Canada’s spot market sees more capacity, less freight

by Truck News

TORONTO, Ont. – Canadian spot market load volumes increased towards the end of September, but third quarter volumes were 29% off unprecedented Q2 numbers.

Third quarter load volumes were only 11% lower year-over-year, according to TransCore Link Logistics. The truck-to-load ratio started September at 2.90, but improved to 2.68 by the end of the month.

Third quarter load volumes were the second highest ever for a third quarter, behind only last year’s. More trucks are coming online, TransCore noted, with truck postings surging to more than one million postings per month, last seen in the third quarter of 2016.

Compared to August, September’s load volumes were down 15%, and year-over-year volumes were down 22%. TransCore Link Logistics suggests the results reflect a quiet season of shipping activity during a year of record-breaking load activity. Natural disasters and uncertainty about a trade agreement may also have weighed on loads, the company suggests.

Intra-Canada loads accounted for 33% of total volumes and represented a 7% decrease year-over-year. Cross-border loads represented 65% of the data; loads leaving Canada for the U.S. and those headed north were both down 26% y-o-y.

Equipment postings were up 16% compared to last September, with capacity increasing 23% in the third quarter compared to the second quarter. Last September there were 1.8 trucks for every load, and this September that rose to 2.68.


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  • There are enough trucks to move the freight now. The O.T.A. is busy trying to get small trucking companies and farmers pushed out of trucking so they can raise rates and bring in more offshore drivers at cheap wages. This will cause Ontario to be less competitive and cost Canada jobs and taxes.