It has rocked the freight market if for no other reason than the cost of filling a truck has … The freight market saw capacity and pricing extremes in March unparalleled since the pandemic, according to a monthly query of supply chain executives. J.B. Hunt Transport Services beat first-quarter expectations, reporting record volumes in its intermodal segment. Werner’s Q1 results highlight early signs of a freight recovery, with rising rates and shrinking capacity setting up stronger earnings in the second half. Extreme supply and pricing dynamics persisted across the freight market in April, according to a monthly survey of supply chain managers. The Trump administration’s trade agenda is facing mounting legal and political pressure from importers, the European Union and automakers.
A backlog of unshipped orders from prior weeks, combined with an influx of new orders, will likely strain logistics networks as importers prepare for potential future disruptions. Transportation rates are expected to surge as importers rush to leverage the temporary tariff reductions, potentially creating capacity constraints across the supply chain. Larger, more consistent importers are likely to benefit most, as they typically receive preferential treatment from carriers when capacity tightens. Companies may struggle to secure containers in China and access truck or intermodal chassis capacity in the United States. This abrupt shift in trade policy is likely to create significant logistical challenges. “And this is what the truckers are fighting right now and this is what brokers are fighting, a deterioration in the volume available to them because of intermodal,” Fuller said.
The modest growth in domestic volumes the market has seen this year to date should be well within the sector’s capabilities to handle, but it’s far too soon to “declare victory,” writes Larry Gross. The pressure remains far less severe than the shortages that disrupted inland supply chains during the pandemic, but after nearly four years of relative stability, truckers and rail workers say equipment gaps are emerging. Carriers and shippers can expect a few bumps on the freight market’s road to recovery even as rates continue to climb, FedEx Freight CEO John Smith says. The message is clear — the market isn’t moving, but it’s not lifting you up either. That combination says a lot about where we are in this freight cycle — caught somewhere between survival mode and slow recovery.
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While Portland has struggled to keep the doors open at its lone container terminal, the Maritime Administration has awarded a grant to a similar project from a competing port. Port Houston reported its first container slowdown since early 2025 in April, though executives say improving May volumes point to a quick recovery. Investigators say organized cargo theft crews continue targeting Arizona rail corridors, with train burglaries occurring up to a dozen times each month across Northern Arizona. The biggest U.S. container port leveraged a program to award $54.4 million in materials and services contracts to small businesses.
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But at 145%, “we’re talking about effectively cutting off most trade. Even when the discussion was about a 54% tariff from China, “that felt like many businesses could absorb that cost.” “But if you look at the day-to-day trade data, it is telling us that bookings are literally dropping off the shelf, and we’re seeing bookings down 60% from where they were before,” he said. One statistic they cited was SONAR’s IOTI.USA, which is a 14-day moving average of import bookings of twenty-foot equivalent units. That rejection rate, Fuller said, “suggests that the market is still in a recovery process.
- Even when the discussion was about a 54% tariff from China, “that felt like many businesses could absorb that cost.”
- Tariff concerns and West Coast port activity are shaping intermodal market volumes and pricing trends.
- Norfolk Southern has promoted a 21-year company veteran to lead intermodal and automotive operations.
- FTR and Witte Econometrics project a tougher freight market after a first-quarter import surge, based on Bureau of Economic Analysis data.
- J.B. Hunt’s strong earnings were largely driven by a historic growth in intermodal usage.
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The PMI new orders subindex – a signal for future activity – moved into expansion territory (51.4) after six consecutive months of decline. https://alcitynews.com/optimize-your-logistics-with-solutions-freightbox-cross-docking.html The revisions are moving the industry toward a density-based coding system that is expected to more accurately align actual carrier costs with pricing. What they’re actually doing is they are sacrificing growth in the future by cutting back.”
- But this year, we’re back to East Coast ports seeing a bigger share of container imports.
- Air freight rates are projected to remain elevated through the end of October, supported by urgent cargo movements ahead of the possible tariff deadline.
- The pressure remains far less severe than the shortages that disrupted inland supply chains during the pandemic, but after nearly four years of relative stability, truckers and rail workers say equipment gaps are emerging.
- AVI-SPL supply chain executive Jeremy Codiroli said the recent launch of autonomous trucking operations in Texas represents a forward-thinking approach to risk management for the freight industry.
BulkLoads has acquired Livestock Network, adding the livestock-focused load board and online community to its freight marketplace. Paper Transport Inc. has announced a partnership with Tesla to evaluate the Tesla Semi Long Range in dedicated operations within the Chicago market. Modest parcel revenue growth cannot mask the financial pressure facing global postal operators amid rising costs, declining letter volumes and competition from private couriers, according to a new industry report.
DP World’s Marine Services business, Shipping Solutions (“Shipping Solutions”), has… A number of circular economy projects in Port of Antwerp-Bruges have recently received… Global GSA Group is set to support Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras’ next phase of growth… Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, has expanded operations in… Rocky Mountain Steel Mills marks the official commencement of operations at new facility
ADM is beefing up its management as https://www.faststartfinance.org/optimize-your-logistics-and-distribution/ it expects clearer U.S. biofuels policy and renewed soybean trade with China to improve the farm economy. The decision comes as wholesale diesel prices in Britain have increased 40% in the last month and logistics businesses are finding it difficult to manage ever-increasing cost pressures. Rising fuel costs, reliable service and higher rates amid the end of the four-year recession in trucking are helping convert more freight to rail in the eastern US. With its spin-off completed, standalone carrier FedEx Freight wants to reverse recent volume declines by filling more trailers with non-industrial freight. The deal will see WWEX’s transportation brokerage services directly connected to e-commerce management tools used by small and medium-sized businesses. The Knight Transportation co-founder helped create the modern truckload business and built Knight-Swift into a diversified $6.7 billion transportation company.
DP World plans UAE port, container terminal to bypass Strait of Hormuz: Report
General business news covers logistics only when something dramatic happens. Rate fluctuations, regulatory changes, port disruptions, and technology shifts affect your operations daily. A port strike disrupts operations on the US East Coast for two weeks. Our global client advisories can help you pivot as you confront disruptions and uncover new opportunities for growth. Tariff concerns and West Coast port activity are shaping intermodal market volumes and pricing trends.
“As we get into a question of, are tariffs going to be 15% or 16%, that’s a lot different conversation of are they going to be 4% or are they going to be 50%,” Towers said. Asked how they felt about the chances for things to be better or worse than the FTR projections, both Towers and Vise expressed cautious optimism that things could swing somewhat to the upside. FTR’s Freight-cast and its Trucking Update Service offer insights into truck utilization, but FTR said there is a lot of uncertainty, as utilization depends on both volume and capacity as well as productivity. But that likely won’t show up in the number of carriers until the second half of the year or into 2026 as carriers face their policy renewals. Vis, said while it’s definitely a possibility, “We’re skeptical based on enforcement alone if that will be a game changer.”