Countless commercial electric vehicle (EV) initiatives in the U.S. have either failed or stalled. Despite this, manufacturers still plan to succeed and grow where others failed. Zero-emission truck manufacturer ZM Trucks opened its first truck assembly plant in Inland Empire, California, in late August. The company constructed the plant in only 88 weeks and plans to sell as many as 1,200 zero-emission trucks next year. Joost de Vries, CEO of ZM Trucks, emphasized the importance of total cost of ownership and return on investment (ROI) for fleet managers, regardless of emissions. “Customers are starting to understand that there is an ROI if you go electric,” he told FleetOwner during the company’s plant opening. “It has nothing to do with the environment.”

Since the pandemic, growth among private fleets and owner-operators weakened for-hire pricing. ACT Research’s senior analyst Tim Denoyer explains the problem and shares his predictions for a “capacity crunch.”

The dedicated contract carriage segment of the national liquid and dry bulk truckload market could U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) growth through 2029.

The forecast is from a market study by Logistics Capital and Strategy. The firm expects tanker growth due to nearshoring trends driving demand for industrial gases, and sluggish electric-vehicle adoption buoying gasoline demand.

Jason McDaniel, editor of Bulk Transporter, dives into the details.

The Fleet Lead podcast features journalists from Endeavor Business Media's commercial vehicle brands, including FleetOwner, Fleet Maintenance, Bulk Transporter, and Trailer Body-Builders. It aims to help fleet owners, trucking professionals, and transportation industry leaders navigate the rapidly changing industry, covering topics like new technologies, efficiency, and regulatory shifts. The podcast features expert analysis and real-world insights from trusted trucking industry editors.

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