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Elvis Parra has nearly 30 years of experience in the trucking and logistics industry, ranging from his time as an owner-operator at Ironbound Express to his decade-long tenure as the president of E&K Trucking, both located in Newark, New Jersey. Since 2015, Elvis Parra has driven daily activities at Newark’s Prestige Trucking Express in the role of operations manager. During this time, Mr. Parra has closely followed the biggest news stories to remain informed about the latest developments impacting his company.
Many of the trucking industry’s recent trends have been driven by decreased demand. Current market conditions mean even a minor downturn can force a carrier to cease operations. Manufacturing woes have also played a key role in the market’s struggles, with the Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing purchasing-managers’ index indicating contraction for almost all of 2025. A lack of new housing projects has had a similar negative effect on the freight industry.
Lower demand has not been the only industry trend. If demand stays depressed, industry leaders may need to turn their attention to driver supply. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry enjoyed a surplus of carriers, but administrative policies have caused a series of exits, gradually tightening capacity for operators. Some reports believe that up to 5 percent of active commercial driver’s license holders could exit the market over the next two years as a result of federal policy changes.
With these and other challenges demanding creative solutions from industry leaders, trucking firms need to adopt a flexible approach to operations. In some cases, this might mean operators need to shift between owner-operator and leased-on business models, allowing businesses to share operating authority for a set period. By joining together, operators can defray costs and better withstand market volatility.
Members of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association must also develop a more flexible stance on what they haul and where. For example, Elizabeth Moscoso, the president of Moscoso Express in Elk Grove, Illinois, has announced plans to expand freight availability as a strategy for offsetting demand contractions and unexpected capacity changes. “Preparation and adaptability will…be key drivers of success,” said Moscoso.
But things may be looking up for the industry going forward. Trucking leaders are being advised to overcome the widespread uncertainty and stay prepared for a market turnaround spurred on by recovery in the manufacturing sector, which accounts for roughly 60 percent of for-hire freight jobs.
Pundits have expressed optimism regarding incremental increases in freight transport demand, the first suggestions of a meaningful market upcycle. Various factors make it difficult to determine whether 2026 represents a full recovery from what has proven a persistent down period, but consumer spending and tonnage have somewhat stabilized. Furthermore, important structural changes have started to bear fruit.
FTR Transportation Intelligence’s vice president of trucking, Avery Vise, pointed out how legislative policies may facilitate increased demand and drive growth, giving some life to the stalled market. Vise expects the overall 2026 truck freight market to build off of the steady progress in 2025, suggesting operators can expect rates to rise within the range of inflation, or potentially slightly weaker than inflation. Uber Freight expressed a similar forecast, predicting incremental growth each month compared to 2025. The company’s 2026 outlook suggested double-digit growth in spot rates.
