Aurora's driverless trucks are moving real loads between Dallas and Houston right now, and nobody is in the cab. Plus: RXO signals a strong freight rebound, Ken Adamo joins Ease Logistics, rail got faster to Mexico, and more.
Aurora signed two major partnerships in one week. Spot rates just hit an all-time high. A Chicago cross-dock blew up Reddit over how shippers load trailers. And someone dug into Super Ego's carrier network — the safety scores are not okay.
Amazon just became a direct rival to the biggest names in parcel, freight, and 3PL services. Plus: shippers are paying a lot more, your carrier check may be passing thieves through, a $4M cargo theft recovery shows what's possible, and more.
The Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) landscape in the transportation and logistics sector has undergone a considerable shift in 2023. Numerous factors such as compressed spot rates, elevated inventories, slower consumer spending, and the Federal Reserve's decision to hike the target federal funds rate are molding the current M&A activity. These dynamics are influencing M&A deal terms, leading buyers to lean more towards "buyer-friendly" strategies to navigate the more expensive acquisition landscape and the reduced return on investment (ROI).
Despite these challenges, the industry continues to see promising activity. Just this week, two significant acquisitions were announced, further demonstrating the resilience and strategic foresight of companies in the sector.
Schneider National Acquires M&M Transport Services
Schneider National has acquired M&M Transport Services. Photo source: CCJ.
Schneider National has made a strategic move to expand its transportation capabilities through the acquisition of M&M Transport Services. Although the financial details of the deal remain undisclosed, the acquisition marks a significant expansion of Schneider's service range. M&M's fleet of 500 trucks and 1,900 trailers are now added to Schneider's resources, thereby enhancing their ability to serve the retail and manufacturing sectors more extensively.
Titanium Transportation Acquires Crane Transport
Canadian logistics provider, Titanium Transportation Group, has acquired Georgia-based Crane Transport. Source: Crane Transport Facebook
In a first for the Canadian logistics provider, Titanium Transportation Group, they have ventured into the U.S. market with the acquisition of Georgia-based truckload carrier Crane Transport. The acquisition, valued at $59 million, includes the carrier's real estate and adds a fleet of 200 trucks and over 600 diverse units to Titanium's arsenal. This move not only marks Titanium's debut in the U.S. but also significantly boosts its existing Southeast operations.
Canadian transportation and logistics provider Titanium Transportation Group announced Monday it has acquired Georgia-based truckload carrier Crane Transport for $53 million in cash and debt.https://t.co/9jEeozdsHx
Plus, STG's path out of bankruptcy, Wyoming's "Truck Around and Find Out" operation, what "phantom capacity" means for Mexico lanes, and more in today's newsletter.
Plus, a cabless autonomous truck just raised $24M, non-domiciled CDLs rules need clarifying, CSX posts a 26% profit jump while watching the UP-NS merger closely, and more in today's newsletter.
Plus, the offshore dispatchers your safety score can't catch, why Hormuz stays closed even after the war ends, what Triumph Financial's invoice volumes say about where freight is headed, and more.
Plus, USPS gives non-domiciled CDL carriers an 11-day deadline, the spot-to-contract spread starts squeezing 3PLs, Knight-Swift trims its Q1 guide but stays bullish, and more.
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