Freight demand in the U.S. is outpacing the trucking industry\u2019s ability to attract drivers and acquire new equipment, according to forecaster FTR.<\/p>\n
As reported by Today\u2019s Trucking<\/em>:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Avery Vise, FTR\u2019s vice-president \u2013 trucking, noted capacity utilization is near 100%, well above the 10-year average of 91%.<\/p>\n Spot market rates remain near record highs and contract rates are strengthening, Vise noted, pointing out the spot market provides real-time insights into rates but accounts for only about 30% of the freight hauled.<\/p>\n \u201cRates are close to record levels and are showing no clear signs of turning,\u201d he said of the spot market.<\/p>\n The dry van and refrigerated segments are enjoying the strongest conditions, while flatbed has stabilized. Vise said FTR is projecting truck loadings, which have already returned to pre-pandemic levels, to grow about 7% this year. Meanwhile, he added, the industry will be challenged to increase the driver pool by 7%, which means truck utilization is expected to remain high.<\/p>\n \u201cWe see a strong rate environment for quite a while,\u201d said Vise. \u201cThere is not much good news for shippers based on our current forecast.\u201d<\/p>\n Conditions that are limiting the industry\u2019s ability to add capacity include: a backlog of new entrants due to Covid-related closures of state licensing agencies and training centers; a plunge in the U.S. labor force participation rate due to generous unemployment benefits and early retirements; increased job opportunities in other industries; and the drug and alcohol clearinghouse that has sidelined more than 60,000 drivers so far this year.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, new trucking start-ups are surging to record levels in the U.S.<\/p>\n \u201cMost of these [new] carriers are very small,\u201d Vise said. However, they represent about 157,000 drivers over the past year.<\/p>\n Normally, such lucrative conditions for carriers would see them adding capacity. However, supply chain issues are limiting truck and trailer makers\u2019 ability to keep pace with demand.<\/p>\n Don Ake, FTR\u2019s vice-president \u2013 commercial vehicles, said truck and trailer demand this year is similar to 2019, but build rates are much lower. On the truck side, he said this can be chalked up to a shortage of semi-conductors \u2013 there are 15-35 in each Class 8 truck \u2013 while trailer makers are experiencing shortages of other materials and labor.<\/p>\n Ake noted media and analyst reports on the semiconductor shortage are inconsistent, with some saying the backlog should ease in August and other saying they\u2019ll last much longer.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you can\u2019t get enough semiconductors, you can\u2019t build enough trucks,\u201d Ake reasoned.<\/p>\n Comparing 2019 Class 8 demand and build rates to this year, Ake noted there\u2019s about a 40,000-unit gap in production, or 26%, which highlights the impact of the supply chain issues manufacturers are facing this year.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no clear progress being made to catch up,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n