Transport Topics is the news leader in trucking and freight transportation. Today’s daily briefing includes news on CDL tests in Pennsylvania, staged accidents in New Orleans and a record for the Port of Baltimore.

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Georgia’s reinstatement this year of motor fuel taxes helped the state collect 13.1% more revenue to reach nearly $2.5 billion in July compared with the previous year. Gov. Brian Kemp’s office announced Aug. 10 that the double-digit increase for that month was mainly due to reinstating the state’s motor fuel excise tax. Kemp’s announcement noted the state had suspended fuel tax collection from March 18, 2022, through Jan. 11, 2023. The latest taxation figures show motor fuel tax collections in July reached $179.5 million, making up 62% of total taxes collected that month.

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Estes Express Lines is first in line to buy the terminals, tractors and trailers of bankrupt less-than-truckload rival Yellow Corp. after agreeing to submit a $1.3 billion stalking horse bid, a court heard Aug. 17. Richmond-Va.-based Estes will not, however, provide a $230 million loan to Yellow, as was under discussion the last time the U.S. Bankruptcy Court–District of Delaware heard from lawyers representing Yellow, its shareholders and creditors on Aug. 11.

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An affiliate of the investment firm Citadel has acquired roughly $485 million in Yellow Corp. debt previously owned by Apollo Global Management Inc. and other senior lenders to the bankrupt trucking firm, according to a person familiar with the matter. The deal comes as Yellow seeks to secure a bankruptcy loan to fund its liquidation.

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U.S. retail sales for medium-duty trucks grew 10.9% in July compared with the year-ago period, according to data from Wards Intelligence. Total retail sales for Class 4 through Class 7 trucks increased to 19,618 units from 17,682 units, marking the fourth consecutive month showing a gain from the prior year. Freightliner sold the most Class 7 trucks at 1,909 units. It also sold the most in Class 6 at 1,637. Ford sold the most in Class 5 at 3,800 units while Isuzu led the pack in Class 4 with 889 units sold.

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Nikola Corp. will recall trucks and temporarily stop sales after several battery fires. The company will call back roughly 209 of its Tre trucks after a third-party investigator found a coolant leak was likely behind a blaze at the company’s Phoenix headquarters in June. While Nikola said its vehicles can remain in operation, it advised customers and dealers to park outside until a fix is ready in the coming weeks.

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Yellow Corp. continues to work with potential financiers, including rival Estes Express Lines, that are offering alternative bankruptcy financing for the less-than-truckload company that’s more affordable than a loan from lenders led by Apollo Global Management. Yellow lawyer Patrick Nash said Aug. 11 during a court hearing that funders are offering to provide a Chapter 11 loan to the company with payment priority behind Apollo and other lenders. Nash said Yellow expects to finalize a Chapter 11 loan this week. Its next appearance in bankruptcy court is scheduled for Aug. 15.

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Forward Air Corp. and Omni Logistics announced Aug. 10 that they have entered into a definitive agreement to combine in a cash-and-stock transaction. Forward said the combined company will create a scaled, premier and high-value less-than-truckload enterprise focused on providing customers with multimodal service for complex, high-service and high-value freight needs. The board of directors at both companies have approved the transaction. It is subject to regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions but is expected to close this year.

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The Federal Railroad Administration released a 143-page report on railroad Norfolk Southern’s safety culture Aug. 9. The agency has worked on the report since thousands of people had to evacuate their homes after the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment in February. Though the report acknowledged the railroad has made improvements, poor communication and mistrust between employees and managers are hindering Norfolk Southern’s efforts to improve safety, the agency said. Railroad CEO Alan Shaw said the company is working to address the report’s findings.

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UPS Inc. executives said Aug. 8 that second-quarter profits decreased year-over-year for the parcel carrier as it lost more business to rivals than expected because of the uncertainty surrounding high-profile labor negotiations with the Teamsters union. The Atlanta-based company reported net income of $2.08 billion in the three months that ended June 30, compared with a profit of $2.19 billion in the same period a year earlier. UPS cut its full-year 2023 revenue guidance to $93 billion from $97 billion, Chief Financial Officer Brian Newman said. The carrier posted consolidated revenues of $22.1 billion, compared with $24.8 billion in the second quarter of 2022.

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