We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
Home » Monthly shippers index shows relief from high freight rates
Forward Thinking

Monthly shippers index shows relief from high freight rates

January 25, 2019
Supply Chain Quarterly Staff
No Comments

After months of paying record-high trucking prices in a tight capacity market, shippers are finally beginning to see relief thanks to softening rates and slumping fuel prices, according to the latest monthly index of market conditions generated by the industry consulting firm FTR.

Bloomington, Ind.-based FTR's Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) for November moved from negative territory to a positive reading of 0.1, marking the ranking's first positive reading in more than two years and its best since August of 2016.

Shippers Conditions Index

FTR expects those condition to endure, predicting that the SCI will stay within a range close to neutral throughout 2019, and could even move into more positive territory if freight rates continue to be pushed lower by forces such as weakening demand, strong truck buying, and improved driver hiring, the firm said.

"Conditions have improved noticeably for shippers in the last few months," Todd Tranausky, vice president of rail and intermodal at FTR, said in a statement. "The prospect of sustained lower fuel prices, increasing capacity in the truck and rail sectors, and the first signs of a turn in rail service raise the prospect of a much better 2019 than shippers expected during much of 2018."

The news does not necessarily fortell worsening conditions for carriers, however. Thanks to the same slump in fuel prices, FTR's Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) also rebounded in November after plunging for the previous three months.

FTR calculates its SCI by tracking four major variables in the U.S. full-load freight market, including freight demand, freight rates, fleet capacity, and fuel price.The firm then combines those individual metrics into a single index that measures changes in shippers' freight transport environment. A positive score represents good, optimistic conditions, while a negative score represents bad, pessimistic conditions.

Finance Logistics
    • Related Articles

      U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index sees high Q3 shipment and spend levels, shows some deceleration

      July Cowen/AFS Freight Index: High fuel surcharges, seasonal factors to prop up transportation costs

      Surprising LTL strength, falling truckload rates and parcel GRI impacts: Q1 Cowen/AFS Freight Index

    Recent Articles by Supply Chain Quarterly Staff

    Funding to build EV charging infrastructure will shift from federal to states, report says

    Container volumes at Port Houston dipped in August compared to record levels of 2022

    Trimble says real-time route optimization tool beats static batch planning

    You must login or register in order to post a comment.

    Report Abusive Comment

    Most Popular Articles

    • Wabash opens trailer manufacturing facility in Indiana

    • Six defining challenges of omnichannel fulfillment

    • Postal advocacy group says “excessive” July 9 stamp price hike will hurt consumers

    • CPKC and CSX buy rail assets from Genesee & Wyoming

    • California bill would require large corporations to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions

    Featured Video

    8757b894 244c 4429 b5d8 e6df7b479d82

    Penalties for Wood Packaging Material Violations

    Viewer Contributed
    Our Services Include: Customs Broker Denver Freight Forwarder Denver Global Logistics Denver Cargo Insurance Denver Customs Bond Denver Customs Clearance Denver Customs Duty Denver Isf Filing Denver More details: Phone : 281-445-9779 Email: info@gallaghertransport.com Website: gallaghertransport.com

    FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

    • Five questions to ask before electrifying your indoor forklift fleet

    • Operator assist system myths busted

    • Three layers of forklift safety: Promoting operating best practices

    • The Complete Guide to Automated Packaging

    View More

    Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

    Get Your Subscription
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • E-NEWSLETTERS
    • ADVERTISING
    • CUSTOMER CARE
    • CONTACT
    • ABOUT
    • STAFF
    • PRIVACY POLICY

    Copyright ©2023. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing