After the slight boost of produce season, August spot rates continue to trend lower and Q3’s inflationary forecast is back in question. As the industry potentially emerges from the longest freight market cycle on record, consumer demand signals — from consumption to industrial activity to a cooling labor market — remain mixed, muddying the waters for the back half of 2024.
Are we at the end of this deflationary leg, or will we need to hurry up and wait another quarter for truckload rates to rise?