FTR | State of Freight

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we recap a record-setting week in the spot market and the latest in diesel prices. We also review changes in payroll employment for trucking and the U.S. economy as a whole and look at some key indicators of the industrial and construction sectors.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcastSupport the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we examine some key indicators of the industrial, consumer, and housing sectors and review advance data on trade in goods and retail inventories. Plus, we recap the week in diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight as usual.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcastSupport the show

In this episode of FTR’s Rail Market Update, host Joseph Towers covers: Weekly rail trafficA deeper dive into intermodal’s strengthAs this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the PDF of the presentation.Download the PDF: https://www.ftrintel.com/rail-podcastSupport the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review notable changes in the spot market for truck freight and for diesel prices and discuss key economic indicators related to the housing and consumer sectors.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcastSupport the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we discuss a development related to the recent Supreme Court decision regarding broker liability and review a host of economic indicators related to the industrial, consumer, and housing sectors. Plus, we recap the week for diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight as usual.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcastSupport the show

In this episode of FTR’s Rail Market Update, host Joseph Towers covers: Richard Kloster sworn in to the STBWeekly rail trafficAs this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the PDF of the presentation.Download the PDF: https://www.ftrintel.com/rail-podcastSupport the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we examine payroll employment for trucking and the broader economy. Plus, we recap the week in diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight. The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcastSupport the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we look at some notable moves in diesel prices and in the spot market for truck freight. We also examine several key indicators of activity in manufacturing, consumption, housing, and international trade. The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcastSupport the show

In this episode of FTR’s Rail Market Update, host Joseph Towers covers: STB accepts revised UPNS merger application as “Complete”.Procedural merger timeline delayed until certain deficiencies are remedied by Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern.Update on weekly rail traffic The Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Towers.  As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the PDF of the presentation.Download the PDF: https://www.ftrintel.com/rail-podcastSupport the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review another strong week in the spot market for truck freight and recap the latest on diesel and crude prices. Plus, we discuss the House highway bill, trucking revenues in the first quarter, and residential construction in April.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we discuss a record-setting week in the spot market for truck freight and in pricing for trucking services in April and briefly recap some notable developments in Washington. Plus, we recap the week in diesel and crude prices and address several key economic indicators, including manufacturing output, retail sales, consumer inflation, and inventories.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this episode of FTR’s Rail Market Update, host Joseph Towers covers:Responses to the UP-NS merger applicationDick Kloster’s road to the STBWeekly rail traffic The Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Towers.  As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the PDF of the presentation.Download the PDF: https://www.ftrintel.com/rail-podcastSupport the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review a notable shift in the trucking industry’s payroll employment in April. We also recap the latest data on diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight and discuss various indicators related to employment, housing and non-residential construction. The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we recap the week for diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight and review some key indicators of the industrial, consumer, housing, and international trade sectors. Plus, we discuss changes in the for-hire carrier population in April, the number of Class 8 truck orders during the month, and Gross Domestic Product for the first quarter.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this episode of FTR’s Rail Market Update, host Joseph Towers covers: Updated Section 232 tariffsWeekly rail trafficUpdated UP-NS merger application The Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Towers.  As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the PDF of the presentation.Download the PDF: https://www.ftrintel.com/rail-podcastSupport the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review a record-setting week in the spot market for truck freight and recap the week in diesel prices and petroleum as usual. Plus, we look at retail sales for March and at inventories for February. The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we discuss a couple of notable changes in Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulatory and enforcement policy, one of which could make a difference in the driver population. We also address data from the industrial sector and recap the latest changes in diesel and crude prices and in the spot market for truck freight.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review the latest data on diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight. Plus, we dig into several notable economic indicators for the consumer, industrial, and housing sectors. The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review the continued surge in both diesel prices and spot rates and discuss some key metrics related to capacity, including payroll employment in trucking and orders for Class 8 trucks. We also address several key economic indicators related to employment, manufacturing, consumption, and trade. The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we recap the week in diesel and crude prices and in the spot market for truck freight. We also review the latest data on new applications for trucking authority and discuss nonresidential construction in January.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we revisit diesel and crude prices and related changes in the spot market for truck freight. We also address sales of new homes, pricing at the producer level, inventories and sales in the wholesale sector, and changes in nonresidential construction. Plus, we review legislation approved last week by the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this episode of FTR’s Rail Market Update, host Joseph Towers covers:The impact of Iran on rail trafficContainer activity at the Port of Los AngelesWeekly traffic update  The Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Towers.  As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the PDF of the presentation.Download the PDF: https://www.ftrintel.com/rail-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we revisit diesel prices after the previous week’s record surge, and we consider what that increase meant for the spot market for truck freight. We also review some key indicators of the industrial, consumer, and housing sectors.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we discuss the largest one-week spike in diesel prices in history and address the latest data on payroll employment, retail sales, and a few other metrics, along with the latest week in the spot market for truck freight. The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this episode of FTR’s Rail Market Update, host Joseph Towers covers:The Supreme Courts decision and implications to railWeekly rail traffic  The Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Towers.  As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the PDF of the presentation.Download the PDF: https://www.ftrintel.com/rail-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review changes in the for-hire carrier population during February and consider what’s going on with diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight. We also review pricing in January for freight transportation services and for truck equipment, namely trailers.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we discuss revenues for the trucking industry in the fourth quarter of last year and for all of 2025. We also review economic growth in the fourth quarter and examine key economic indicators related to the industrial, consumer, housing, and trade sectors. Plus, we recap the week in diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight as usual.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this episode of FTR’s Rail Market Update, host Joseph Towers covers:UP-NS merger update Port of Los Angeles container data Weekly rail traffic The Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Towers.  As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the PDF of the presentation.Download the PDF: https://www.ftrintel.com/rail-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we dig into the latest payroll employment data on trucking, including substantial data revisions that change our view of capacity in the market. We also discuss a final rule on non-domiciled CDLs and review economic indicators related to consumer spending, inflation, and business formation, and we recap the week in spot rates for truck freight as usual.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review some developments related to the English language proficiency requirement and discuss several other topics specific to the trucking industry, including overall market conditions, equipment demand, and data from the drug and alcohol clearinghouse. Plus, we discuss a key indicator of the manufacturing sector recap the week in diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight. The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this episode of FTR’s Rail Market Update, host Joseph Towers covers:Weekly rail trafficBreaking down the latest ARCI reportThe Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Towers.  As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the PDF of the presentation.Download the PDF: https://www.ftrintel.com/rail-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we discuss a huge week in the spot market for truck freight. We also review U.S. trade in goods, pricing at the producer level, inventories and sales in the wholesale sector, and diesel prices in the latest week.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review indicators of manufacturing demand, consumer spending and pricing, vehicle sales, construction spending, and establishments of new businesses. Plus, we recap the week in diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight as usual.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this episode of FTR’s Rail Market Update, host Joseph Towers covers:STB's ruling of the UP-NS application as "incomplete"Weekly rail trafficThe Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Towers.  As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the PDF of the presentation.Download the PDF: https://www.ftrintel.com/rail-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review several key indicators of the industrial, consumer, and housing sectors of the economy and recap the week in the spot market for truck freight. The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we discuss payroll employment in trucking and for the overall U.S. economy. We also address residential construction and U.S. trade in goods. Plus, we recap the week in diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight as usual.  The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this episode Joseph Towers opens the year with a comprehensive review of full-year 2025 rail traffic, highlighting modest overall growth driven by grains and coal, continued softness in industrial commodities such as metals and forest products, and a largely flat outlook for motor vehicles heading into 2026. He then walks through the latest procedural developments surrounding the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger, outlining what remains in the Surface Transportation Board review process and the likely timeline for a decision. The episode closes with an overview of the STB’s new proposal to eliminate Part 1144, a move aimed at easing access to reciprocal switching and increasing rail competition, setting up key regulatory and market themes to watch as 2026 unfolds.The Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Towers.  As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the PDF of the presentation.Download the PDF: https://www.ftrintel.com/rail-podcast Support the show

 In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we discuss the changes in the for-hire trucking firm population in December and the number of heavy-duty truck orders during the month. We also review U.S. Gross Domestic Product for the third quarter and several indicators of the industrial sector. Plus, we recap the week in diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight as usual.   The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review several metrics that suggest that trucking capacity has tightened, including stronger than seasonal performance for spot rates. We also discuss some key economic indicators, including retail sales, home sales, and consumer inflation. The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

This episode of FTR’s Rail and Intermodal Update focuses on year-end trends in North American rail traffic, with Joseph Towers breaking down the latest carload and intermodal performance by commodity and carrier.  The podcast also addresses the growing uncertainty surrounding the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger following public opposition from the Teamsters Rail Conference, setting the stage for what could be a challenging and consequential year ahead for the rail industry.The Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Towers.  As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the PDF of the presentation.Download the PDF: https://www.ftrintel.com/rail-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review the latest data on payroll employment and wages in trucking and the employment situation for the U.S. economy as a whole. We also discuss trucking industry revenues for the third quarter and review a surge in business applications and distorted goods trade figures. Plus, we recap the week in diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight as usual. The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we briefly discuss some recent safety enforcement moves and examine the change in the for-hire carrier population in November. We also review indicators related to the industrial and consumer sectors and to employment. Plus, we recap the week for diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight, both of which saw some big changes in the latest week.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

 This week’s Rail and Intermodal Update delivers a concise look at rail traffic trends as the industry moves through a quiet holiday period with limited major news expected. Joseph Towers highlights the upcoming Midwest Association of Rail Shippers Winter Meeting and provides timely context on the delayed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger filing. The episode then breaks down the latest carload and intermodal performance, noting key commodity movements and carrier-level shifts across North America. The Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Towers.  As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the PDF of the presentation.Download the PDF: https://www.ftrintel.com/rail-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review some indicators of the industrial and consumer sectors and pricing for freight transportation services and selected trucking cost centers. Plus, we recap the week in diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight as usual.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show

In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we examine payroll employment in trucking and broader economic and review indicators on housing and trade. We also discuss an annual revision of industrial production figures that show a significantly different picture of the manufacturing sector than we had before this week. Plus, we recap the week in diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight as usual.The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the presentation.Download the PDF: https://ftrintel.com/trucking-podcast Support the show