What 400+ carriers told Truckstop.com about 2026, and what it means for spring
Every quarter, Truckstop.com and Bloomberg Intelligence survey 400+ carriers to get a read on where things actually stand. The Q4 2025 results are in. The picture is more nuanced than the headlines suggest, and for carriers paying attention, there's a real opportunity window opening up this spring.
If you're trying to figure out how to run a smarter operation heading into spring, here's what the data tells you.
Understand where the market has been
Before you plan for spring, it helps to know what the last few months actually looked like across the industry.
About 45% of carriers reported load volumes down compared to the same period last year. Nearly 67% said demand and rates felt softer heading into Q4 than they did in Q3. Revenues followed.
Knowing this matters because it tells you why brokers have been squeezing rates and why some lanes have felt thin. When you understand the conditions, you stop taking it personally and start making better decisions to operate through this uncertainty.
Pay attention to where the market is going
Here's the part worth acting on.
More than 51% of carriers expect demand to increase over the next three to six months. Around 42% expect rates to improve in that same window. And roughly 41% expect their revenues to grow.
That's a real shift in sentiment. Spring is when that shift tends to show up in actual freight volume. Produce season picks up as temperatures rise. Flatbed and construction freight starts moving in March and April. Ag and infrastructure loads follow.
The carriers who benefit from these windows are the ones who prepared before the loads appeared, not the ones scrambling to catch up after.
Keep your costs lean until the market proves itself
Cash flow is what keeps you running when freight is slow. Protecting it when rates are soft is one of the most important habits to build early. Carriers who expand before the market supports it rarely make it to the good months. Stay lean now, and you'll have more room to move when conditions improve.
Get on the right loads before the rush starts
Spring freight rewards carriers who are set up and searching before the busy stretch hits. The best loads on a lane don't sit around waiting.
That's why having the Truckstop.com Load Board dialed in before volume increases matters. When you're on a platform with verified brokers and real loads, you're not wasting time chasing freight that's already gone or working with someone you know nothing about. You see the load, you check the broker, you make the call.
Pair that with Spot Market Insights, Truckstop.com's free weekly newsletter with rate averages pulled directly from load board data. Before you call on a load, you the trend with rates in that area. That knowledge is especially valuable when you're still building a feel for rates.
The survey says carriers are ready. Are you?
The data shows most carriers see the market turning and are positioning now. They're not waiting for a perfect signal. They're getting set up so they're ready when spring freight moves.
