Steady Freight Solutions Amid Market Volatility
Despite glimmers of optimism voiced by many trucking executives, the U.S. freight market remains in a state of prolonged uncertainty. Recently released reports, including the Cass Freight Index and the U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI), signal continued softness across truckload (TL), less-than-truckload (LTL), and intermodal sectors. While spot rates have surged briefly due to geopolitical shifts and inventory frontloading, overall volumes are declining, and traditional seasonal patterns are no longer reliable benchmarks.
In this environment, shippers are under pressure to maintain service levels while controlling costs—without falling into the trap of chasing low rates at the expense of performance. That’s where experienced providers like PNG Logistics can step in as true partners, helping customers ride out volatility with dependable service, smart technology, and a veteran team that understands the dynamics behind the data.
According to the Cass Freight Index, truck and intermodal rail shipments fell 0.4% month-over-month in May and dropped 4% compared to May 2024. This year-over-year dip comes after a 3.6% decrease in April, defying the typical spring shipping bump.
Cass analysts attribute this trend reversal to “pre-tariff inventory stocking turning into destocking,” which is thinning out shipping volumes. With frontloaded inventories already sitting in warehouses and the threat of additional tariffs on the horizon, shippers are hesitant to move new product unless absolutely necessary.
PNG Logistics, with deep experience across a broad client base—from industrial suppliers to consumer goods companies—understands how critical agility becomes in this type of environment. The firm’s truckload and LTL teams are trained to help customers navigate volume dips and distribution changes without compromising efficiency.
“The market may be unpredictable, but reliability doesn’t have to be. That’s where we differentiate,” says one PNG team leader. “We’re not chasing loads—we’re building partnerships.”
On the pricing front, data from the Cass Truckload Linehaul Index shows that while year-over-year TL rates rose 0.6% in May, they actually fell 0.8% from April. Over a three-month period (February to May), truckload pricing dropped 1.5%, indicating a downward trend despite contract rate stability.
Meanwhile, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the long-distance TL PPI stayed flat in May compared to April but remained 3% higher than a year earlier. Similarly, the Journal of Commerce’s shipper-paid TL rate averaged $2.18 per mile in May—down from $2.21 the year prior and down 8% from January 2025.
Less-than-truckload (LTL) pricing, on the other hand, is near record highs, hovering at 259 on the PPI for three months straight—about 5% higher than 2024 levels. Yet LTL volumes are dropping. Old Dominion Freight Line, one of the nation’s largest LTL carriers, reported an 8.4% drop in tonnage and a 6.8% decline in daily shipments for May, while still managing to grow revenue per hundredweight.
These data points reveal a market where carriers are prioritizing pricing discipline, even as demand weakens. For shippers, this underscores the need for transparent pricing models and dynamic routing solutions, which PNG Logistics delivers via its integrated Transportation Management System (TMS).
PNG Logistics combines operational flexibility with deep industry knowledge, supported by an in-house TMS platform that enables real-time rate benchmarking, multi-carrier comparison, label generation, and proactive shipment tracking. This system is fully integrated with EDI and API tools, allowing seamless data flow between shippers, consignees, and carrier partners.
In today’s market, having access to this type of technology is no longer optional—it’s a competitive advantage. But technology alone isn’t enough. PNG’s personnel bring decades of collective experience across full truckload, partials, and LTL shipping.
Whether dealing with manufacturers adjusting shipping strategies around tariffs or retailers managing complex distribution timelines, PNG’s team delivers consistent results by balancing cost optimization with route reliability, delivery timing, and carrier performance.
“We don’t just book loads—we manage outcomes,” says a PNG truckload specialist. “From RFP season to urgent spot capacity, our model is built around predictability even when the market isn’t.”
The freight market today is deeply tied to inventory behavior. Both the S&P Global PMI and the ISM Manufacturing Index confirm what many shippers already feel: demand is uneven, largely driven by temporary surges in restocking activity due to supply chain fears and tariff pauses.
In May, the S&P Global PMI hit 52—a five-month high and an indication of mild expansion. But analysts warn that this growth hides fragility. The bump was driven more by fear of supply shocks than organic demand, as manufacturers and retailers pulled forward orders to beat potential tariffs on Chinese goods. These frontloaded goods now sit in warehouses waiting for slower inventory draws—meaning a lull in shipping could persist into late summer.
The PNG team closely monitors these shifts, adjusting capacity planning and pricing models to match each client’s rhythm. When a customer needs to temporarily cut freight volume, PNG flexes capacity down. When inventories begin to move again, PNG ramps up without the performance gaps often seen with larger, less nimble providers.
Soft demand for LTL services continues, and yet pricing is sticky at elevated levels. Why? Many top carriers are holding rates steady, unwilling to sacrifice margin for volume. This discipline protects carrier profitability but complicates shipper budgeting—especially for companies seeing tighter profit margins of their own.
Here again, PNG’s LTL team excels by offering smart alternatives, such as:
- Consolidation strategies for multiple smaller shipments
- Regional routing to avoid national carrier surcharges
- Flexible drop-trailer programs for high-volume lanes
- Mode shifts from LTL to partial truckload when cost-effective
The result is lower cost-per-pound moved, better on-time performance, and a logistics partner that doesn’t pass today’s market volatility onto your invoice.
Upcoming expirations of tariff pauses in July and August could shift the freight landscape yet again. If higher duties return on Chinese imports—or if retaliatory tariffs are introduced—shippers may rush to bring in product, triggering another frontloading cycle followed by another trough.
PNG Logistics stays ahead of these shifts, leveraging its international freight forwarding network, Customs expertise, and real-time TMS data to help importers plan smarter and avoid unnecessary storage or demurrage fees. This holistic view—spanning inbound ocean to final-mile truckload or LTL delivery—ensures PNG customers aren’t caught off-guard by policy swings.
With freight volumes down, pricing unpredictable, and the economic outlook murky, many shippers are asking the same question: how do we maintain service levels without overspending on transportation?
The answer lies not in the cheapest rate or biggest fleet—but in working with a carrier and logistics partner that understands your business, adapts to your needs, and delivers consistently.
PNG Logistics stands out in 2025 not just because of its service menu, but because of its ability to balance:
- Advanced technology (TMS with dynamic rating and tracking)
- Human expertise (a team that proactively manages your freight)
- Reliable execution (99% on-time performance in key lanes)
- Transparent communication (real-time updates, honest rate breakdowns)
While broader freight indicators remain shaky, PNG continues to thrive by building customer trust and delivering measurable value. In a year where so much remains uncertain, shippers can count on PNG for one thing: results that don’t waver with the market.
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