Trucking rates expected to increase this year: FTR

by Truck News

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Shippers in the US should prepare to pay more for trucking services, according to the latest Shippers Conditions Index from FTR.

The industry forecaster says capacity is tightening, but adds that regulatory drag could slow under the new administration. But solid economic growth in the 2.5% range for 2017 will drive up costs for shippers, FTR reports.

“The economy is beginning to show signs of some acceleration. Manufacturing is attempting to shrug off its inventory woes, and business confidence has certainly improved, although it hasn’t translated into direct investment yet,” said FTR chief operating officer, Jonathan Starks. “If sustained, this would raise the outlook for freight demand this year and into next year. While that would cause capacity to tighten, the tailwind is that the regulatory environment isn’t expected to have as dramatic an impact as initially thought. Costs, especially rates, are still expected to see increases this year after a relatively weak rate environment in 2016.”


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  • Trucking companies can not raise their rates because those shipping will always look for the least expensive carrier even if they do not give good service and cheap carriers will always undercut the rate just to get the work. I know this from years of experience! We offered a rate of $500.00 to someone a few years ago for something that should have been at least $700.00 and the shipper went with another carrier that charged $490.00! En result, load never picked up and the shipper call us complaining that he should have taken my quote. My response “sorry, busy the rest of the week”.

  • Part of the problem is the freight brokers! They just need to pay their phone & Internet bills! They don’t have to worry about that call at 3am from your driver with a broken down truck! They have no idea what overhead means but yet Truckers are still going to them for work rather than direct to the shippers! We need to smarten up quit cutting your neighbors throat for $10 & get back to real trucking!