FTR | State of Freight
State of Freight is a series of industry resources from FTR, the leader in market intelligence and forecasting for the North American freight transportation industry. FTR podcasts provide updates for the Trucking and Rail markets, as well as the broader economy. Each podcast includes a slide deck of graphs that can be used in presentations or for internal analysis. For show downloads and to signup for more State of Freight content, go to www.FTRintel.com/podcast.
Episodes
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we examine changes in the for-hire carrier population in September and the third quarter and review the latest data on consumer spending, retail inventories, home sales, and orders for durable manufactured goods. Plus, we recap the week in diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight.
The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Truck...
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we dig into a host of indicators related to the industrial, consumer, and housing sectors. Plus, we look at notable developments in both diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight.
The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the grap...
In this Rail Market Update:
- STB growth hearing
- Carload traffic
- Intermodal traffic
- Potential ILA work strike
The Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Tower. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the PDF of the presentation.
Download the PDF: https://www.ftrintel.com/rail-podcast
In this podcast, FTR's Eric Starks and Justin Paris recap what they learned on Rail Equipment Day of the FTR Transportation Conference 2024. Some of their topic of discussion are the following:
- Backlogs
- New Cars
- Covered Hoppers & Tank Cars
- Leasing Market Outlook
- 2024 FTR Conference Recap
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review seasonally adjusted revenues for trucking in the second quarter and government data on pricing for freight transportation services in August. Plus, we recap the week in diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight as usual.
The Trucking Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Vice President of Trucking, Avery Vise. As this information is presented, y...
In this podcast, FTR's Eric Starks and Justin Paris recap what they learned on Rail Freight Day of the FTR Transportation Conference 2024. Some of their topic of discussion are the following:
- Growth of rail traffic
- Intermodal
- Labor issues
- Visiting Auburn students
In this podcast, FTR's Chairman of the Board, Eric Starks, sits down with Railroad Financial Corporation, President, David Nahass. They discuss the following topics:
- Railroad Financial Corporation and what they do
- Railroad Equipment Finance Conference in March 2025
- FTR State of Freight Symposium and the FTR/RFC Leasing & Equipment Forum in November 2024
- Key takeaways from the FTR conference
In this podcast, FTR's Chairman of the Board, Eric Starks, sits down with Stefan Loeb, VP of Business Development, and First & Final Mile Markets, Norfolk Southern. They discuss the following topics:
- His title, and new role at NS
- Importance of understanding rail is a network industry
- Action on growth in the rail industry - not just talk
In this podcast, FTR's Chairman of the Board, Eric Starks, sits down with GATX Corporation, Executive VP & President Rail North America, Paul Titterton. They discuss the following topics:
- Paul's history at GATX
- Paul's FTR Conference experience
- Rolling Stock Market
- How we are entering a new, more stable market
In this podcast, FTR's Chairman of the Board, Eric Starks, sits down with Americas Styrenics, Logistics Procurement Manager, Todd Tranausky. They discuss the following topics:
- Todd's new role at Americas Styrenics and past role with FTR
- Mike Tryon
- Service issues Todd deals with:
- Rail service transparency
- Mexico & "Nearshoring"
- First mile/last mile
In this podcast, FTR's Chairman of the Board, Eric Starks, sits down with Kottke Trucking, Director of Sales, Mary Kearney. They discuss the following topics:
- Food Shippers of America Conference - March 2025
- Eric Starks session title at the FSA Conference
- Mary's FTR Conference takeaway
In this podcast, FTR's Chairman of the Board, Eric Starks, sits down with Telegraph's, CEO, Harris Ligon. They discuss the following topics:
- Telegraph & how they simplify using rail
- Rail pulse and telematics
- Fleet utilization
- The desire to grow the rail business
In this podcast, FTR's Chairman of the Board, Eric Starks, sits down with Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Railroad Corporation's, President and CEO, Bob Babcock. They discuss the following topics:
- Why Bob keeps coming back to the FTR Transportation Conference
- Growth in the railroad industry
- What the shipper expects in car tracking and delivery
- Model railroading
In this podcast, FTR's Chairman of the Board, Eric Starks, sits down with Modern Rail Capital (MRC), VP of Sales Marketing & Business Development, Bryan Vaughan. They discuss the following topics:
- Why does MRC sponsor the FTR Conference?
- Economy
- Equipment Market
- Growth & Interest Rates
In this podcast, FTR's Chairman of the Board, Eric Starks, sits down with Schneider National, Sr. VP/GM, Logistics and Chief Commercial Officer, Erin Van Zeeland. They discuss the following topics:
- Market Overview
- International Activity
- Inventories
- Cargo Theft
- Owner-Operators
In this podcast, FTR's Eric Starks and Justin Paris recap what they learned on Truck Freight Day of the FTR Transportation Conference 2024. Some of their topic of discussion are the following:
- Economy & Inflation
- Optimization - increasing efficiency and doing better with what they have currently
- Freight Market - hit or miss
- Cargo Theft
In this podcast, FTR's Chairman of the Board, Eric Starks, sits down with Atlantic Logistics, CEO, Rob Hooper. They discuss the following topics:
- Intermodal: Poised for Growth or Stuck in Normal session
- Atlantic Logistics company information & next 5 to 10 yrs
- Market Predictions
In this podcast, FTR's Chairman of the Board, Eric Starks, sits down with NTDA, President, Gwen Brown. They discuss the following topics:
- 34th Annual NTDA Conference
- FTR Trailer Dealer Survey
- Trailer Dealers & Suppliers
In this podcast, FTR's Chairman of the Board, Eric Starks, sits down with Arrive Logistics, VP of Market Intelligence, David Spencer. They discuss the following topics:
- The session at the FTR Conference - Trucking Across the Southern Border
- Investments in Nearshoring
- Challenges with cross-borders
In this podcast, FTR's Chairman of the Board, Eric Starks, sits down with Tucker Worldwide Company, CEO, Jeff Tucker. They discuss the following topics:
- Tucker Worldwide Company's history
- "What is the New Normal in Trucking"
- Thoughts on smaller carriers and owner-operators.
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