Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

Zach Strickland, the “Sultan of SONAR,” curates the weekly market update. Zach is also one of FreightWaves’ Market Experts. With a degree in Finance, Strickland spent the early part of his career in banking before transitioning to transportation in various roles and segments, such as truckload and LTL. He has over 13 years of transportation experience, specializing in data, pricing, and analytics.
Aug - 2026 -
15 August
08 August
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

Modal shift dampens trucking market

Shippers appear to be using intermodal as pricing spreads near all-time highs, but there are risks to this looming later in the year.

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Jul - 2026 -
25 July
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

Why do tender lead times keep climbing

A quiet indicator of supply chain strategy shifts, the tender lead time is telling us many things about how shippers are feeling about transportation markets.

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18 July
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

Intermodal’s historic growth

J.B. Hunt’s strong earnings were largely driven by a historic growth in intermodal usage.

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11 July
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

How much is trade policy influencing imports?

Container import bookings are riding a prolonged wave as new tariffs are reviewed. How much of this is tariff induced and what does it mean for domestic transportation markets?

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Jun - 2026 -
13 June
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

LTL’s paper gains

LTL revenues appear to be strengthening in Q2, but is this a product of fuel or something more structural?

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06 June
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

Truckload’s shrinking miles

Supply chain adaptations have led to diminishing distances for truckloads. The shrinking length of haul has mitigated some of the recent market capacity shortfalls.

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May - 2026 -
30 May
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

Ocean rates creeping higher ahead of peak season

Rising costs and stubbornly high transits could further challenge supply chains in the second half of the year.

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16 May
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

What does the SCOTUS ruling mean for rates?

The unanimous Supreme Court ruling on broker liability will carry a cost that is yet to be determined.

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09 May
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

What Roadcheck week means for the freight market

Trucking is about to encounter its next biggest seasonal disruptor of the year in the form of increased inspection rates. What does that mean for the already tight market?

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Apr - 2026 -
25 April
18 April
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

Spot to contract rate spread contraction tests 3PLs

Freight brokerages serve as the quintessential middlemen of the freight market, managing shipper transportation networks during stable periods while scrambling to fill capacity gaps when conditions tighten. It is a continuous balancing act — near-term underperformance can actually signal longer-term success, and vice versa.

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11 April
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

Produce season’s prodigal return

Refrigerated truckload capacity has tightened rapidly out of northern California, signalling the return of a more volatile produce season.

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Mar - 2026 -
28 March
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

Does the price of diesel drive truckload rates?

The price of fuel has spiked over the past month, but this does not always mean higher rates.

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21 March
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

Truckload’s tightness persists into spring

National truckload rejection rates are telling us that the market may take a while to recover.

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14 March
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

Midwest and West Coast rejection rates showing unprecedented disparity

Midwest rejections are outpacing the West Coast by a factor of 4. What could be driving this huge disparity?

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07 March
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

Rapid fuel price jump hits transportation hard

Wholesale diesel prices jumped more than 30% last week, while retail diesel prices increased more than 14%. The rapid pace of these changes has potentially negative implications for both shippers and carriers.

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Feb - 2026 -
28 February
Zach Strickland, FW Market Expert & Market Analyst

Why is the Midwest the most volatile region in the U.S.?

Two factors appear to be driving a divergence in regional truckload capacity in the middle of a structural market shift.

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