Just as President Trump recently delivered the first State of the Union of his second term, the early part of the year is a good time to cover the state of freight. So this episode of The Intermodal Logistics Podcast does just that, with host Kevin Baxter asking InTek CEO Rick LaGore 5 questions to cover the lay of the logistics land.
Not coincidentally, they're the same 5 questions discussed on an episode predicting the 2023 freight market (a topic also covered for last year on the podcast as well). And while the years (and some factors influencing the marketplace) have changed, one thing that's stayed the same is an industry that's still looking for a sustained bounce toward prosperity.
Here are the questions (sans a few follow-ups mixed in):
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- Where does the freight market generally stand today in terms of costs, capacity and volume?
- How does today compare to this time last year?
- What can we expect from the freight market as the year progresses?
- Is it wise to keep looking at spot rates for now, and when does locking in a contract rate make sense?
- What else should shippers do now, and what should they wait on?
Watch or listen for the answers to learn why predictions of a freight recovery may be deferred, how tariffs and Administration policies are affecting things, possibilities for positives, where intermodal and freight volume (and rates) stand today, the contract vs. spot rate argument, and why AI and logistics technology should still be a shipper priority.
Get this episode on YouTube, where you can also check out our playlist for our 55 previous episodes on The Intermodal Logistics Channel. You can also listen right here using the player below, or find it on Apple, Spotify, or whatever your favorite podcasting platform may be.
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