Key Currency Exchange Rates for Friday, 7/16/21

National Average Price for Regular Unleaded Current: $3.448; Month Ago: $3.765; Year Ago: $3.378. National Average Price for Diesel Current: $5.132; Month Ago: $5.310; Year Ago: $3.632.

“After a scant 0.1% decline in January, which wasn’t bad considering the harsh winter weather and California wildfires, truck tonnage had a robust gain in February” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “This outcome fits well with our growing optimism for the truck freight market after a two-year recession. Some of the gain in February was due to accelerated imports early in the year as shippers rushed to bring products into the U.S. before tariffs hit. Even accounting for this, the first two months of the year were positive, all things considered, indicating that the freight recovery has indeed begun.” In February, the ATA advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index equaled 115.2, up from 111.9 in January. The index, which is based on 2015 as 100, was up 0.6% from the same month last year, the second straight year-over-year increase, which hasn’t happened since early 2023. The not seasonally adjusted index, which calculates raw changes in tonnage hauled, equaled 104.8 in February, 4.7% below January’s reading of 110.0.

UPS announced it has entered into an agreement to sell its Coyote Logistics business unit to RXO, Inc., for $1.025 billion. “As UPS positions itself to become the premium small package provider and logistics partner in the world, the decision to sell our Coyote Logistics business allows an even greater focus on our core business,” said UPS Chief Executive Officer Carol B. Tomé. Based in Chicago, Coyote Logistics is a leading global third-party logistics (3PL) provider, working with 100,000 network carriers and managing 10,000 loads per day. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year, subject to regulatory review and approval. Upon completion of the transaction, the company will update its financial outlook.