Dominic Gentile

Did you know that trucks move 75% of freight in the US? 🚚💨 If you're shipping goods, you've likely considered less-than-truckload (LTL) service. Our latest blog post breaks down everything you need to know about LTL freight shipping to make it easy and cost-effective for your business. Check it out and optimize your shipping strategy today! 📦✅ https://lnkd.in/g5bBWEH9

5

Are you moving your temperature sensitive shipments in the most efficient way possible? Dedicated trucks aren’t always the answer! Our blog covers everything you need to optimize your Reefer LTL strategy as winter approaches and temperatures continue to fall! 🔗: https://hubs.ly/Q02YgcM30

29

If you are a shipper importing into East/Gulf Coast ports during peak season, capacity that hasn't been procured already will likely be difficult - and definitely more expensive - to obtain in the coming months. Why? Planned East/Gulf Coast capacity additions have been consumed by the Asia to Europe routes because of longer shipping times due to Cape of Good Hope re-routings and congestion. Increased asset capacity was planned for West Coast ports in an attempt to alleviate the original, larger capacity and congestion problems. This maneuver by shipping lines came before the problems on the East Coast became apparent. No single solution will help shippers avoid higher ocean rates. But they can potentially reduce the risk of higher rates and maintain timely deliveries by diversifying their shipping options and being adaptable during this fluctuating peak season. For more details, see our recent blog post. https://lnkd.in/gKPPDVhG

13

Higher freight rates are turning around the fortunes of several LTL carriers, per XPO, Werner and others. Per one analyst, some LTL carriers are benefitting as they maintain pricing discipline, rather than filling their network with deeply discounted shipments. https://lnkd.in/g-jKU7z3 #freight #trucking #freightrates #ltl #xpo #werner #shipping

1

Still soft for-hire trucking demand kept May's Cass Freight Index especially low for shipments despite positives among imports, intermodal & spot rates. Authors point to private fleet expansion as a key reason why it's stuck https://hubs.li/Q02C5R-J0 #trucking #freight #cass

4

Our June Market Update is here. DOT Week, Memorial Day and elevated produce demand created some rate and capacity volatility in May. DAT data shows spot load posts increased significantly month-over-month, but with high numbers of new entrants joining the already oversupplied market, capacity was more than sufficient to handle the short-lived surge. Read the full report to get up to speed on the latest freight market trends from our Market Intelligence team, led by David Spencer, as peak season continues! https://lnkd.in/gZmwYGe8

55

Freight is stable, but continuing along ground level rather than making gains according to April's Cass Freight Index. Authors cite private fleets holding back a for-hire trucking market dealing with soft demand https://hubs.li/Q02x6QG90 #freight #logistics #supplychain #trucking

3

📉 LTL Carriers See Softer Volume Trends In August In August, less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers experienced a noticeable decline in shipment volumes, with XPO reporting a 4.6% year-over-year drop in tonnage. Despite this, the company managed to maintain favorable yield results, thanks to effective cost management and strategic initiatives. The Purchasing Managers’ Index also indicated continued weakness in the manufacturing sector, contributing to the softer demand. While this trend may seem concerning, it highlights the importance of partnering with a reliable logistics provider. John S. James Co. is highly skilled in navigating such market fluctuations, offering a full catalog of services including customs brokerage and freight forwarding. Our expertise ensures that your supply chain remains efficient and resilient, even in challenging times. Visit johnsjames.com to learn more about how we can support your logistics needs and help your business thrive. #LTL #Freight #Logistics #SupplyChain #CustomsBrokerage #FreightForwarding #Manufacturing #XPO #JohnSJamesCo #August2024 #USLogistics #GlobalTrade

3

Expeditors' Less-than-Container Load (LCL) Express delivers significant cost savings, often up to 50% less than airfreight, without compromising reliability. Learn more about LCL Express services that can optimize your supply chain: https://hubs.la/Q02R9rSD0

108

Curious about the benefits of LTL shipping? Our Chief Pricing and Customer Relations Officer, Chuck Albright delves into when and why it's a good option in his latest LinkedIn article. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gXqFspnV #LTLshipping #logistics #AltransPostalSolutions

1

Many of you know I’ve long argued that FreightWaves Contract Load Acceptance Volume (CLAV.USA) metric is not a good representation of for-hire truckload freight volumes in the USA. The recent article Craig Fuller published (https://lnkd.in/gpa4CexE) lends support for my concerns. I want to draw attention to this quote: “Contracted load accepted volumes, another SONAR index measuring contracted load demand, tell us that the market has grown since January 2023. As of April 15, 2024, year-over-year contracted volumes are up 9%.” Here are two facts that raise serious validity concerns (in my professional academic opinion) that make me believe CLAV isn’t nationally representative: [1]: It doesn’t align with Q1 public truckload carrier financial results. When you look at the chart provided in the article, CLAV has been up throughout 2024 relative to 2023. Yet, you have carriers like JB Hunt hauling fewer loads (-6.8% YoY for dedicated and -5.2% for truckload) in Q1 2024 than Q1 2023. That decline can’t represent JBH turning down that much contractual business due to low rates from contractual customers. [2]: Other indexes such as Cass Shipments and For-Hire Trucking Ton-Miles aren’t showing strong YoY gains; they are showing the opposite in YoY declines of 2-4%. The trucking ton-mile index is nationally representative because it is constructed from the Commodity Flow Survey and various government data sources. Implication: while I really like FreightWaves’ Outbound Tender Rejection Index (OTRI.USA), which I believe is a good indicator of the current balance of supply and demand in the truckload sector, too many other data points result in me concluding that the underlying tender volume data are not representative of truckload freight demand. For anyone who wants to argue differently, ask yourself this: are you or most of the other carriers/brokers you know seeing 9% year-over-year increases in truckload freight volumes? JBH and Knight-Swift certainly aren’t. #supplychain #supplychainmanagement #freight #trucking #truckload #logistics

192

16 Comments

Retail Today talked to C.H. Robinson's Noah Hoffman about the potential for dynamic forecasting to improve supply chain management, and why connecting your purchase order management to your freight transportation management can be a smart play. https://bit.ly/3LHNTVr

1

#Interesting and very #DESPERATE times ... if some carriers have embraced the concept of a "Loss Leader" just to keep the doors open. The concept of ... "Yea, we lose a $1 on every sale, but we'll make it up in volume" has #NEVER worked in retail and it definitely won't work here in trucking where it's #NOT $1 per load, but hundreds of dollars per load. I get it that there are some carriers that are just barely staying alive and hoping and praying the #CashFlow will keep them alive to fight another day. But losing money on loads, is #NEVER a good idea, especially when you are struggling. I personally know of one such TL carrier with over 400 trucks out of the Northwest that may not survive the month. I hope and pray that they do, for the sake of the drivers and employees. But when #Leadership is too proud to admit their mistakes, and unwilling to accept the recommendations of those wanting and willing to assist to help the carrier survive ... and even provide those services on a Pro Bono basis (for some that may not know the term, that's for #No #Charge) ... there's not much that friends or associates can do. Anyhow, enough about that ... read the article and I'm sure you'll walk away scratching your head. https://lnkd.in/gsvQDjCb

3

Dry Van Spot Rate Update 6/13: -W/w National AVG Flat at $1.64 per mile -Dry van post volumes remained within 3% of last year following last week's 2% w/w decrease in the first shipping week of June -Carrier equipment posts were 24% higher as carriers returned to the market after the Memorial Day break (Thank goodness 🙌) Areas where shippers may see service issues or elevated spot rates: CA, TX, Southeast (Produce impact) How does this impact shipper operations? Surging rates out of tight areas due to high load volumes but lack of equipment primarily driven by produce season There is capacity available but securing it is highly competitive

2

Freight Brokerages Decline at a -6.1% Rate in November 2023 The latest figures from the FMCSA reveal a notable shift in the freight brokerage landscape. There are now 28,950 active freight brokerage MC numbers, reflecting a -6.1% year-over-year decline for November 2023. This follows a -7.4% decline observed in October. 📉 Key Highlights: Current Count: 28,950 active freight brokerage MC numbers. Recent Declines: October 2023: -7.4% November 2023: -6.1% Post-2020 Growth: Despite recent declines, there are still 24% more active brokerages than in December 2020. These numbers highlight significant growth in the number of freight brokerages since 2020, despite the recent contraction. The freight market continues to adjust, and these fluctuations reflect ongoing challenges and market dynamics. For more in-depth analysis and free research, visit Brush Pass Research. Special thanks to Kathy Sardelli and Mark Draeb at Carrier Details LLC for providing the data. Read the full analysis here: https://lnkd.in/gRbegRck #FreightBrokerage #MarketTrends #IndustryAnalysis #Logistics #BrushPassResearch 📞 Want more insights? Call us at +1 646-731-4735 🌐 Visit us at www.brushpassresearch.com

1