Truckload carrier Heartland Express reported another loss in the third quarter and said cost cutting alone won’t return it to profitability.
March data from Cass shows a deceleration in shipment growth and a higher chance of a freight recession, although “it is too early to call.”
Several of the nation’s largest retailers say inventory positions are improving. However, retail sales continue to outpace efforts to stock up, suggesting trucking demand could stay elevated well into 2021.
Sell-side research analysts have made their bets on trucking in 2021. Some believe a continuation in consumer spending and inventory restocking will benefit truckload carriers while others see less-than-truckload carriers gaining traction as the industrial economy advances.
Trucking executives were on hand at Stephens Annual Investment Conference this week, making it known that this cycle is different and that the current market dynamics are here for a while.
Management from Schneider National expects tightness in the trucking markets to continue. Inventory restocking will keep truck demand elevated and new capacity is entering the market at a slower pace than in previous cycles.
