State of Freight 2025: What Lies Ahead

In this episode, host Scott W. Luton dives into the evolving state of the freight industry with an expert panel featuring Lee Klaskow, Senior Analyst for Transportation & Logistics at Bloomberg Intelligence and host of Talking Transports, and Brian Oxley, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Vector Global Logistics. Together, they discuss the biggest trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping global freight in 2025.This insightful conversation covers the rise of the zero-click environment in logistics, the transformative impact of automation at ports, and the shifting dynamics in air, ocean, rail, and truckload freight. From freight theft and geopolitical disruptions to the potential of nimbleness as the key to success, the panel shares data-driven perspectives and actionable takeaways to help supply chain leaders navigate the road ahead.Jump into the conversation:(00:00) Intro(06:24) Lee’s insights on Bloomberg Intelligence and the freight market(09:30) Freight theft and geopolitical disruptions in 2024(11:09) Key takeaways from the state of freight in 2024(15:38) The impact of automation on port operations and labor dynamics(19:03) Air freight trends: E-commerce drivers and China’s role(22:24) Ocean freight challenges and the Red Sea’s impact on capacity(27:06) Railroads and the potential of north-south connectivity(29:33) Freight volumes and pricing trends across modes(32:34) Truckload and LTL trends: Recovery signs and spot market dynamics(36:47) Nimbleness as the key to supply chain success in 2025Additional Links & Resources:Connect with Lee Klaskow: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leeklaskow/Connect with Brian Oxley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-oxley-98319a/Learn more about Bloomberg Intelligence: https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/products/bloomberg-terminal/research/bloomberg-intelligence/#overviewLearn more about Vector Global Logistics: https://vectorgl.com/Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comWatch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-nowSubscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/joinWork with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVkWEBINAR- The Rise of the Decision Makers: https://bit.ly/42z5GYUWEBINAR- AI Insights for Smarter Shipping Strategies: https://bit.ly/40wwSWDWEBINAR- Embracing Agility for better TMS ROI: https://bit.ly/40CrwIaThis episode is hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Amanda Luton and Trisha Cordes. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/state-freight-2025-1387 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at [email protected]© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.