Freight Cycles Run 18 to 48 Months, Why This One Defies the Pattern
Truckload base rates climbed 10% in September while volumes rose just 2%. The Cass data shows no two cycles since 2000 have followed the same timeline.
#Freight Demand
16 posts tagged with this topic.
Old Dominion Tonnage Up 1.6% in September After Two Years Down
LTL carrier posts first positive tonnage month since 2024, but execs say a real upcycle needs energy prices to fall.
Estes Tonnage Up 15% as Regional LTL Soaks Up Truckload Shrinkage
Back-to-back record weeks for the LTL carrier. Next-day shipments climbed 13% y/y while the rest of the network grew 2.5%. Webb Estes calls it supply…
Contract Rates Open 22-Cent Gap Over Spot in August
Spot linehaul fell to $2.17/mile while contract climbed to $2.39. Fuel surcharges rose 13% month-over-month, offsetting part of the spot decline.
Saia Tonnage Up 8.7% in August, But Two-Year Stack Slows Again
The LTL carrier posted stronger year-over-year growth in August, but easier comps flatter the number. Two-year tonnage gains slowed for a second straight month.
Private fleets split: ag expands, other sectors stall in 2026
Agriculture-tied private carriers are adding trucks while fleets in other industries hold equipment flat, marking the first sector divergence in private-fleet…
Supply Crunch Could Run Into 2028 If ELD, CDL Rules Stick
Reliance Partners CRO says five regulatory enforcement actions already reshaping capacity. Demand improved June and July, but supply still drives the cycle.
Leading Index Peaks, Signals Freight Demand Slowdown Into 2027
ECRI's global industrial leading index has turned down, pointing to slower freight growth in coming quarters even as volumes remain elevated.
Data Center Buildout Adds 1.5% Freight Volume Hidden From Cass Index
AI infrastructure construction is generating truckload volumes that conventional measures miss. Air freight imports up 17%, metals volumes rising, and tender…
ArcBest Pulls GRI Six Weeks Early as LTL Pricing Cycle Speeds Up
ABF Freight's 5.9% rate hike lands June 22, the fourth straight year the carrier has moved its annual increase forward on the calendar.
XPO May Tonnage Up 0.5%, Carrier on Track to Beat Q2 Forecast
Daily shipments rose 3.3% year-over-year in May as XPO's push into small-business freight lifts volume ahead of guidance.
20+ Trucking Firms Filed Bankruptcy in May as Soft Rates Persist
Chapter 7 liquidations outnumber restructurings. A 92-year-old Georgia carrier with 302 trucks shut down. Oklahoma oilfield hauler lists $10M to $50M in…