After several volatile years, freight capacity is beginning to tighten again in key regions, which is generally good news for carriers who have stayed in the market through the slower stretch.
Rates in reefer and flatbed have moved up faster than dry van this year, largely driven by seasonal demand and a smaller pool of carriers willing to run specialized equipment.
Fuel costs remain the wildcard. Regional price swings are wider than they've been in years, which makes route-level fuel planning more valuable than it was even twelve months ago.
Our read for owner-operators: this is a good year to be selective rather than to chase every load. Carriers with strong broker relationships are seeing the benefit of that patience already.
Written by David Kim
Finance & Factoring Advisor at JarveX Solutions
