The most active shippers pay attention to industry trends so that they can project the transportation prices for their supply chain. In the trucking industry, the trends are looking very promising. The results are in from the first quarter of 2014, and trucking companies have a lot of reasons to celebrate. According to the reports, there has been a nearly 5% increase in shipping volume during the past quarter. This was one of the fastest quarterly increases in years in trucking. The trucking carriers are doing very well now. These carriers are dealing with a market that includes a high demand for shipping, more trucks on the road and increased freight shipping rates. Only 1% of trucks are idle, which is one of the lowest idle percentages in years. As a result of the good news, many carriers are adding more trucks to their budget. Freight forwarders are excited about all of this.
The best part of this news is that the cargo shipping industry is doing well in the face of immense obstacles. During the past fiscal quarter, shipping companies had to deal with three major problems, such as a slow economic expansion, a harsh winter on the roads and a decreasing number of truck drivers. Despite all of these problems, carriers came out on top. As the year continues and the market evolves, shippers should remain flexible with their budgets to reflect the changing prices. Still, even shippers should rejoice in news of the US trucking industry growing in a big way.