What Do Q1 Freight Volumes Inform Us? – Fleet Administration

In mid-March, many less-than-truckload carriers reported quarter-to-date tonnage and yield outcomes that had volumes down about 6.2%, under expectations.

Whereas the gross of gas yields are up about 6.2%, roughly consistent with our view, we thought it will be useful to debate varied quantity lead indicators for trucking as a complete. Given the uncertainty within the bigger financial system, what are these numbers telling us?

Freight Volumes

Volumes have been barely above expectations in January and under expectations in February, which we attribute to better-than-expected winter climate throughout a lot of the nation in January. Cass shipments declined 3.2% in January from the earlier month, however regular December-to-January drops are about 8% — so shipments improved versus regular seasonality.

In the meantime, spot truck charges have been comparatively secure, at the same time as winter got here again with a fury on the West Coast and the northern states.

Rail volumes have been a story of two cities, with commodity volumes (excluding coal, grain and intermodal) exhibiting shocking power (up 2.3% via February). However intermodal volumes have been down about 8.2% year-to-date, owing largely to the inventory-reduction efforts happening with retailers.  We even have seen weak spot in chemical volumes on stock destocking (though that’s bettering in latest weeks), lumber (on housing), corrugated packing containers (destocking) and coal (hotter winter). 

We imagine a lot of what we’ve seen thus far is just not the weakening financial system, however a significant stock destocking of the massive stock builds a yr in the past.

Trying Ahead

So, what ought to the go-forward view be? Usually, March makes the primary quarter. This yr, the drop in inbound container shipments (down 25% in February) is more likely to depart that push missing.

Nonetheless, many retailers have been reporting that their stock changes are shut to finish, and a few of the retail-facing trucking corporations we communicate with imagine extra regular seasonality will start to kick in someday through the second quarter.

In our view, we haven’t actually seen a significant slowdown within the financial system but associated to the Fed’s rate of interest will increase. Is that also forward of us?

The Buying Managers’ Index from the Institute of Provide Administration, whereas not an ideal correlation, tends to guide truck tonnage in a reasonably correct path. We get an analogous graph if trying on the main financial indicator index or the Cass Cargo Index. Nonetheless, the PMI tends to guide truck tonnage with the best predictive worth. The continued weakening of this index means that we may very well be in for slower truck tonnage within the quarters forward.

In the meantime, though the retail destocking could also be nearing an equilibrium, manufacturing inventories total stay bloated. We’re beginning to see layoff bulletins starting in industries apart from expertise.

Decrease Demand, Decrease Charges

Together with this, we anticipate to see an extra weakening in used-vehicle costs as truck OEMs ramp up new-truck manufacturing. ACT Analysis says used Class 8 automobile costs may weaken one other 40% this yr. This implies patrons of truck gear received’t have as a lot in collateral to commerce, along with going through rising rates of interest.   

The purpose is, regardless of retail studies that we may very well be getting nearer to the tip of the large stock destocking, these lead indicators for truck volumes proceed to foretell decrease demand. And decrease freight charges point out that demand has not but recovered.

In our view, development threat stays to the draw back, because the Federal Reserve continues to lift charges to battle inflation and the price of gear continues to rise. We anticipate comparisons to enhance from destocking-related weak ranges, however maybe the weaker financial system stays forward of us.

This evaluation seems within the April 2023 challenge of Heavy Responsibility Trucking.