ECONOMIC WATCH: Canadian spot market loads reach post-pandemic highs

by Today's Trucking

TORONTO, Ont. – Canada’s spot market load volumes reached their highest levels in the first week of September since before the Covid-19 pandemic struck in March, according to Loadlink data.

Following a strong start to September, load volumes weakened in the second week of the month, as a result of the Labor Day holiday in the U.S. and Canada. But average daily load numbers in September were up 5% compared to the August average, Loadlink Technologies reported.

(Source: Loadlink Technologies)

Overall freight volumes for the month could better August levels by 10-12% if current growth is sustained.

Loadlink noted the Manitoba-Illinois lane saw the greatest growth, with a 610% surge from the last week in August. Quebec-Tennessee saw a 154% surge in postings, while Ontario-South Carolina loads were up 122%.

Intra-Canada lanes seeing a significant uptick included Saskatchewan-Manitoba, up 89%, and Quebec-New Brunswick up 25%.

The truck-to-load ratio sat at 3.43 in early September, down 2% from August.


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    • Return loads are sharply lower. I know of many owner ops who say that they are coming back empty 50 percent of the time.

      Reply

  • Wait a second… the criteria for judging if freight volume is up is total postings on a load board?

    I bet the answer for this increase in posting is that multiple freight brokers are all posting the same loads…

    Reply