Conditions improve for shippers, but not for long: FTR

NASHVILLE, Ind. — While overall business conditions are still viewed as unfavorable for shippers, the situation "is considerably less acute than it was earlier this year," says FTR Associates in its latest Shippers’ Condition Index (SCI).

The current SCI rose to a reading of -3.6 from the -5.4 reported last month — still negative, but more hopeful than it was in the spring.

However, assuming the rate of growth in the economy improves as expected in the second half of the year, the SCI is projected to deteriorate once again as growing freight demand strains carrier capacity, says FTR.

The SCI sums up all market influences that affect shippers; a reading above zero suggests a favorable shipping environment, while a reading below zero is unfavorable.

"The improvement in the SCI must be regarded as a mixed bag in that it is the result of tepid demand from shippers and therefore is a product of the current softness in the economy," said Larry Gross, senior consultant for FTR. "While most shippers are currently seeing sufficient capacity to haul their goods, this will soon begin to change."

Truckload rates, he says, will begin to move upward again during the fall shipping season, and are expected to rise dramatically in 2012 as new regulations are implemented putting a drag on the entire trucking segment.

"Of course, all of these projections would be thrown into question in the event of a failure in the Federal debt ceiling negotiations or some other external shock to the economy."