Operations Supervisor

XPO riding manufacturing recovery wave. The LTL carrier is experiencing growth in industrial markets, which contributed to its Q2 tonnage-per-day gains, according to Chief Strategy Officer Ali Faghri. Published Aug. 14, 2026 Dive brief: * The tonnage growth that XPO experienced in recent months coincides with the rebounding manufacturing sector, Chief Strategy Officer Ali Faghri said in an interview with Trucking Dive. He added the rebounding industrial sector appears to be "still in the early innings of a multi-year demand upcycle." * Faghri's optimism is based on the Institute for Supply Management's Purchasing Managers' Index for manufacturing, which in July marked seven consecutive months of expansion. He sees this as a good sign that manufacturing is growing, not contracting which bodes well for trucking. * "When we speak with a lot of customers, there's clearly a lot of pent up demand from multiple years of depressed capex," Faghri said. "What we're hearing from them is that it is more bullishness on the demand outlook here, not just in the back half of the year, but also as we head into 2027." Dive insight: XPO credited the recovering industrial sector for its North American LTL segment posting Q2 revenues of $1.43 billion, up 15.2% year over year. LTL shipments per day also increased 2.8% YoY and tonnage per day also improved 1% from a year ago. CEO Mario Harik said during the company's Q2 earnings call July 30 that manufacturing has been starting to build momentum, following sluggishness that persisted for three years. For XPO, April tonnage was down 1.5% YoY but improved 0.5% in May, Faghri noted. By June, the number increased 4%, and in July, the carrier saw both shipments and tonnage per day increases exceeding 6% YoY. But XPO wasn't alone in reporting improving business conditions in Q2. LTL carriers Saia and TFI International's LTL segment, featuring TForce Freight, also reported increases in both metrics. ArcBest's asset-based segment, featuring ABF Freight, reported a significant increase in tonnage. There are indications manufacturing growth may be sustainable as the ISM's new orders and backlog metrics both were in expansion territory for the seventh straight month in July. The ISM's other demand indicator, new export orders, flipped from contraction to expansion in July, while the customers' inventories index showed "too low" inventory, a trend that's been steady for nearly two years. Faghri told Trucking Dive the carrier added 2,700 new local customers in Q2 with much of that business on the industrial side. He added the carrier's Q2 damage claims ratio was below 0.2%, a record low for the company, which also helped it secure new business. "Overall, LTL is about two-thirds industrial," he said. "It's relatively broad-based in terms of the type of customer that we're winning." Faghri said XPO is well positioned to gain more business in a recovering freight market. Its decision to acquire 28 service centers through the Yellow Corp. bankruptcy auction has given the carrier over 30% excess door capacity, "which is exactly where we want to be at the trough of the cycle," he said. Even with other large name competitors including FedEx Freight and Amazon Supply Chain Services seeking a bigger share of the LTL segment, Faghri is confident in XPO's growth strategy. He added the carrier covers 99% of U.S. zip codes as well as Canada and Mexico. XPO has around 19,000 doors today, Faghri said. "I think ultimately when you look at us, we have one of the largest networks in the LTL industry," he said. "So ultimately, we think our network and our service is differentiated versus the competition and so overall, we don't see those new entrants really impacting our strategy or our ability to continue to grow and support our customers over the next few years."

S+S Industries and FedEx Freight announce a strategic logistics partnership. HOUSTON, TX - August 12, 2026 - S+S Industries ("S+S") today announced a strategic logistics partnership with FedEx Freight, the largest less-than-truckload carrier in North America. The agreement takes effect this month and covers outbound shipments of S+S manufactured parts. Shipping arrangements for the company's other product lines are unchanged. The agreement was not a routine carrier decision. S+S evaluated logistics partners on network reach, shipment technology, and the operational discipline to keep pace with its production floor, and structured the agreement around what matters most to the customers receiving its parts. What the partnership delivers. * Next-day delivery on most shipments. Direct access to FedEx Freight's national priority network moves the majority of manufactured-parts orders on next-day lanes, putting parts on customer docks a day sooner.

FedEx Freight brings 111 drivers to this week's National Truck Driving Championships. FedEx Freight will send 111 professional drivers to this week's National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, giving the carrier one of the largest teams competing at the American Trucking Associations' annual safety competition. Among the group are 18 drivers who earned Grand Champion honors at their state championships this year, nine previous national champions and three defending class champions from the 2025 NTDC. Experience takes the stage. The team's accomplishments extend well beyond competition. Together, the 111 drivers represent more than 230 million accident-free miles and nearly 2,950 years of professional driving experience. Ninety-six competitors have driven more than one million safe miles, while 22 have surpassed three million accident-free miles. Those numbers reflect the level of experience required to reach the national stage, where only drivers who qualify through state truck driving championships earn the opportunity to compete. More than a driving competition. Often called the "Super Bowl of Safety," the National Truck Driving Championships challenge competitors with a written exam, a pre-trip inspection and a driving course designed to test precision behind the wheel. National titles are awarded across nine vehicle classes, with one competitor also earning the National Grand Champion title. Hosted annually by the American Trucking Associations, the championships have recognized the nation's safest professional drivers since 1937. FedEx Freight's championship history. FedEx Freight has built one of the strongest records in the competition's modern era. Since 2003, company drivers have captured 53 National Championship titles and seven National Grand Champion awards. Returning this year are Jackie Reed of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the 2024 National Grand Champion, and David Comings of Wahpeton, North Dakota, who claimed the title in 2025. Three defending class champions from last year's competition will also return to Pittsburgh looking to add another national championship to the carrier's record. With another experienced team headed to the National Truck Driving Championships, FedEx Freight will once again be among the carriers to watch as drivers compete for some of the trucking industry's most respected safety honors. The TDUSA editorial team creates practical, driver-focused content covering trucking news, industry updates, safety, regulations, and career information for professional truck drivers across the United States. Each article is built to reflect real-world experience, industry developments, and information drivers can use on and off the road. Last updated: august 10, 2026. Image Source: FedEx Freight