TL

Top trucking industry executives are hoping 2026 will—finally—be the year when pent-up demand translates into higher freight rates and a return to profitability in both the truckload and less-than-truckload (LTL) sectors.

The September shipments reading, at 1.042, was down 5.4% annually, faring better than August’s 9.3% annual decrease, and increased 2.5% over August. The September shipments reading, at 1.042, was down 5.4% annually, faring better than August’s 9.3% annual decrease, and increased 2.5% over August.

Is the truckload sector nearing the end of its longest downturn in 30 years? Our late-year analysis of the TL market uncovers the key factors shaping capacity and rates—and explores the strategies carriers are employing to navigate the cyclical boom-and-bust nature of TL freight volumes.

Through its proprietary generative AI technology, the company said that the automated steps the technology addresses for an entire lifecycle of a freight shipment, upon receiving and reading an incoming e-mail, include: giving customers a price quote; accepting a load; setting appointments for pickup and delivery; and checking the load in transit.

The new edition of the TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index, which was recently released by New York-based investment firm TD Cowen Inc. and Shreveport, La.-based 3PL and freight audit and payment company AFS Logistics LLC, was somewhat mixed, with what it called unprecedented parcel pricing, as well as more established trends for truckload and less-than-truckload (LTL) rates.

The new edition of the TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index, which was recently released by New York-based investment firm TD Cowen Inc. and Shreveport, La.-based 3PL and freight audit and payment company AFS Logistics LLC, pointed to what continues to be a shippers’ market, with truckload rates remaining low, parcel rates seeing discounting in express and ground parcel, and still-elevated less-than-truckload (LTL) rates.

In a wide-ranging presentation at the SMC3 Connections conference, which was recently held in Colorado Springs, Co., Satish Jindel, principal of Pittsburgh-based SJ Consulting Group, took a deep dive into the current state of the less-than-truckload (LTL) market. Jindel addressed various aspects of the LTL market, including the impact of Yellow’s exit roughly a year ago, industry supply and demand, and opportunities for shippers, carriers, other stakeholders to work together, and changes in the parcel sector posing a threat...

The new edition of the TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index, which was recently released by New York-based investment firm Cowen Inc. and Shreveport, La.-based 3PL and freight audit and payment company AFS Logistics LLC, highlighted mixed readings, as well as expectations, for truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), and parcel activity, from the third quarter to the fourth quarter.

Truckload was the only segment to see a gain for shipment volumes, up 1.9% sequentially, and down 1.4% annually. LTL was off 2.8% sequentially and 5.8% annually, with intermodal down 2.4% sequentially and 16.4% annually. Other modes were down 0.2% sequentially and 11.5% annually.

Logistics Management Group News Editor spoke with Frank Hurst, Executive Vice President, LTL, for Chicago-based third-party logistics and technology-enabled transportation services provider Echo Global Logistics, at this week’s SMC3 Connections conference in Orlando. Hurst addressed various supply chain and logistics trends and themes over the course of their conversation.

The new edition of the BlueGrace Logistics Confidence Index, which was recently released by Tampa, Fla.-based non-asset-based 3PL BlueGrace Logistics, pointed to variation across some key metrics, including revenue, inventory levels, and order levels, with a forward-looking slant.

There is a sharp, telling contrast among yields of trucking companies, depending on which niche they are operating. An expected slow first half for freight demand has morphed into uncertain expectations for the rest of the year. Most truckload (TL) executives are hoping for a second-half rebound to make up for a below-par first half.

The new edition of the Cowen/AFS Freight Index, which was released today by New York-based investment firm Cowen Inc. and Shreveport, La.-based 3PL and freight audit and payment company AFS Logistics LLC, was in line with expectations, for truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), and parcel activity, from the third quarter to the fourth quarter.

The new edition of the Cowen/AFS Freight Index, which was recently released by New York-based investment firm Cowen Inc. and Shreveport, La.-based 3PL and freight audit and payment company AFS Logistics LLC, showed how the duo of higher carrier fuel surcharges and record-high inflation have impacted multiple modes, in tandem with flattening modal growth trajectories, seasonal factors, still-high fuel costs, and softening demand.

While we all know 2020 is truly a year unlike any other, there are many themes that are indicating that will also be the case for this year’s Peak Season. That was made clear on the “Code Red” webinar hosted last week by NASSTRAC, CSCMP, and TranzAct Technologies.