Flatbed rates stay strong to start 2012
April 25, 2012
Flatbed rates are showing some of the most resilient pricing in the industry. Since September 2010, the year-over-year rate environment has been at or above 6% every month except one. In January it came in right at 6%. It has a very good chance of maintaining that streak during 2012. The capacity situation in the Flatbed market is significantly tighter than most markets. As such, flatbed rates continue to stay very strong.
A large reduction in capacity during the downturn combined with a strong industrial recovery to make for a strong rate environment. This led to a very strong Flatbed rates surge during 2010, with Q4 nearly hitting the double-digit mark for year-over-year growth. Rate growth eased to start 2011 as we finally started overlapping the recovery time frame, but still remained at the 6% mark. Growth returned at the end of 2011 and is likely to continue.
Outlook
Flatbed rates dropped over 6% in 2009 after remaining nearly flat for 2008. Pricing quickly came back with a 5.6% gain in 2010 and a further increase of 6.9% in 2011. We expect that Flatbed rates will be able to maintain this pace in 2012 and 2013 before accelerating in 2014. We are forecasting growth of 6.5% in 2012, 7.2% in 2013, and 8.9% in 2014. If construction of infrastructure or residential housing were to take off stronger than our current forecast assumes then that would say that there is additional upside to the rates outlook.
NOTE:
Our truckload rates data is based on publically-available data from security analysts and trade organizations. We then forecast the cost and margin elements, factoring in inflation and industry conditions. The figures are for rate-per-loaded-mile, seasonally adjusted and are indexed to 2003Q1.
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Upgrade to a Premium MemberRecent Indicators
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Trucking Conditions Index moves higher in August
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August 31, 2012
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Truck Loadings Outlook
Truck loadings stronger in July, up 0.7%
August 29, 2012
Truck loadings grow in June
July 24, 2012
Truck loadings rise again in May
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Truck loadings rebound in April
May 30, 2012
Truck loadings disappoint in March
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Loadings By Segment
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Tank loadings drop 0.2% in July
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Loadings By Commodity
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Trucking Conditions Index moves higher in August
October 4, 2012
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August 31, 2012
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September 27, 2012
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TL rates staying soft in Q2
July 16, 2012
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June 19, 2012
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Truckload Costs Outlook
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Diesel prices increase faster than expected
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Diesel price outlook moves lower
July 23, 2012
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Little change in diesel price outlook
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Weekly On-Highway Diesel Price
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May 20, 2013
Diesel price rises in DOE’s 1,000th week of data
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Diesel price dips slightly to $3.845
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Trucking Conditions Index
Trucking Conditions Index rises sharply
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Trucking Conditions Index moves higher in August
October 4, 2012
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August 31, 2012
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July 31, 2012
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August 29, 2012
Truck utilization unchanged in June
July 26, 2012
Truck utilization steady in May
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Truck utilization rises again in April
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New Truck Order Activity
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Fleet failures hit a record low in Q2
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Trucking failures remain very low
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Truck Transportation Payroll Employment
Trucking adds 11,700 jobs in April
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Conditions index dips after big improvement
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Trucking Conditions Index moves higher in August
October 4, 2012
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August 31, 2012
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GDP Outlook
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August 23, 2012
GDP forecast moves lower
July 23, 2012
GDP forecast risks are rising
June 19, 2012
GDP forecast relatively unchanged
May 18, 2012
U.S. economy is muddling along
April 20, 2012
Industrial Production Outlook
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August 23, 2012
Manufacturing outlook moves lower
July 24, 2012
Manufacturing outlook dips
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Manufacturing rebounds in April
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Diesel Outlook
Diesel prices increase faster than expected
August 23, 2012
Diesel price outlook moves lower
July 23, 2012
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Little change in diesel price outlook
May 23, 2012
EIA sees near-term stability in diesel prices
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Housing Starts
Housing starts up 7% in March
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Housing permits up 4.6% in February
March 19, 2013
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Housing starts jump 12.1% in December
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Business Inventories-to-Sales
Business inventories rise in January
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Sales outpace inventories in November
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Inventories-to-sales ratio holds steady
January 12, 2012
Inventories relative to sales are lean and steady
December 13, 2011
Inventories grow leaner relative to sales
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Manufacturing Orders
Factory orders down in March
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Durable goods orders fall 5.7%
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Aircraft sector spurs jump in durable goods orders
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Durable goods orders up 4.6%
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Retail Sales
Retail sales edge higher in April
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Retail sales up in November
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Retail sales nearly flat in April
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ISM Manufacturing Index
ISM: Manufacturing growth slows in April
May 1, 2013
ISM: Manufacturing growth slows in March
April 1, 2013
ISM: Manufacturing sector strong in February
March 1, 2013
ISM index rises in January
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ISM manufacturing index rises in December
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Driver Labor Index
FTR Driver Labor Index drops again in August
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FTR Driver Labor Index drops in July
August 8, 2012
FTR Driver Labor Index ticks up
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FTR Driver Labor Index jumps
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Driver Shortage Outlook
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September 13, 2012
Driver shortage rises slightly in Q2
August 15, 2012
Driver shortage staying moderately tight
July 16, 2012
Driver shortage outlook lowered
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Truck Transportation Payroll Employment
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New Truck Order Activity
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Truck Utilization Outlook
Truck utilization stays near 95% in July
August 29, 2012
Truck utilization unchanged in June
July 26, 2012
Truck utilization steady in May
July 2, 2012
Truck utilization rises again in April
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September 8, 2011
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Intermodal Loadings Outlook
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September 13, 2012
Intermodal loadings up 0.2% in June
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Intermodal loadings strong in May
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June 6, 2012
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Intermodal Rates Outlook
Intermodal rates slowed during 2011
June 12, 2012
Intermodal rates are staying strong
October 5, 2011
Intermodal rates accelerated during Q2
August 31, 2011
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July 11, 2011
Intermodal rates remain strong, ready to surge
May 11, 2011
West Coast Port Activity
Port activity fell in July
September 5, 2012
Port activity up for 4th straight month
August 8, 2012
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July 9, 2012
Port activity strong in April
June 12, 2012
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Dry Van
Dry van loadings continue growth in July
September 27, 2012
Dry van loadings up in June, Q2 revised higher
July 25, 2012
Dry van loadings up 0.3% in May
July 5, 2012
Dry van loadings up 0.7% in April
May 31, 2012
Dry van loadings flat in March
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Refrigerated
Refrigerated loadings rebound 0.6% in July
September 27, 2012
Refrigerated loadings drop 0.5% in June
July 25, 2012
Refrigerated loadings up 0.2% in May
July 5, 2012
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May 31, 2012
Refrigerated loadings flat in Q1
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Flatbed
Flatbed loadings surge 1.9% in July
September 27, 2012
Flatbed loadings up 0.4% in June
July 25, 2012
Flatbed loadings up 0.6% in May
July 5, 2012
Flatbed rebounded 1.7% in April
May 31, 2012
Flatbed loadings drop in March
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Tank
Tank loadings drop 0.2% in July
September 27, 2012
Tank loadings jump 1.1% in June
July 25, 2012
Tank loadings unchanged in May
July 5, 2012
Tank loadings jump in April
June 4, 2012
Tank loadings dip in March
May 3, 2012
Bulk / Dump
Bulk/dump loadings jump 1.3% in July
September 27, 2012
Bulk/dump loadings down 0.6% in June
July 25, 2012
Bulk/dump loadings up 0.2% in May
July 5, 2012
Bulk/dump loadings up in April
June 4, 2012
Bulk/dump loadings drop sharply
May 3, 2012
Automotive loadings fall 2.7% in July
September 27, 2012
Bulk aggregates loadings up 1.1% in July
September 27, 2012
Construction loadings improve in July
September 27, 2012
Chemical loadings better than expected, still down
September 27, 2012
Food loadings up 0.5% in July
September 27, 2012
Dry Van
Dry van rates are easing but still strong
April 25, 2012
Dry van rates hit double-digit gains in Q2
September 1, 2011
Dry Van rates are improving, should be strong this fall
June 7, 2011
Refrigerated
Refrigerated rates remain relatively stable
May 3, 2012
Growth in refrigerated rates remains stable
September 1, 2011
Reefer rates are growing, outlook is slightly less robust
June 7, 2011
Flatbed
Flatbed rates stay strong to start 2012
April 25, 2012
Flatbed rates are staying strong
October 5, 2011
Flatbed rates continue to remain strong
July 18, 2011
Tank
Tank rates are down so far in 2011
September 8, 2011
Tank rates have been weak, finally growing
May 11, 2011
Bulk / Dump
Intermodal
Intermodal rates slowed during 2011
June 12, 2012
Intermodal rates are staying strong
October 5, 2011
Intermodal rates accelerated during Q2
August 31, 2011
Intermodal rates have eased recently, but will stay strong
July 11, 2011
Intermodal rates remain strong, ready to surge
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