Freight Market Recovery on the Horizon: Key Trends

Kelsea Ansfield
Aug 11
3 min read

The freight industry is showing signs of optimism despite a challenging first half of 2025, with carriers, brokers, and shippers looking toward a potential recovery in the next six months. Coupled with innovative developments in rail intermodal services and new data tools from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), the logistics landscape is poised for transformation.

At Gain Consulting, we’re breaking down these trends to help your business prepare for what’s next.

Carriers and Brokers Anticipate Recovery

Despite a lackluster second quarter marked by tariff uncertainties, industry sentiment remains positive. According to Todd Markusic, Customer Insights Manager at truckstop.com, “Many carriers and brokers remained optimistic through the first half of 2025 despite facing difficulties.” While the freight market underperformed in Q2, with no clear resolution on how tariffs will shape the economy, many stakeholders expect a recovery within the next six months.

This optimism is driven by stabilizing demand, improving consumer confidence, and expectations of clearer trade policies, which could unlock pent-up freight activity.

For shippers and logistics providers, this signals an opportunity to prepare for increased volumes and tighter capacity. Proactive planning—such as securing carrier partnerships or optimizing load planning—can position businesses to capitalize on the anticipated upswing.

Union Pacific’s Intermodal Push: A Game-Changer for Truck Freight

Adding to the industry’s evolving dynamics, Union Pacific Railroad is launching a new truck-competitive domestic intermodal service starting September 3, 2025. This service connects Southern California’s Inland Empire, a key warehousing hub, to Chicago’s Global 2 Intermodal Terminal via the Inland Empire Intermodal Terminal (IEIT). By offering a direct, high-capacity rail option, Union Pacific aims to capture freight moving from the West Coast to the Midwest, traditionally dominated by truckload carriers.

This development could shift freight dynamics, particularly for high-volume shippers in the Los Angeles Basin. Rail intermodal often provides cost savings and environmental benefits compared to trucking, but it requires strategic planning to integrate with existing supply chains. Businesses may need to evaluate whether intermodal solutions align with their cost and transit time goals, especially for time-sensitive shipments.

BTS Unveils New Freight Mobility Data

On August 6, 2025, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) launched a groundbreaking statistical program leveraging GPS data from over 350,000 trucks to provide insights into freight mobility. The first metric, available for download from the BTS website, estimates median county-to-county travel times for 2023. This data offers unprecedented visibility into trucking patterns, enabling shippers and carriers to optimize routing, reduce transit times, and improve operational efficiency.

For businesses, access to this data can inform strategic decisions, such as selecting optimal distribution centers or identifying bottlenecks in key lanes. As BTS expands this program, additional metrics could further enhance supply chain visibility, making it a valuable tool for logistics planning.

What This Means for Your Business

These developments highlight a freight market on the cusp of change. At Gain Consulting, we recommend the following strategies to prepare for the anticipated recovery and leverage new opportunities:

Anticipate Market Recovery: Strengthen carrier relationships and secure capacity now to avoid disruptions as demand rebounds. Use forecasting tools to align inventory with expected volume increases.
Explore Intermodal Options: Evaluate Union Pacific’s new intermodal service for cost-effective, sustainable shipping between Southern California and Chicago. Our team can assess whether rail fits your supply chain needs.
Leverage BTS Data: Utilize the new BTS freight mobility data to optimize routing and reduce costs. We can help integrate this data into your transportation management systems for real-time decision-making.
Mitigate Tariff Risks: With tariff uncertainties lingering, diversify your carrier base and explore multimodal solutions to buffer against potential cost increases.

Partner with Gain Consulting

The freight market’s anticipated recovery, combined with Union Pacific’s intermodal expansion and BTS’s new data tools, presents both opportunities and challenges for 2025.

At Gain Consulting, we specialize in helping businesses navigate these shifts with tailored strategies that enhance efficiency and reduce costs. Whether you’re optimizing trucking routes, exploring intermodal options, or preparing for a market rebound, our experts are here to guide you.

Sources: DC Velocity, August 8, 2025; CCJ, August 10, 2025; U.S. Department of Transportation, August 6, 2025