Rising diesel prices are beginning to ripple through the trucking market, with clear - potentially positive - implications for intermodal as well. Those fuel costs, truckload capacity and the rate picture are the focus of this episode of The Intermodal Logistics Podcast, featuring DAT iQ Principal Analyst Dean Croke.
In this in-depth discussion, Dean explains how the rapid spike in fuel costs tied to the Iran conflict is reshaping the economics for motor carriers, particularly smaller, independent operators whose margins are being squeezed out.
He outlines how elevated diesel prices could keep an already tight pool of capacity on the sidelines, push more freight toward contract rather than spot opportunities, and encourage shippers to lean more heavily on intermodal to control transportation spend.
On the capacity front, Dean also details how many carriers have left the market under increased FMCSA enforcement - and why a stronger emphasis on driver safety may ultimately be a positive, especially as regulators shut down a significant number of questionable driver training operations.
Dean then walks through this year’s produce season and why reefer capacity, in particular, may be especially tight at various points this year. He also covers port activity and how conditions at both the Canadian and Mexican borders are affecting trucking flows. Plus, Dean and co-host Rick LaGore share key takeaways from their time at the J.P. Morgan Industrials Conference in Washington this week.
Find more from Dean through the DAT Freight & Analytics YouTube channel youtube.com/@datfreight and website www.dat.com/blog/author/dean-croke. And learn more about DAT iQ at www.dat.com/iq.
As for our podcast, subscribe or follow now to catch new episodes as soon as they're out, and please do rate and review us. Have a question? Contact us at podcast@inteklogistics.com. And visit our website, www.inteklogistics.com to learn more.
Get this episode on YouTube, where you can also check out our playlist for our 88 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.
Please do rate and review us, and subscribe or follow as well to ensure you get our latest episodes first. If you have any questions for us, send us a quick note at podcast@inteklogistics.com.
