The latest release of ACT’s For-Hire Trucking Index, with October data, showed a decrease in volumes, pricing and productivity, with capacity up slightly and with a lower but still-healthy supply-demand balance.
Despite the decrease and uncertainty around the pandemic, ACT Research Vice President and Senior Analyst Tim Denoyer said the outlook for freight volume remains positive
“While the pandemic continues to cast uncertainty, the freight volume outlook remains positive,” he said. “In spite of the supply-chain constraints, retailers have managed to stock up ahead of the holidays, the consumer balance sheet is strong and massive restocking demand remains ahead.”
Denoyer noted that driver availability improved considerably in October.
“The most critical survey takeaways this month revolve around the driver market, with the Driver Availability Index improving considerably in October, as it became clear that most fleets will be exempt from proposed federal vaccine rules,” he added. “The large fleets who train the vast majority of the industry’s
