The weekly changes in the price of diesel and lumber give a quick snapshot into the state of staffing in the construction and distribution industries. Diesel Price Tracker National Average Price Per Gallon: $2.819 The national average price of diesel rose by $0.022 compared to last week. Oil production in the Gulf Coast region …
Month: October 2017
Bridge Strikes A Serious Hazard For Truck Drivers
We’ve all seen the photos. Crumbled cabs, dented beams, cracked concrete, and traffic backed up for miles. Bridge strikes by commercial vehicles do massive damage to infrastructure every year. What can drivers and regulators do to prevent them? Bridge Strikes In The News On June 26, a truck struck a bridge in downtown Houston. …
Another State Bans The Box
On October 14, California became the latest state to “ban the box.” Assembly bill 1008 added restrictions on an employer’s ability to make pre-hiring decisions based on a candidate’s criminal history. The new rule will go into effect in that state on January 1, 2018. But what is Ban the Box? And what does it mean …
Diesel, Lumber, And The State Of Staffing – October 24, 2017
The weekly changes in the price of diesel and lumber give a quick snapshot into the state of staffing in the construction and distribution industries. Diesel Price Tracker National Average Price Per Gallon: $2.797 Petroleum prices changed little this week. As of October 20, the number of U.S. oil drilling rigs fell by 7, …
Green Construction Surges Ahead
In a previous article I touched on how researchers are working on making coal-ash a green building material of the future. But there are other exciting developments in the green construction movement. Both construction firms and home-buyers are reaping substantial rewards. It’s been well-documented that many buyers attach a higher price-point to green homes. According …
After Hurricanes, Trucking Industry Fights To Stay On Course
Communities in the Caribbean and the United States have already gotten their fill of hurricanes for the year. But unfortunately the 2017 hurricane season won’t officially end until November 30. And the storms are disrupting trucking and distribution not just in storm-hit areas, but across the nation and beyond. Freight Bottlenecks There are always …
Diesel, Lumber, And The State Of Staffing – October 17, 2017
The weekly changes in the price of diesel and lumber give a quick snapshot into the state of staffing in the construction and distribution industries. Diesel Price Tracker National Average Price Per Gallon: $2.787 Both domestic and international forces are pushing up the price of diesel. The U.S. oil rig count fell for a …
The Economy Is Recovering. Why Aren’t Wages?
The Great Recession of 2007 was a difficult time. Businesses slashed wages. The poverty rate rose, and hiring stalled. And according to the Treasury Department, American households lost a staggering $19.2 trillion in wealth. While the economy isn’t growing like it was in the early 2000s, the economic recovery is still rolling along. The unemployment …
Drug Shortage Fears After Hurricane Maria Hits Puerto Rico
As I mentioned in my previous post about the 2017 hurricane season, Hurricane Maria did between $45 and $95 billion in damage to the island of Puerto Rico. This damage hit the island’s manufacturing industry as hard as the rest of the economy. Pharmaceuticals and medical devices are Puerto Rico’s leading exports. Because of this, healthcare …
Diesel, Lumber, And The State Of Staffing – October 10, 2017
Weekly changes in the prices of diesel and lumber give a quick snapshot into the state of staffing in the construction and distribution industries. Diesel Price Tracker National Average Price Per Gallon: $2.776 The price of diesel dropped this week. But crude oil prices overall have been volatile. Traders are still trying to assess …