In this episode of Supply Chain Now, hosts Scott Luton and Tandreia Bellamy welcome Bobby Holland of U.S. Bank and Dr. Jason Miller of Michigan State University for a data-packed discussion on what’s really happening in the U.S. freight market—and what it signals for supply chain professionals moving into Q2 and beyond.
They explore the Q1 2025 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index, revealing surprising drops in shipment volume, regional disparities, and the ongoing impact of unpredictable weather. Jason and Bobby break down trends in key sectors like manufacturing, retail, and automotive, while Tandreia shares how shifts in freight data should inform cross-functional planning across finance, logistics, and operations.
From capacity crunch risks and rising costs to resilient regions and unexpected market drivers, this discussion offers actionable insights for anyone navigating today’s freight economy. The panel also looks ahead at what to watch in Q2—from new tariffs and raw material price spikes to changing consumer demand and the importance of regional signals.
Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Intro
(00:52) What the Freight Payment Index reveals
(03:09) Meet the guests: Bobby Holland and Dr. Jason Miller
(07:17) National freight trends and shipment volume drops
(12:56) Weather, retail slowdowns, and sector variability
(13:34) Q1 2025 regional breakdown begins
(18:03) West region: port activity, wildfires, and aerospace recovery
(21:29) Southwest region: historic shipment decline and high costs
(25:46) Midwest region: housing, auto, and weather impact
(29:02) Northeast region: retail growth and import uptick
(32:47) Southeast region: flat manufacturing and tourism concerns
(36:08) What to watch in Q2: Fed data, tariffs, and vehicle sales
(40:21) Holiday toy season predictions and trade timing
(43:13) How to access the Freight Payment Index and connect with guests
Additional Links & Resources:
- Download the full Q1 2025 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https://freight.usbank.com
- Connect with Bobby Holland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobby-holland-4a9355/
- Connect with Dr. Jason Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-miller-32110325/
- Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com
- Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now
- Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join
- Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk
- WEBINAR- Supply Chain Orchestration with SAP: https://bit.ly/4jFJn9q
This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Tandreia Bellamy and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/analysis-us-bank-2025-q1-freight-payment-index-1434
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com