BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — FTR’s Shippers Conditions for March remained in basically neutral territory, improving marginally to +0.1 from -0.3 in February.
“Uncertainty over tariffs is a risk for the economy, but an expected sluggishness in the freight market in the near term should bring some benefits to shippers in terms of fluidity and pricing,” said Avery Vise, FTR’s vice president of trucking. “The longer-term consequences are less clear, however. For example, one consequence of a sharp drop in freight volume might be loss of trucking capacity, which could lead to a tighter market in 2026. Another issue to watch is whether stricter enforcement of truck drivers’ English language skills results in a meaningful hit to the supply of drivers.”
According to an FTR media release, falling diesel prices and slightly less challenging utilization offset stronger volumes and less favorable rates to create basically neutral market conditions in March.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
