Trucking in 2024: Will the Road Rise Again?

Remember back in 2020 when everyone stayed home, bored and stuck? We couldn't go out, so guess what? We shopped online - a LOT. Mostly from other countries, which really ballooned what we owe them. In 2020, it was $678.7 billion, and in 2021, it hit a record high of $861.4 billion, according to the U.S. government.

All that buying meant trucks had WAY more work! Ports were stuffed with boxes, trucks lined up for miles, and engines roared all day long. It was like a giant traffic jam, but for stuff, not cars. Truck drivers faced crazy gas prices, not enough fellow drivers, and worries about the whole economy going wobbly.

But guess what? Even with all the mess, cool things happened. Smart people built programs to help trucks find the best routes and ditch all the paperwork. Trucks started humming on electricity instead of gas, helping the environment. And drivers spoke up, saying they deserved better pay and rest breaks.

By the end of 2023, the trucking industry looked totally different. It was tougher, smarter, and way better at handling problems. No matter what happens next, those crazy pandemic years changed trucking forever, showing everyone how tough trucks and the people who drive them really are.

But now, everyone's tightened their belts, so the need for all those trucks shrunk faster than a snowman on a barbecue. Prices are plummeting, and companies are sweating it out. It's like riding a rollercoaster in the dark – exciting, but you're not sure where you'll land.

Dean, the truck-tracker smartie, says things might change by spring. "Think of it like winter clothes," he says. "Everyone buys less and prices drop. So, those new trucking companies who hopped on during the boom times will have it rough. Some might even have to hang up their keys for good."

Trucking in 2024

But don't worry, things always swing back eventually. Remember when gas prices were crazy high a few years ago? Now they're coming down. The same goes for trucking. Once that bubble bursts, things will settle back to how they were in 2019, before the whole pandemic rollercoaster started. It might be bumpy for a while, but like that classic childhood swing, we'll all land back on our feet eventually.

But there's a wrench in the works: diesel prices. If they keep dropping, the struggling truckers get a little more air in their tires, which means fewer of them say "hasta la vista, baby" to the road. So, the spring boom might be more of a slow bloom, depending on how cheap that gas gets.

Now, for the crystal ball predictions about 2024 beyond spring: the big kahuna we all gotta watch is interest rates. Dean says if houses suddenly become cheaper (thanks to lower rates), that could be the golden ticket for trucking. Think about it: new houses mean mountains of wood, steel, walls, roofs, shingles, the whole shebang.

"For dry vans, it's all about ovens, couches, carpets," Dean explains. "So, single-family and apartment building booms? Those could seriously turn the trucking tide. But don't hold your breath till the Fed waves its magic interest rate wand."

So, buckle up for a bumpy ride. Spring might see a gentle rise, maybe a summer surge, but the real party depends on who's winning the interest rate dance. Remember, even on the wildest rollercoaster, you eventually end up back on solid ground, popcorn bucket in hand, ready for the next ride. And who knows, maybe that next ride will be smoother than a freshly paved highway!