Shippers Conditions Index reflects balanced freight market
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The January Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) reflected a balanced freight market, FTR reported.
The 1.4 reading was slightly lower than December’s 1.8, but remained in positive territory for shippers. FTR forecasts the index to remain close to neutral through the first quarter and then to rise slowly as the year progresses.
However, it also notes conditions for shippers will improve only marginally as capacity will remain historically tight.
“While conditions for shippers are forecast to remain neutral to positive over the coming months, it is possible that the duration and extent of flooding in the U.S. Midwest could be a headwind to those improvements, depending on where your freight is moving,” said Todd Tranausky, vice-president of rail and intermodal for FTR. “Overall stable fuel prices and more available capacity than was experienced in 2018 will create a relatively calm environment.”
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Rates are too low in Canada with the new carbon tax to pay truck drivers a fair wage compared to other jobs out. We need to set minimum rates of driver pay including loading and unloading time for O.TR truck drivers with 2 years or 200,000 ok experience of 1.9 times the minimum wage of the province the driver is driving in. A study recently done by U.S Dept of labor said unpaid hours at a fair wage is causing truck drivers to get other jobs. A similar study was done on spring of 2006 in Canada. We need to fix parking and drivers pay or we will have a truck shortage in March of 2020. The C .T .A should not be allowed to bring foreign truck drivers as there is no year round shortage of trucks at this time . Farmers should only be allowed to bring in foreigners from to drive truck from April 1 till Dec 20 with a limit of 3 truck drivers and one mechanic or herdsperson per farm . The Truck drivers could allowed to come 2 months before on a training Visa but after getting their truck permit would be effective after April 1 till Dec 20 of each year and the farmer would to $10,000 for the course and provide free housing and a pickup or car to use in off time. This plan works in Australia now.