Henry Byers
89 posts

Henry Byers
@FreightByers
VP of Growth & Commercial Strategy | Freight Market Data & Analysis 📈








The freight market is sending strong signals, just not all in the same direction. 📈📉 Dry van load posts hit a 10-year high last week, running 40% above last year and double the 10-year average. The ISM PMI (Institute for Supply Management’s Purchasing Manager’s Index) reached its best reading since August 2022, with the ATA Tonnage Index at a three-year high. Demand is real. But flatbed volumes are already pulling back ahead of the typical May peak, and manufacturer confidence is cooling fast. When record volumes and softening confidence show up in the same week, which signal are you building your Q2 strategy around?







We also have been flagging this. The diffusion index signals are corroborated by a very strong signal from the latest earning transcripts. Tariffs probably played a role (shhh…), as well as defense and data centers. Other places showing manufacturing recovery…manufacturing productivity, output production, and even payrolls have bottomed.

@FreightAlley Ive seen people pulling out of ropes because shippers are pushing for 3rd and 4th rounds to pull contracted rates down more. Routing guides are going to be a problem this year.





I got the police affidavit after @realcarrier411 got arrested in Chattanooga last week. Check this out overdriveonline.com/15818772


JB Hunt hit an all-time high today. You read that right. A trucking company. Earnings expected to rise 16.8% this year and another 22.7% next year. Manufacturing renaissance this year? $JBHT










