As the year begins, it's a good excuse to take the temperature of the freight market and go over what to expect as 2026 gets rolling. So on this episode of The Intermodal Logistics Podcast, we do just that, with InTek Logistics President Shelli Austin and InTek Logistics CEO Rick LaGore going over the state of transportation today, where it ended 2025 and where freight shipping - particularly intermodal and trucking - looks to be going this year.
Shelli shares why 2025 did feature a peak season for the first time in awhile, but also why it was different from a traditional peak. She goes over why predictability matters to shippers as they plan their annual strategy (and we discuss why predictability has been hard to come by lately). And she discusses the significant savings opportunities intermodal is offering once again, after a stretch in which the mode was close to truck in terms of cost.
Rick paints the economic picture, discussing rate cut possibilities and why 2026 is shaping up like 2019 (something he shares in further detail in his Freight Market Forecast blog). He goes over how government policy derailed what looked to be a promising year in freight, and why he's struggling to see a catalyst that will recharge volumes to a healthy level anytime soon. He also goes over rates, pointing out the intermodal savings gap is back at its traditional level, and encouraging shippers to give it a try - without the need to go all-in right away.
Find Rick on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ricklagore and Shelli on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/shelli-austin-1a40641.
Get this episode on YouTube, where you can also check out our playlist for our 82 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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