Get your spot now…

I don’t think I can respond to this without getting political, but good luck with that though I guess

 

I hope the hell it isn't like it was 4 years ago, I don't want to see a repeat of a shutdown and then a surge happening again. I don't even want it to be like 2017, where we had this huge rise in new entries that totally screwed up the system, all these armchair owners who were screwing the drivers to make a buck and then depressing the market so much that we end up right where we are at now.

Here is what I would like to see, an easing of regulations with some new ones to prevent drivers from being screwed over like means testing of a new authority and a bond system for paying the drivers. Have a transparency regulation for brokers, there has to be a full disclosure of who was the first broker to get a load and what was the customer paid - all down to the truck. Having better CDL standards and training companies tightened up to the point that there is one uniform system of teaching skills, including mechanical and the regulations, not just gloss over them - this is a dipstick, that is FMCSA rule on a light bulb and have the state TEST them on it.

 

I'm far from seeing any shift in the freight market. It just keeps getting worse

 

I'm assuming the OP is referring to the whole tariff thing. Trying not to get political but more look at the scenario like a weather forecast.

So, goods produced overseas will become more expensive. Ok so the manufacturing will either shift to domestic or the stuff will be made even cheaper aka lower quality. If domestic production truck freight volume won't change. Less stuff moving through ocean ports so the routes most likely will change. If cheaper aka lower quality goods truck and ocean freight will change as stuff will wear out faster.

Another scenario, more automation. That was already in process. Grocery store checkout is just the beginning. Will automation in manufacturing increase freight? I suppose as the machines need to get to the factory that isn't built yet.

Will products be made better so they last longer? That would actually be best for the consumer but unlikely to happen. That is about the only scenario that would lead to less truck freight.

 

Too many trucks. If rates go up to even semi ok - the market will get flooded again with even more of the white Volvo companies. Hope that I am wrong !!

 

It’ll be infrastructure week again!
We already had 200 some odd…..

 

Unless a independent Owner Operator and mod size Carriers have a good connection with a direct customer basisor freight forwarders. I don't see much change because even with higher interests weekly some independent operating their own Authority is purchasing a truck so the load boards that are still flooded with a good majority of lower level freight rates. Nearing 2026 if 15% leave the industry, interest rates are further decreased things should start to stabilize.

 

Post Covid there were about 100,000 new authorities issued..since the start of decline in freight rates only 30,000 have exited. Source Freightwaves..
Anyone thinking it’s going to get better anytime soon is delusional.
Tariffs? Yah, last time it gave us a short lived nice bump in rates. What happened was retailers got spooked and decided to fill their warehouses..once full back to crap. And let’s not forget what it did to farmers.

 

The National Guard will be driving AM Generals pulling Werner trailers before things get better for the trucker. Like us old farts, we don't have a leader. I nominate Chinatown!!