Trucking capacity recovering in U.S., ACT Research says

Truck capacity appears to be recovering in the U.S., according to November data from ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index.

The underlying data for the index emerges in a monthly survey of for-hire trucking providers.

Tim Denoyer, vice-president and senior analyst, said ACT’s Capacity Index also rose to its best result since May 2019, led by better driver availability.

“Exemptions from vaccine mandates for most truck driving jobs may aid hiring at the margin, though dock capacity will likely be strained,” he said.

ACT’s For-Hire Pricing Index also rose “with the tempo of the holiday freight drumbeat increasing,” Denoyer added.

“While capacity remains tight and rates continue to rise, the increase in driver availability indicates gradual rebalancing in the market has begun.”

They weren’t the only gains. While November’s supply-demand balance was still lower than April, with freight volumes increasing more than capacity, the numbers still show a tight supply and demand environment.

“Significant unmet demand remains in equipment markets, and the near-term outlook for freight volume remains positive,” he said.