LOW FREIGHT---IS THIS TRUE?

I am being told by my company that all companies are experiencing low freight. We are so SLOW. I asked a few managers and drivers (I've only been driving 3 and a half years and haven't seen it this slow), and each said it's like this at every company because of the tariffs being imposed. Is this correct? I figure experienced drivers would know best. Advice?

There was a big boom with insane amounts of freight last 2 years or so, right now things have kinda corrected themselvs. I know we slow but LTL is a little different than other forms of trucking.

Personally, I am just as busy as I have always been. I have not seen any signs of it, in my company.

I have not seen any type of slowdown, unless I am in a traffic jam.

I received a similar message from my company.

It has absolutely nothing to do with the Tariffs. It will take months or years for anyone to feel the effects of that situation. It will be resolved long before the trucking industry would even feel it. Someone is blowing smoke up your A$$. Some sectors are a bit slow right now. Christmas is just around the corner. Lots of freight coming to a trucking company near you!

Tariffs probably had some effect on rates, but probably very marginal.

Simply put, there was easy money to be made in trucking. A lot of people jumped in, the industry had over capacity and dropped rates back down.

Now the people that weren't in for the long haul or overextended themselves are leaving or going out of business.

If you're looking for info look at spot market rates. They react more quickly to what's happening to capacity and the industry.

Stick with it and don't let the lies get to you.

Freight may be slowing down, but PackRat has not been heard from for a while. PackRat, you okay????

The tariff game absolutely had an impact and it started last fall with overseas shippers front loading the ports ahead of time before the first round of tariffs hit. Both Freightwaves and CCJ published articles covering this very issue. Those loads went out quickly assisting the spot market last fall but didn't provide any carry over through the winter into this spring. This year has been slower with lower rates partially due to the slower pace in the ports as a result of fear in the global market and has effected freight nationally. The overall numbers up until this month though have been comparable in regards to number of loads but last year was so busy and rates were so high, companies added equipment which is now in jeopardy of sitting because it isn't growing like last year and the spot market is all but non existent. All of this information is out there for everyone to read and it's important, even as a company driver, to pay attention to because it also effects freight lanes and miles for many drivers.

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/economics/freight-rates-show-signs-of-decline/amp

I would think that people doing reefer (FOOD) like the Prime Reefer folks are continuing to run, because EVERYONE NEEDS TO EAT - regardless of tariffs.

A friend that hauls steel out of my local port (dumping chinese stuff in from the caribbean) saw a slowdown right when the tariffs hit - but is running his butt off now (re-bar).

Markets always shift when it comes to commodities. Construction STARTS were way up in the last year, but not so much right at the moment - and it depends on where you are.

Here in SoFla, they're building their booties off - but the steel and other materials comes in from a local port, and the concrete and other materials are manufactured locally - so the amount of freight coming in long-haul is likely down.

Rick