Carriers Say Strong Economy, Tight Capacity to Hold Rates Up

IAMI — Continued economic expansion and static cargo-hauling capacity will keep freight rates high this year, carriers told participants in a recent conference here.

Trucking executives said two of the major headaches for fleet managers — the shortage of truckload drivers and changes in the federal hours-of-service rules — actually seem to be keeping rates high by limiting how much work can get done, thereby holding tight the reins on capacity expansion.

Although managing those issues might be difficult, they have put carriers on a stable footing financially, these executives said.

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