White Paper: State of the Industry – May 2025

The May 2025 “State of the Industry Report” — presented in affiliation with Ryder — shares an
in-depth overview across the trucking, maritime and intermodal markets, as well as what to
expect in the coming weeks. The data contained within the report provides breakdowns of
capacity, volumes and rates.

In this report, you will find:

  • Truckload demand has waned in April and, unless the U.S.-China trade war abates, will be largely dependent on warehoused imports in the coming months.
  • Intermodal demand, though having taken market share from trucking, will be highly vulnerable to the drying up of maritime imports.
  • Ocean spot rates have stabilized somewhat from their earlier freefall, but remain depressed as import demand stagnates.
  • Though most macroeconomic data is surprisingly positive, sentiment has plummeted among consumers and producers alike.
  • Continued resilience in the labor market will likely persuade the Federal Open Market Committee to maintain its wait-and-see approach to interest rates in May, with previous remarks from Fed Chair Jerome Powell implying that the impact of tariffs will influence future policy to a high degree.

Download the complimentary report today to access the full insights.

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
Fraud & Security

Freight Fraud Symposium

Double brokering. AI deepfakes. Identity theft. Freight fraud is an existential threat to the industry. Get ahead of it.

May 20, 2026
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame • Cleveland, OH
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Supply Chain AI Symposium

Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.

July 15, 2026
The Old Post Office • Chicago, IL
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Future of Rail Symposium

Reshoring is rewriting freight demand. Join shippers, rail executives, and government officials to shape the next decade.

July 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
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Fraud & Security Freight Fraud Symposium May 20 • Cleveland, OH

Double brokering. AI deepfakes. Identity theft. Freight fraud is an existential threat to the industry. Get ahead of it.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame • Cleveland, OH Register Now
AI & Technology Supply Chain AI Symposium Jul 15 • Chicago, IL

Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.

The Old Post Office • Chicago, IL Register Now
Rail & Policy Future of Rail Symposium Jul 28 • Chattanooga, TN

Reshoring is rewriting freight demand. Join shippers, rail executives, and government officials to shape the next decade.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now

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Sponsors occasionally contribute content tor FreightWaves.com. To qualify, the content must be properly labeled as the sponsor's content, and it must not conflict with FreightWaves editorial policies. Contact Preston Brown at pbrown@freightwaves.com for details.