Gary Frantz

Growth in the freight and logistics markets stalled in 2023 owing to overstocking, weak demand, and excess capacity. Expect more of the same in 2024.

Shippers are regaining pricing leverage as an uninspiring peak season has carriers pining for pandemic-era volumes. 

Rail container and trailer volumes are down over 9% from last year, and there’s little prospect of relief so long as domestic destocking continues and international ocean traffic remains soft. Oh, and analysts see no uptick until late 2024.

The bankruptcy of Yellow gives remaining LTL carriers a temporary uptick in freight, but fundamental market challenges remain.

The maritime industry breathed a sigh of relief as West Coast ports inked a labor agreement. The next challenges: the effects of climate change, a tepid global economy, new environmental regs, and a looming capacity glut.

Summer is shaping up to be one for the history books as the market contends with UPS’s labor negotiations, FedEx’s restructuring, downshifting consumer spending, and slackening parcel demand.

Even as trucking begins to find some balance, fleet managers face renewed challenges on many fronts as they work to keep trucks rolling and drive every ounce of efficiency into their operations.

The nation’s shippers and their third-party service providers face a post-pandemic market beset with nagging disruptions, tight warehouse space, and higher costs for just about everything. Here’s how two organizations—BJC HealthCare and Ryder—tackled the challenge.

The motor freight sector has a reputation for foreshadowing economic trends. Entering the spring, freight carriers are cautiously optimistic, yet nervous shippers and a capacity glut could dampen the outlook for the sector’s recovery. 

As shippers and carriers adjust and adapt to a post-pandemic world, technology providers face a fast-changing market full of new entrants and fresh demands as well as old challenges.