BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) improved to an essentially neutral 0.3 in August from -1.03 in July.
The gain was due primarily to less challenging freight rates. Although utilization was the most positive factor, it was not very strong.
“The potential for a capacity-driven recovery in trucking has risen over the past month due to severe restrictions imposed on issuing and renewing commercial driver’s licenses for foreign drivers,” said Avery Vise, FTR’s vice president of trucking. “However, despite some anecdotal reports about various effects of a crackdown on immigrant drivers, available data has yet to show a substantial impact on market conditions. We expect pressure on foreign drivers to be a significant factor for capacity in the coming months, but many questions remain about the scope and speed of the effects of tighter CDL and English language enforcement on the truck freight market.”
While the near-term TCI outlook is in similar range as August’s reading, FTR is forecasting improved market conditions in 2026 and 2027.
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.
