The US economy avoided a much-rumored recession in 2023 and expanded more than expected as inflation subsided. The freight economy took longer to begin to recover than expected after bottoming out last year. The outlook as we draw closer to 2025 remains as uncertain as ever. External events and the presidential election cloud the overall picture. This panel will discuss:
• The outlook for the US economy and freight demand.
• Trends in manufacturing and retail markets and inventories.
• The likely impact on transportation modes, capacity and pricing.
• Detailed forecasts for trucking and for intermodal rail.
The collapse of Yellow in July 2023 reshaped the less-than-truckload sector, almost immediately pulling the surviving LTL carriers out of a freight recession and increasing LTL costs — especially for former customers of Yellow, then the third-largest LTL provider. Today the LTL sector is seeking out capacity in an unprecedented land rush, not only restoring former Yellow terminals but also building new facilities as carriers plan for more freight. A combination of new technology, changing customer demands and the need for growth are pulling LTL trucking companies in new directions, often deeper into customer supply chains and toward non-traditional markets and services, such as warehousing and transloading ocean freight. This session will examine:
• The new lineup of top LTL carriers.
• How shipper demands are changing the sector.
• How and where LTL carriers are adding capacity.
• Regional and national growth.
• The role of third parties within LTL.
• Why LTL and FTL are on different routes.
• Top shipper concerns with LTL carriers.