SupplyChainBrain
“European utilities are getting increasingly reliant on coal for power as the region tries to reduce its dependence on Russian natural gas.”
“A new survey shows 85% of companies say they are losing money to integration issues related to their supply chains.”
Hog herds and poultry are getting even more expensive to feed | AJOT.COM
“Futures for soybean meal—a key component of animal feed—climbed to a seven-year high as top shipper Argentina suspended export registrations, another sign of countries curbing trade to protect domestic food markets.”
Costco grows its LTL arm to fulfill 85% of big-and-bulky home deliveries | Transport Dive
“Costco is now delivering about 85% of its LTL shipments for U.S. e-commerce through Costco Logistics, which provides in-home delivery of big and bulky items, Executive Vice President and CFO Richard Galanti said on the company's Q2 earnings call.”
Challenges to domestic economy raising risks for vehicle manufacturing - TheTrucker.com
“According to Americas Commercial Transportation Research Co.’s (ACT) latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle Outlook, supply-chain constraints kept a lid on the industry’s ability to raise build rates through 2021, and just as the supply of chips was starting to improve, the risk to auto and truck manufacturing supply chains has risen once again.”
Finding the efficiency sweet spot in trucking | FleetOwner
“As trucking's path toward decarbonization evolves, truck and trailer OEMs remain focused on improving uptime and total cost of ownership for fleets.”
Big truck parking shortage at center stage of New Jersey's transportation plans - TheTrucker.com
“New Jersey officials want to make their highways safer, and part of accomplishing that is creating more parking for truck drivers.”
Ocean carriers, ports want to grow the South Atlantic Chassis Pool | Transport Dive
“The Ocean Carrier Equipment Management Association and three Southeast U.S. port authorities want a single company, Consolidated Chassis Management, to operate the largest chassis pool in the country beginning in October 2023.”
Once a powerful symbol in Russia, McDonald's withdraws | AP News
“Two months after the Berlin Wall fell, another powerful symbol opened its doors in the middle of Moscow: a gleaming new McDonald’s.”
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The Workday Dash is an aggregation of articles regarding the transportation logistics, trucking, and supply chain industries for July 31, 2025, from iLevel Logistics Inc.