From left to right, Fleet Maintenance’s John Hitch, Bulk Transporter’s Jason McDaniel, FleetOwner’s Jade Brasher, and Trailer/Body Builders’ Kevin Jones gather for a panel discussion to break down the American Transportation Research Institute’s report on the rising costs of trucking in this episode of The Fleet Lead.
Key insights from Bulk Transporter Editor Jason McDaniel:
Resilience in the tanker sector: He points out that the tank truck sector has historically proven more recession-proof than other segments due to the essential nature of the materials hauled, such as fuels and chemical manufacturing inputs.
Evaluating the driver shortage and capacity: McDaniel notes that discussions around the driver shortage often conflate a true labor shortage with a churn and turnover problem. He says that while capacity has been steadily leaving the market over the past couple of years, government and industry initiatives—such as the “Freedom Haulers” program aimed at bringing military veterans into the workforce—are attempting to address these capacity gaps.
Equipment costs and trade uncertainty: He emphasizes that rising equipment costs, along with widespread uncertainty surrounding tariffs and fuel prices, remain primary hurdles for fleets. He notes that while domestic production has remained relatively strong, international chemical supply chains are facing constraints due to lower import volumes driven by tariffs.
Shifting toward intermodal operations: To combat the driver shortage and meet shipper sustainability goals, he also touches on a growing trend of carriers expanding their intermodal operations. Utilizing rail for end-to-end line haul while focusing on short-haul and final-mile drayage is becoming an increasingly popular solution in the tank truck sector.
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Jason McDaniel, based in the Houston TX area, has more than 20 years of experience as an award-winning journalist. He spent 15 writing and editing for daily newspapers, including the Houston Chronicle, and began covering the commercial vehicle industry in 2018. He was named editor of Bulk Transporter and Refrigerated Transporter magazines in July 2020.
