The Trucking Industry Faces A Challenging Year In 2014 According to Trucking Consultants Ahern and Associates
Phoenix, Arizona (PRWEB) December 24, 2013 -- As CEO of the leading trucking consultation firm in America and one of the greatest sources of industry commentary and predictions for the industry, Andy Ahern has found himself in a unique position to comment on what the coming year may hold for the industry. 2013 has been a profitable period for truckers and logistics companies even with a lukewarm import and export market, coupled with legislative changes that have raised costs and barriers to entry across the nation. With the New Year on the horizon Andy Ahern has released his predictions for 2014 on a series of issues in his weekly newsletter, The Ahern Advisory.
Initial predictions paint a costly picture with a bill to increase federal fuel tax almost certain to pass in the New Year which will dramatically impact fuel costs for all trucking companies and shippers. In addition to this upcoming legislation, the full effects of the recent Hours of Service legislation are just beginning to be understood with Transport Topics reporting that overall driver wages may have been significantly impacted across the USA. With predicted interest rates, GDP changes and inflation giving little reason to expect that these factors will be compensated for by a general economic upswing Andy’s best advice to the industry is not to try and hide from reality. His last week of releases provides a host of factors that will have a national impact in the upcoming year according to industry experts. Company owners all across the nation and in all industries are going to be watching the New Year with baited breath to see what it will bring and will be hoping for an unexpected improvement in economic conditions to alleviate the pressure that has been a constant reality of 2013.
Andy’s advice, however, is to prepare for the unexpected. He recently launched a crisis hotline for business owners to help trucking businesses weather what is to come and has been encouraged by signs of robust health in the industry despite the more general economic indicators. Ahern and Associates are already working with 12 companies seeking to expand their operating footprint in the first quarter of 2014 and are in talks with several more. With a record year behind them and another busy one approaching the signs are clear, the trucking industry is under pressure and that pressure is only going to increase in the coming year but trucking is still the backbone of American industry.
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About Ahern & Associates, Ltd.
Ahern and Associates is North America’s leading trucking and transportation management consulting firm. The skilled consultants at Ahern and Associates specialize in mergers and acquisitions of trucking and logistics companies as well as the restructuring and evaluation of existing carriers that seek to increase operating efficiency and improve profitability. Since 1987, Ahern and Associates has aided hundreds of buyers in the acquisition of trucking and logistics companies throughout the U.S. and Canada as well as assisting many transportation and logistics companies in reducing their overall operating costs and increasing their profitability.
For more information, please call 602-242-1030 or visit http://www.ahern-ltd.com.
Andy Ahern, Ahern & Associates, http://www.ahern-ltd.com/, 602 242 1030, [email protected]
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