Total U.S. business logistics costs in 2011 rose to $1.28tr, a 6.6-percent increase from the previous year, accounting for 8.5 percent of the country's gross domestic product, according to the 23rd Annual State of Logistics Report, presented by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals and Penske Logistics.

U.S. rail shippers don't appear to be heeding the warnings of a national economic slowdown. Intermodal volume in May on the major U.S. railroads hit the highest level in history for that month, according to the Association of American Railroads. Intermodal traffic last month was 3.5 percent higher than the same month a year ago. Although carload volume was down 2.8 percent year-over-year in the same period, the big losses were because of slumps in the major commodities of coal and grain.

For those interested in transportation management, the news that truckload rates are trending flat for the time being may be good, although on a year-over-year basis, May's index registered 5.0 percent higher than for the same period last year. The continuing share shift toward intermodal is at least one reason rates are being held in check.

time:matters, a logistics service provider specializing in expedited shipments, has launched a Europe-wide Harvest Season Weekend Service for agricultural shippers.

U.S. trade with Canada and Mexico using surface transportation in March set a new monthly high mark, up 6.2 percent over March a year ago, and pushing the sum value over $85.8bn, the according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The Caribbean logistics unit of Crowley Maritime Corp. has nearly doubled the size of its distribution center in Puerto Rico, with acquisition of a second warehouse next to its existing 70,000 square-foot facility distribution center in Guaynabo.

At a time when the pipeline industry is facing opposition to new projects, rail is surging. In the span of months, executives who had never considered moving oil by train are not just tinkering with rail shipments, but embracing them. While these shipments are small for now, by one estimate rail could be carrying 100,000 barrels a day out of Canada by next year; others have suggested more than 75,000 barrels a day is already moving by train.

Old Dominion Freight Line Inc. has opened its second container-drayage facility in California.

International Asset Systems has released a new set of business-intelligence modules that were designed to improve the ability of users to view and analyze the "big data" generated by everyday equipment repair and dispatch operations.