JOC Staff | Dec 03, 2012 3:15PM EST
Truckload freight demand improved sequentially in November after a weak October, partly because of Hurricane Sandy and partly because of strong Black Friday and Cyber Monday retail sales, according to Stifel Nicolaus Transportation & Logistics Research Group’s mid-fourth quarter truckload industry update and third quarter review.
The likely implementation of the new hours of service rules in mid-2013 and the industry’s looming driver shortage have the potential to reduce effective capacity further in 2013.
Contract rate increases offered by large carriers are predicted to continue, although at a slow rate, and could accelerate in late 2013, given the implementation of the new hours of service rules.
