freight recession

Drawing parallels to COVID-era passenger carriers that either collapsed or strategically positioned for recovery, this analysis examines how predictive financial management, disciplined cost control, and forward-thinking strategy determine which carriers survive brutal market downturns, and why the industry’s broken pricing structure punishes operators doing everything right.

Truckload spot rates have seen sharp, intermittent spikes this year, though none have lasted. These sharper swings may signal what’s coming next year.

In a spirited debate at the Chicago Traffic Club, two of the transportation industry’s most influential voices squared off on the challenges facing freight markets.

What was expected to be a return to normalcy the year has turned out to be a more persistent problem. What was expected to be a return to normalcy the year has turned out to be something more persistent. According to the Critical Issues in the Trucking Industry – 2025 report by the American Transportation […]

OOIDA wants Congress to eliminate CDL waivers and strengthen training standards, asserting that the trucking industry has a driver overcapacity problem, not a shortage.

The trucking industry finds itself mired in one of the most protracted freight recessions on record, a predicament exacerbated by a flood of capacity that has outstripped demand. This surplus stems from an industry with negligible barriers to entry, where supply can readily overshoot, challenging the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) persistent claim of a perpetual […]

Let’s set the record straight: There is no widespread truck driver shortage in 2025. There. I said it. If you’ve been anywhere near the supply chain over the past four years, you know exactly why that sentence deserves to be said. Again. Louder. Yet here we are. This week, a headline on The Street screamed […]

The freight recession is dragging on and getting deeper as tariffs throw a wrench into any possible recovery. What does this mean for small carriers?

The trucking industry is undergoing a transformative shift, fueled by market changes, geopolitical factors and evolving consumer behavior.

Now on demand on WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Dooner is joined by Craig Fuller; Molson Hart; Thom Albrecht

With so many players in the trucking industry having to close, one company was able to recover from the brink of bankruptcy.

Brokers and carriers are still feeling the sting of the ongoing freight recession, and factoring companies can be critical partners during this time.

The freight recession may ease earlier than expected, according to recent comments from Morgan Stanley analyst Ravi Shanker. In a call to clients on Monday, Shanker said, “Shippers continue to remain on reorder ‘strike’ while they wait for stronger signals or more favorable conditions on macro but while destocking at the same time, which could lead to everyone wanting to restock at the same time, when the coast clears (or they run out of inventory).”

Freight brokerage Convoy shut down in October. Carriers say the brokerage didn’t pay them for loads they completed.

Reliance Partners’ CFO, Thomas Albrecht, warns about the underestimated impact of the ongoing bank crisis on the freight community. Discover how loan activity, interest rates, and funding for truckers and carriers may be affected.

“Some companies, not all, are willing to roll the dice on things like safety and maintenance to try to save money. But, when it comes to safety, neglecting small things can turn into big things,” Reliance Partners’ Brian Runnels said.

It has been just over a year since Craig Fuller, CEO and founder of FreightWaves, wrote an article titled “Why I believe a freight recession is imminent,” published March 31, 2022, in which he predicted the U.S. trucking market was heading toward a significant downturn.

Class 8 truck orders remained strong in October, but lower profits at truckload companies may cool bookings.

Trucking officials talk about survival lessons they’ve learned from previous freight recessions.

A combination of rising fuel prices, lowering spot rates and falling imports makes for a freight market in transition.

A California-based trucking and warehousing company, forced to cease operations more than a year ago, filed for Chapter 7 liquidation.

A study looking at U.S. recessions over a 30-year period suggests freight and the overall economy may rebound according to different timetables after the pandemic.

Lead Economist, Anthony Smith takes the reigns on this macro edition of Freightonomics. He chats with a diverse panel of guests about ways to optimize performance across business areas in a sluggish freight economy. Listeners will learn how to navigate today while preparing for the future of freight. Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Watch the video

What is a Freight Recession?

Anthony, Zach, and special guest Kyle Lintner from K-Ratio discuss how the freight market is disconnected from the general economy; are we truly out of a freight recession; and how Freight Futures work.

Diesel consumption in California fell in the beginning of 2019, led some to believe that there was a sudden transition to other fuel sources.

Editor’s note: This story was updated to reflect that the company’s CEO says he is working to bring drivers home. HVH transportation, a 344-unit trucking company, has abruptly shut down. It’s the latest in a string of trucking failures stemming from an economic environment that has put pressure on operating ratios. The Denver, Colorado truckload […]

After a disappointing first half of 2019, the freight market finally appears to be heading another direction.

The FreightWaves Freight Intel Group’s latest research shows that a freight recession is taking place.

Truckload volumes on a national basis have been trending 3% above 2018 levels for a week.

Another motor carrier has fallen victim to this year’s freight recession as Terrill Transportation Inc. of Livermore, California, abruptly ceased operations on July 30.

The trucking industry’s technical recession is causing real-world impacts to the used truck market, where sales continue to fall and even sought-after low-mileage rigs are under pressure. Preliminary used Class 8 same dealer sales fell 8 percent in June compared with May, according to ACT Research. Used truck sales were down 25 percent compared with […]

Today on FreightWaves NOW, we bring you the economic data that supports a broad slowdown. We examine the Laredo markets and analyze whether or not carriers really are pulling freight forward ahead the promised tariffs. Also, we’re on the move with (Phil) Moody with the latest on the FreightWaves LIVE event.

Today on FreightWaves NOW, we are talking tech with two tech nerds. Ken Smith talks dirty data, and what it takes to clean it up. Lincoln Duff talks about Amazon’s new drone technology and what it means for last-mile delivery.

Today on FreightWaves NOW, Seth Holm brings us the not-so-good news about the current economic situation.

In partnership with Slync… There are numerous reasons to be worried about the health of global trade and the goods economy, even though, in our view, a full-on macro-economic recession in the United States is still unlikely.