On Point | Podcast The great freight recession
Sep 10, 2025
Join industry experts Jim Meal, a principal and analyst at ACT Research, and Alex Leslie, a senior research associate at the American Transportation Research Institute. They dive into the ongoing struggles of the freight industry post-COVID, revealing stagnant pay and rising costs that plague truckers. The discussion highlights dramatic shifts from a 2021 boom to today’s recession, examining financial burdens faced by drivers and the broader economic implications. Learn about tariffs, reduced capacity, and the future of trucking amid turbulent times.
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Owner-Operator Remembers 2021 Peak
- Dustin Ross remembers 2021 as his best year and now sees volumes drop with more empty and idle trucks.
- He worries about peers closing companies and considers selling trailers to survive the slump.
Trucking Is A Layered, Diverse Industry
- The freight system is diverse, spanning private fleets, for-hire carriers, and owner-operators across many scales.
- That range makes the market sensitive to shifts in both large corporate demand and individual driver economics.
Pay Tracks Freight, Not Hours
- Driver pay follows available freight: when loads are plentiful per-mile pay rises, and when loads dry up pay falls.
- Owner-operators face fixed truck payments regardless of whether they get loads, creating acute risk in downturns.