Less-than-Truckload Performance in March 2021
March 2021 - Transportation Market Report
March was not pretty for the less-than-truckload mode. From missed pickups and terminal closures to serve weather and driver shortages, the mode experienced everything that could go wrong. Unfortunately, we are not anticipating this going away in the near term.
“The LTL freight transportation industry continues to experience unprecedented capacity issues. These challenges are only expected to intensify over the coming months, as factors such as the pandemic, driver shortages, and the impending stimulus package are working together to create never-before-seen impacts on our nation’s freight”. - Rob Estes. Estes President and CEO
While the carriers are doing the right thing from buying new equipment to making the driver position more attractive with bonuses and pay increases, we are still not seeing a lot of traction when it comes to recruiting new drivers. The industry’s driver pool is estimated to have shrunk by 200,000 last year as driver schools operated at roughly half capacity and the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse sidelined operators. Also, many drivers parked their trucks over fears of contracting COVID. It is also being reported that retirements in 2021 will far exceed previous years. The average age of a CDL holder is 49 years old, 7 years higher than the age of the average US worker overall. Hopefully, the actions the carriers are taking today will pay off sooner rather than later.
However, in the meantime be prepared for something like what we just saw while managing an RFP. We recently had a large regional carrier come back to us with a significant opportunity, potential for new business, and just say, thanks, but no, thanks. We cannot take on new business. Not only are they declining to take on the new business they are also going back to existing shippers and saying we are going to put a cap on how many pallets we are going to pick up with you folks.
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