Increased shipping volumes, higher LTL rates on tap for 2022

The supply chain challenges and constraints that plagued the industry in 2021 are expected to continue this year, according to a survey of 1,800 shippers by freight transportation and supply chain services provider Averitt Express, released this week.

The company’s 2022 State of the North American Supply Chain survey shows that 76% of businesses anticipate higher shipping volumes this year, the highest percentage to report expected business growth in the seven-year history of the report. A majority of shippers surveyed–71%—also said they expect to see higher less-than-truckload (LTL) rates in 2022, an 11% increase compared to what the survey showed last year, along with continued capacity constraints.

“If the industry was expecting the new year to bring immediate relief to the challenges of 2021, we may all be best advised to take a deep breath and hold on for a bit longer. Currently facing a new wave of coronavirus, businesses and supply chains are once again having to adapt more quickly than ever right out [of] the gate into 2022,” the company wrote in a blog post describing the report, adding that, “This comes at a time when we recorded our highest sentiment yet in terms of expected business growth and shipments … With that continued growth, the industry will surely face ongoing challenges in the months ahead when it comes to port congestion and domestic capacity constraints.”

Averitt Express’ annual survey examines the supply chain challenges shippers experienced during the year, compared to the prior year. This year’s survey also found that: 57% of shippers experienced delays with truckload shipments in 2021, compared to 42% in 2020, and 33% of shippers said they were challenged with on-time inland container deliveries in 2021, nearly double the rate recorded in 2020. The survey also tracked an increase in the use of residential shipping services in recent years, with nearly 43% saying they will use such services this year, up from 34% five years ago.

Averitt Express summarized the survey results in a white paper available on the company’s blog page.