Intermodal Demand Leading to More Hubs, Facilities

| Mike O'Brien

A growth in intermodal transportation by rail from coastal ports is leading to increased development of distribution facilities near so-called inland ports in locations like Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Salt Lake City, eastern Pennsylvania and Kansas City, according to a new report from commercial real estate firm JLL.

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UPS 2019 Rate Increase of 4.9% Given 3 Weeks Before Effective Date

| Mike O'Brien

Less than three weeks before the new prices take effect the day after Christmas, UPS announced its 2019 rate schedule, including an overall increase of 4.9% for its ground, air and international services, leaving shippers scrambling to adapt at the busiest time of year. See what charges went up and what it means.

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Here’s What You Can Expect with the FedEx 2019 GRI

| Victor Zhou

FedEx announced a 4.9% general rate increase (GRI), matching increases from both itself and UPS in recent years. As each carrier will target different increases in their rates between services, weights and zones to net the overall average increase, here’s a deep dive look at how the FedEx GRI breaks down among its shipping services.

Teamsters Approve UPS Freight Contract, Averting Costly Strike

| Mike O'Brien

UPS on Sunday reached an agreement with the Teamsters on its UPS Freight contract, avoiding a costly strike ahead of the critical holiday season. The deal gives UPS five years of relative labor peace, as it now has new contracts in place with the Teamsters for its freight and package divisions.

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UPS Outlines Peak Season Readiness, Price Increases

| Mike O'Brien

UPS has put in place tools and processes to handle an expected peak season volume of 800,000 packages between Thanksgiving and Christmas, up from 750,000 last year, announcing price increases in the form of over-max and special handling charges to offset the investments.

UPU Fast-Tracking Rate Review After Trump Pullout Threat

| Mike O'Brien

The Universal Postal Union (UPU), a hitherto quiet backwater that sets global cross-border mail and parcel rates, now plans to fast-track review of rate changes after President Trump last week threatened to pull out of the UPU accord, according to the Wall Street Journal.

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Breaking Down the New FedEx Fuel Surcharges vs. UPS

| Victor Zhou

Understanding the fuel surcharges from the major carriers can be a tricky proposition. While FedEx has yet to make a grand announcement, both carriers reserve the right to regularly review their fuel pricing. How much are your fuel charges increasing? Learn how the new rates from FedEx stack up vs. main rival UPS.

USPS Proposing Parcel Rate Increases in 9%-12% Range

| Mike O'Brien

The USPS is proposing a number of rate changes that would be effective on Jan. 27 including an average 9.3% increase in its Parcel Select service for packages weighing more than 1 lb., as it looks to recover rising costs and deals with stiff competition from major carriers.