On the heels of the U.S. House of Representatives signing off on legislation aiming to quell the impasse between the remaining railroad labor unions that had yet to ratify terms of the tentative agreement outlined by President Biden’s Presidential Emergency Board’s (PEB) tentative agreement, the United States Senate followed suite yesterday, preventing a freight railroad labor strike that, had it occurred, could have cost the nation’s economy upwards of $2 billion per day. jberman@peerlessmedia.com

The report’s key metric, the PMI, was 49.0 (a reading of 50 or higher indicates growth), down 1.2% from October’s 50.2, September’s 50.9 and back-to-back readings of 52.8 in July and August, with November’s contraction snapping a stretch of 29 consecutive months of growth. jberman@peerlessmedia.com

Company officials said that expanding its supply chain services to strengthen routes and transport goods in West Virginia, increases its service commitment to shippers by expanding access to key areas and clients across the state. And they notes that by adding West Virginia to its service footprint, it completes the company’s Northeast/Mid-Atlantic core footprint. jberman@peerlessmedia.com

For the week of November 28, the average price per gallon of diesel—at $5.141—fell 9.2 cents, following an 8-cent decline, to $5.233, for the week of November 21, which was preceded by a 2-cent decline, to $5.313, for the week of November 14. jberman@peerlessmedia.com

The uncertainty regarding the impasse between freight rail carriers and rail labor unions received some potential clarity earlier today, when the United States House of Representatives signed off on H.J. Res. 100, whose objective is to “provide for a resolution with respect to the unresolved differences between certain railroads represented by the National Carriers’ Conference Committee of the National Railway Labor Conference and certain of their employees,” according to the bill’s text. jberman@peerlessmedia.com

Orlando-based OneRail, a provider of final mile delivery services for enterprise shippers via a delivery fulfillment SaaS platform, announced it has closed its $33 million Series B funding round. This most recent round of investment brings the company’s total capital raise to $54.5 million, going back to its seed round in 2020. jberman@peerlessmedia.com

Company officials said that this facility will be used to handle the flow and distribution of domestic and international freight. And they added that it is in close proximity to the Memphis International Airport and also the Memphis-area rail yard and will be equipped to handle the region’s growing international needs. jberman@peerlessmedia.com

Logistics Management Group News Editor Jeff Berman recently caught up with Karl Siebrecht, CEO of Seattle-based Flexe, the programmatic logistics leader, delivering technology-powered, omnichannel logistics programs to the world’s largest retailers and brands. Siebrecht addressed various topics, including: the state of that warehousing economy; the impact of BOPIS (buy online pickup in store) on e-commerce and the shifts between online and in-store shopping as it relates to warehousing; and Peak Season challenges, among others. jberman@peerlessmedia.com