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Technology has shaped how trucking companies have navigated through the coronavirus pandemic while setting the resulting economic slowdown apart from past ones.

Roadrunner Transportation Systems was in the final steps in a multiyear financial turnaround effort when the coronavirus pandemic hit, forcing the company to confront the same economic challenges facing all of trucking while also seeing its plans through, a company executive said.

As COVID-19 spread across the country and the number of cases began to spike, some trucking companies and truck dealers made significant operational changes in their maintenance shops to prevent exposure to the virus.

North American Class 8 orders in May fell below 7,000, ACT Research reported, an uptick from April’s historic low as industry analysts said progress will be slow as long as COVID-19 remains a major concern.

Schneider launched a new marketplace, Schneider FreightPower, to give shippers access to an expanded and flexible capacity network.

Used Class 8 pricing fell for the 12th consecutive month compared with a year earlier, down 22% for the largest drop in that extended period, ACT Research reported.

Present conditions signal the bottom of the pandemic’s vertiginous drawdown of the freight market, trucking industry observers said. But other economic conditions, in place earlier in 2019 and 2020, remain as a potential drag.

Last-mile fleets such as FedEx, Amazon, XPO and UPS have been dealing with a spike in demand while also implementing safety protocols to protect employees and customers.

With its emissions mandates, tough labor laws, inspection requirements and extensive regulations, California has become both a difficult and expensive environment for trucking.

Ryder System Inc. added food-grade capabilities and additional locations to its e-commerce fulfillment network, the company announced May 20.