This year has been ripe with unexpected logistics trends, all fueled by the unpredictability of COVID-19. Both air and ocean freight are suffering from high rates and odd market spikes.
However, despite this, there’s still a bit of good news going on in the logistics industry. Trucking, which has been in the red for a while now, has begun to finally bounce back.
Something Predictable, for Once
Unlike much of COVID, the slowdown of trucking in the United States was anything but unexpected. The trend began in China, when trucks were delayed or refused from entering certain cities during the height of the pandemic. We saw similar trends in Europe, when truckers who entered certain countries were put into mandatory 14-day quarantine before they could continue their routes.
Maybe that’s why when states across the nation began to close due to the pandemic, the industry had a good idea of what it was in for. Essential businesses still needed supplies, sure, but many other industries had supply chains that screeched to a halt, both from a lack of customer demand and a supply shortage from China.
A Much-Needed Upswing
Now, however, the trucking industry is finally seeing increases. Online purchases have ramped up, and even retail chains across the country are beginning to see in-person shoppers. This means retail truckers are back behind the wheel.
For those in industrial or other industries, the acceleration has been a bit less rapid. However, it has continued to increase. Trucking freight of all kinds now exceed earlier predictions. This is partially because carrier freight is disrupted by the odd spikes and declines in demand at the supply level. Instead, trucking has been rising to fill these gaps on a need-by-need basis.
Many people across the globe have also been fearing a second wave of COVID-19. It’s possible that this rush to ship available products is associated with building up inventories in case a second wave does hit. It’s almost like doomsday stockpiling, but from an inventory perspective.
As these trends continue, our team will be standing by, as always to offer our customers the most efficient methods of freight, no matter what the market brings. Get in touch with us to learn more.