Executives from Axle Logistics, Network Transport, Transfix, and Convoy weigh in on peak season 2018: higher volumes and less volatility than 2017 means that most brokers are sitting pretty.
The Cass Truckload Linehaul Index reached another record high in October while the company’s Intermodal Price Index points to rising intermodal costs.
The investment bank issued a report this morning calling for one more spot rate peak in the fourth quarter, followed by a softer 2019 that should still be 12% above the 2012-7 cycle. New price targets were also issued.
Coyote’s new white paper contains a stark warning to truckers and an optimistic promise to shippers, predicting a rapid collapse of spot rates.
K & L Freight has invested heavily in technology and data and grown 5x in the past two years. The next step is offering financial services to help their shipper customers hedge against spot market volatility.
After helping drivers out with automatic detention and its Power-Only program, Convoy has turned its attention to shippers, offering guaranteed, instantly bookable coverage of loads at realtime market rates.
Sophisticated freight brokerages can widen their margins when rates soften faster than shippers realize, but now’s a risky time to quote spot loads, because historical data suggests the market is about to tighten again.
The asset-light expedited LTL carrier posted strong volume and yield growth, and is tacking on intermodal businesses by M&A, but playing catch up with its truckload brokerage.
