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Left Lane Associates North America's premier supply chain M&A experts that companies trust to drive their growth and exit plans.

There is roughly one truck parking space for every 11 commercial truck drivers on U.S. roads, and 90% of drivers report ...
10/16/2026

There is roughly one truck parking space for every 11 commercial truck drivers on U.S. roads, and 90% of drivers report struggling to find parking at night. When the hours-of-service (HOS) clock is running out, and the next stop may be full, drivers are left choosing between parking unsafely, parking illegally, or risking an HOS violation. Building more capacity is slow and expensive, with a median cost of nearly $94,000 per new space.

An MIT capstone project offers a more practical near-term option: a decision tool that ranks upcoming truck stops based on predicted availability, remaining HOS time, route progress, traffic, and driver preferences. One finding stands out for fleets: corridors with only one main route create far more competition for good parking than networks with multiple route options. For carriers, smarter parking decisions mean safer drivers and more reliable deliveries.

Read the article in Supply Chain Management Review to learn more: https://www.scmr.com/article/truck-parking-prediction-driver-safety-delivery-reliability

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is moving closer to launching a pilot program that could result ...
10/15/2026

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is moving closer to launching a pilot program that could result in amending split sleeper berth requirements, with the goal of allowing more flexibility in how a driver spends the required daily minimum of 10 hours off-duty.

The administration opened information collection activities on whether a change in the 10-hour split, which currently only allows 10 consecutive hours, or an 8-2 split or a 7-3 split, would safely meet safety goals if it were a 5-5 or 6-4 split. Up to 256 volunteer drivers will participate over 16 weeks. The research behind the proposal suggests that split sleep, when implemented strategically, doesn't have a negative impact on driver performance compared to a consolidated rest period of the same total duration.

The comment period for this program closes on December 7, and the full pilot program is expected to take 34 to 36 months to complete.

Read the article in FreightWaves to learn more: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-split-sleeper-berth-pilot-program-moves-closer-to-launch

Livingston CEO, Robert Smith: β€œThis is a win for both organizations”Left Lane Associates is thrilled to have advised Liv...
10/14/2026

Livingston CEO, Robert Smith: β€œThis is a win for both organizations”

Left Lane Associates is thrilled to have advised Livingston International on the sale of Livingston Vehicle Transportation Services (VTS), its vehicle and rail transportation services division, to the Canadian vehicle transporter CCT Auto-Trans Inc.

With seven locations throughout Canada, cross-border capabilities, and its strong partnership with CN Rail, Livingston VTS bolsters CCT Auto Trans' operational footprint while enabling Livingston International to focus on its core business.

Congratulations to Robert Smith, Silvio Silvestre, Albert Lau, and the Livingston team, along with Chad Doiron and CCT Auto Trans Inc., on this transaction.

Check out the coverage of this transaction in FreightWaves and TruckNews.com below.

FreightWaves: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/cct-auto-trans-expands-car-haul-coverage-map-in-livingston-vts-deal

TruckNews.com: https://www.trucknews.com/transportation/cct-auto-trans-acquires-livingston-vehicle-transport-business/1003222840/

The latest quarterly U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index - Rates Edition, produced with DAT, demonstrates that contract and ...
10/13/2026

The latest quarterly U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index - Rates Edition, produced with DAT, demonstrates that contract and spot rates followed divergent paths from June through August 2026. While contract rates steadily increased from $2.30 per mile in June to $2.39 in August, spot rates moderated from summer peaks, falling from $2.38 per mile to $2.17 over the same period. Fuel surcharges rose from $0.62 to $0.70 per mile in the same window, with diesel now representing 24% of the broker-to-shipper spot rate on dry van loads, up from 21% in June.

Higher costs are pushing smaller, thinner-margin carriers out of the market, accelerating an already shrinking driver pool. DAT's advice to shippers is direct: "Those who've spent two years squeezing rate per mile would do well to shift focus to consolidation and network planning, as the market is tightening from two directions at once."

Check out the article in the Commercial Carrier Journal to learn more: https://www.ccjdigital.com/economic-trends/freight-demand/article/15836490/contract-rates-rise-while-spot-prices-soften

This Thanksgiving, we reflect on the partnerships, relationships, and trust that make our work possible.We are grateful ...
10/12/2026

This Thanksgiving, we reflect on the partnerships, relationships, and trust that make our work possible.

We are grateful for the clients, colleagues, and industry leaders who continue to collaborate with us across the transportation and logistics sector.

Wishing everyone a happy Canadian Thanksgiving filled with appreciation and connection with your family, friends, and colleagues. πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦

North American Class 8 orders rose by 18% month-over-month in September to 21, 300 units, with year-to-date orders now u...
10/09/2026

North American Class 8 orders rose by 18% month-over-month in September to 21, 300 units, with year-to-date orders now up 95% versus 2025. Demand is being supported by fleet replacement needs, tight capacity, and firmer freight rates. However, this recent article from FreightWaves highlights that the more significant story is what happens next. With 2026 build slots essentially sold out, fleets are now ordering into the 2027 model year, and pricing and availability for those trucks remain uncertain.

The US Environmental Protection Agency's 2027 NOx emissions rule hasn't been finalized, and manufacturers are taking different approaches to compliance. This uncertainty could have significant cost implications for fleets, and those placing 2027 orders today are doing so without knowing what those trucks will ultimately cost.

Read the article to learn more: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/class-8-truck-orders-rise-18-in-september-as-fleets-turn-to-2027-models

In this recent article from CBC News, the Manitoba Trucking Association's executive director, Aaron Dolyniuk, emphasizes...
10/08/2026

In this recent article from CBC News, the Manitoba Trucking Association's executive director, Aaron Dolyniuk, emphasizes that at some point or another, household goods, consumer goods, food, and produce will be impacted by fuel costs. With diesel averaging $2.53 per litre in Manitoba – up from $1.45 per litre before the U.S.-Iran war and Ukraine's attacks on Russian refineries – for-hire carriers are passing costs through fuel surcharges. However, surcharges only cover the rate increase, not the cash flow problem that comes with it.

As Dolyniuk notes in the article, the cash flow requirements for a trucking company to pay its bills are "going up significantly", even when surcharges are in place. Moreover, Canada's refineries aren't the issue, but European and Asian buyers displaced from Russian diesel supply are now competing for the same product Canada relies on. There's no clear end in sight, and as long as geopolitical tension drives prices, carriers absorbing fuel costs between invoice and payment are the ones feeling it most directly.

Find out more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/high-cost-of-diesel-passed-on-to-consumers-9.7363582

Congratulations to the π˜›π˜°π˜³π˜°π˜―π˜΅π˜° π˜›π˜³π˜’π˜―π˜΄π˜±π˜°π˜³π˜΅π˜’π˜΅π˜ͺ𝘰𝘯 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘣 on another successful (and record-breaking attendance) Pop-Up event! ...
10/08/2026

Congratulations to the π˜›π˜°π˜³π˜°π˜―π˜΅π˜° π˜›π˜³π˜’π˜―π˜΄π˜±π˜°π˜³π˜΅π˜’π˜΅π˜ͺ𝘰𝘯 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘣 on another successful (and record-breaking attendance) Pop-Up event! Over 200 people tonight at the The Crooked Cue, Port Credit in . Having , , and professionals mingle and talk shop is the reason we do these events! Always happy to have Left Lane Associates as a proud sponsor as well! Thank you all for making this an incredible night of networking and building friendships! Special thanks to our sponsors, Radiant Logistics Inc. , MYC Media , trucknews.com / Newcom Media Inc. , Day & Ross , Daniel Timothy 3PL - Toronto & New York City , Motive Media (Toronto) , Fortigo Freight Services Inc & e-DeL Logistics Inc.! Nothing happens without your support!
lla growth ttc membership trucking delivery goals thankyou

The conversation around AI infrastructure focuses on chips, compute, and power. What gets far less attention is the logi...
10/07/2026

The conversation around AI infrastructure focuses on chips, compute, and power. What gets far less attention is the logistics layer required to move, secure, install, and maintain the equipment behind it all, and that layer is becoming increasingly complex and strategically important.

Data centre deployments involve specialized handling, strict security requirements, active construction site coordination, and timelines where a late shipment can lead to a deployment delay. This article from Supply & Demand Chain Executive and Arvato argues that organizations that treat logistics as infrastructure will scale faster than those that treat it as a support function. For third-party logistics providers, specialized transportation operations, and supply chain technology businesses operating in this space, the opportunity for growth is real, in addition to the operational bar required to meet it.

Learn more: https://www.sdcexec.com/software-technology/ai-ar/article/22969459/arvato-supply-chain-solutions-the-hidden-supply-chain-behind-the-data-center-boom

The truckload market is sending conflicting signals heading into the fourth quarter of 2026. The U.S. National Truckload...
10/06/2026

The truckload market is sending conflicting signals heading into the fourth quarter of 2026. The U.S. National Truckload Index climbed back to $3.53 per mile, more than 10% above its late-August low and roughly 50% higher than a year ago. At the same time, accepted tender volumes fell nearly 3% over the past week, sitting below their 12-month average. Rejection rates dropped alongside accepted tenders, which would normally signal easing demand and falling spot rates, but as we know, that's not happening.

FreightWaves' Zach Strickland points to sharply rising diesel costs as the explanation for the disconnect. When fuel expenses surge, carriers face a cash flow squeeze – costs rise before revenue catches up – and spot rates react with a lag because carriers can't see future fuel prices any better than shippers can. The market isn't necessarily getting tighter at this time, but existing conditions are tight enough for carriers to pass fuel cost increases through to shippers, and that's what the data reflects.

Read the article here: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/truckloads-mixed-signals

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17 Four Seasons Place, Suite 201
Toronto, ON
M9B6E6

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Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
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