U.S. Bank Freight Payments Index

Q4 freight market continues to face headwinds

US freight market continued to face headwinds in Q4 2024
(Source: U.S. Bank)

Data released Tuesday by freight audit and payment provider U.S. Bank showed a trucking industry continuing to battle a variety of headwinds. According to the latest U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index, shipment volumes fell 4.7% from the previous quarter, marking the 10th consecutive quarterly decline. Spending by shippers also decreased, albeit at a slower rate of 2.2%.

“It’s clear there are both cyclical and structural...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/q4-freight-market-continues-to-face-headwinds

Q4 freight data shows market reboot slower than anticipated

Data released Tuesday by freight audit and payment provider U.S. Bank showed a trucking industry continuing to battle cyclical and structural headwinds. The U.S. freight market continued its downward trend in the fourth quarter of 2024. According to the latest U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index, shipment volumes fell 4.7% from the previous quarter, marking the 10th consecutive quarterly decline. Spending by shippers also decreased, albeit at a slower rate of 2.2%.

“It’s clear there are both...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/q4-freight-data-shows-market-reboot-slower-than-anticipated

Shippers move LTL freight to full truckload

Shippers move LTL freight to full truckload
(Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

The ongoing freight recession is having a multimodal spillover effect as shippers look for creative ways to save costs. Excess supply of trucking capacity remains the 18-wheeled elephant in the room, to such an extent that we see instances in which LTL is losing share to full truckload due to lower costs. Typically full truckload can compete with rail and intermodal when rates are lower, but recent Q1 earnings commentary...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/shippers-move-ltl-freight-to-full-truckload

Werner aims to grow dedicated after Q4 earnings miss

Werner aims to grow dedicated after Q4 earnings miss

(Source: Werner Enterprises; chart: FreightWaves)

On Tuesday, truckload carrier Werner Enterprises released its Q4 earnings, which saw one-way customers (or OTR) continue one last push for savings on upcoming RFPs but nearing an inflection point due to profitability concerns.

The pricing discipline and willingness to limit the company’s semi-random OTR network while pivoting to dedicated is a proven down-market strategy in which you adjust...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/werner-aims-to-grow-dedicated-after-q4-earnings-miss

U.S. Bank Index variances suggest possible bottom for excess capacity

Quarterly data from U.S. Bank, one of the largest processors of trucking invoices in the country, could suggest a balance between supply and demand is on the horizon.

The two key outright numbers produced by the U.S. Bank Freight Payments Index are for shipments and spend. Both declined relative to the third quarter. The Shipments Index value was 95.0, down 10.9% from the prior-quarter figure of 106.6. 

The Spend Index was 233.9. That was down just 1.4% from the previous quarter but down 13.5%...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/u-s-bank-index-variances-suggest-possible-bottom-for-excess-capacity