Delicate Balance Between Supply & Demand in Trucking: Report

LOMBARD, IL — A new report from the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) reveals that transportation costs were only up 3 percent in 2012 and suggests that the United States is no longer in recovery mode, saying it has reached a “new normal.”

The report, titled “State of Logistics Report,” has tracked the costs of moving freight through the U.S. supply chain since 1988. This year’s report finds that the slight increase in 2012 transportation costs was because of weak and inconsistent freight volumes, as well as pressure to hold rates.

Rick Blasgen, CSCMP president and CEO said the report “contains the information and industry perspectives that will not only enable supply chain leaders to prepare for the business challenges ahead, but capitalize on opportunities that exist.”

“The trucking industry is maintaining a tenuous balance between supply and demand,” the report’s press release stated. This balance, it suggests, is likely to be agitated when the new hours-of-service (HOS) regulations go into effect in the U.S. on July 1.

Due to the new HOS, the report suggests that the current driver shortage of 30,000 could balloon to be as high as 100,000.

Truck sales have also gained strength in the last year, but still aren’t at replacement levels. Meanwhile, used truck prices have skyrocketed and as a result, the supply has dwindled.

The report is presented by Penske Logistics. For more information, visit CSCMP’s website.


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