Trucking freight demand fell by roughly a third between April and October, despite the latter half of that period representing what should be the peak shipping season ahead of the holidays.
Truckload freight volumes declined for the fourth consecutive month in October, casting a long, cool shadow on shipping activity for holiday retail goods.
Freight market analysts say that 2025 will likely mark a quiet end for the freight recession preceded by the pandemic trucking boom.
Truck lenders must look beyond traditional credit metrics to find strong operators in light of industry challenges, with a heightened focus on asset expertise.
Freight tonnage continued to slow sequentially in October, reaching its lowest level since the start of the year, American Trucking Associations reported Nov. 18.
In a spirited debate at the Chicago Traffic Club, two of the transportation industry’s most influential voices squared off on the challenges facing freight markets.
Major ports are seeing a drop in imports. For the first time this year, rates in October for van, flatbed and refrigerated loads were lower on a monthly and annual basis, the report said, citing the DAT Truckload Volume Index.
The impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs continues to rip through the logistics and transportation sectors, with major ports experiencing a steep drop in imports after records were set earlier this year, and volumes throughout the supply chain rolling over.
Load posts on DAT One fell 5% to 2.04 million during the week of Nov. 8-14.
Both DAT Freight and Analytics and the American Trucking Associations report the freight market worsened in October of 2025.