FTR | State of Freight
State of Freight is a series of industry resources from FTR, the leader in market intelligence and forecasting for the North American freight transportation industry. FTR podcasts provide updates for the Trucking and Rail markets, as well as the broader economy. Each podcast includes a slide deck of graphs that can be used in presentations or for internal analysis. For show downloads and to signup for more State of Freight content, go to www.FTRintel.com/podcast.
Episodes
708 episodes
Rail Market Update - Week ending June 26, 2025
In this episode of FTR’s Rail and Intermodal Update, host Joseph Towers covers:FTR Conference: Sept. 8–11 in Indianapolis — trucking and rail focus.Tariffs & Geopolitics:U.S. tariffs may ret...
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Episode 250
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9:23
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning June 23, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review some big changes in the fuel and petroleum markets in the wake of big developments in the Middle East. We also examine some key data related to the industrial, consumer, ...
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Episode 319
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21:33
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning June 16, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review some alarming pricing data out of the Bureau of Labor Statistics related to trucking insurance as well as pricing more broadly in the U.S. economy. We also revisit trucki...
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Episode 318
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20:18
Rail Market Update - Week ending June 13, 2025
In this episode of FTR’s Rail and Intermodal Update, host Joseph Towers covers:Tariff Update.Rail Traffic – Week Ending June 7Commodity TrendsThe Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Seni...
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Episode 249
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9:37
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning June 9, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we dig into the latest employment data for trucking and related sectors and review the broader employment picture for the economy. We also revisit international trade in goods now ...
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Episode 317
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19:29
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning June 2, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review the latest figures on imports and exports of goods and look at data on consumer spending, inventories, and orders for manufactured goods. Plus, we discuss the entry and e...
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Episode 316
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22:16
Rail Market Update - Week ending May 30, 2025
This weeks topics include: FTR ConferenceTariff UpdateRail TrafficUinta Rail Line The Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Towers. As this i...
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Episode 248
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11:48
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning May 26, 2024
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review several important developments in Washington related to trucking. We also examine revenues for trucking in the first quarter and sales for new and existing homes in April...
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Episode 315
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18:44
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning May 19, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we dig into some key indicators of the industrial, consumer, and retail sectors and discuss the latest pricing data for consumers and businesses. Plus, we recap the week in diesel ...
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Episode 314
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18:02
Rail Market Update - Week ending May 16, 2025
This week's topics include: RSI Conference and ExpoTariff Update Rail traffic updateThe Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Towers. As this inform...
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Episode 247
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9:38
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning May 12, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we discuss the temporary trade deal between the U.S. and China and revisit trade data for March now that we have more detailed data. Plus, we recap the week in the spot marke...
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Episode 313
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18:15
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning May 5, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we discuss so much stuff that it is too unwieldy to list it all here, but it includes the latest data on payroll employment in trucking and changes in the for-hire carrier populati...
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Episode 312
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30:25
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning April 28, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we discuss the Trump administration’s new policy on English proficiency and its exploration of tariffs or quotas regarding heavy-duty trucks. We also review the latest data from FM...
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Episode 311
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21:12
Rail Market Update - Week ending April 25, 2025
This week's topics include: Tariff Update • ARCI results • Rail traffic updateThe Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Towers. As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along an...
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Episode 246
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8:55
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning April 21, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review some key indicators of the industrial, consumer, and housing sectors and discuss the latest Trump administration move in trade policy. Plus, we recap the week in diesel p...
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Episode 310
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16:31
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning April 14, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review sales of autos and light trucks, the latest data on pricing for consumers and businesses, inventories and sales in the wholesale sector, applications for new businesses, ...
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Episode 309
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24:17
Rail Market Update - Week ending April 11, 2025
In this episode of FTR’s Rail and Intermodal Update, host Joseph Towers unpacks the whirlwind developments in U.S. trade policy, focusing on the evolving tariff landscape and its far-reaching implications for inflation, imports, ...
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Episode 245
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11:24
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning April 7, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we dig into the latest figures on payroll employment in trucking and changes in the population of active for-hire trucking firms. We also review the labor situation for the U.S. mo...
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Episode 308
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22:09
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning March 31, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review the latest data on imports and exports, consumer spending, inventories, manufacturing orders, and sales of new homes. Plus, we recap the week in diesel prices and the spo...
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Episode 307
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22:19
Rail Market Update - March 27, 2025
This week, we have several topics to cover. We'll start with weekly rail traffic, then move on to tariffs, and finally wrap up with some recent announcements from the Surface Transportation Board.The Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s...
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Episode 244
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9:24
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning March 24, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we dig into key indicators of the industrial and housing sectors and recap the week in diesel prices and the spot market for truck freight as usual.The Trucking Market Updat...
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Episode 306
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13:48
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning March 17, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we examine retail sales, job openings, business applications, and pricing for consumers and businesses, including for trucking services. We also revisit trucking revenues in the fo...
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Episode 305
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20:41
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning March 10, 2025
In this week's episode we tackle the following topics:Payroll employment for trucking and related sectorsTariff update and January imports follow-upDiesel and petroleum marketsSpot market conditions <...
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Episode 304
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19:31
Rail Market Update - Week ending March 7, 2025
The latest episode of FTR’s Rail and Intermodal Update, hosted by Joseph Towers, recaps insights from the Rail Equipment Finance Conference and discusses ongoing uncertainties in the industry. A key takeaway from the event was the widespread he...
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Episode 243
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7:08
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning March 3, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review some striking data reflecting how the treat of tariffs has affected international trade and examine what happened with the for-hire carrier population in February. We als...
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Episode 303
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21:33
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning February 24, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we review data related to the housing market and the number of applications for new businesses, including those in transportation and warehousing. We also discuss revenues for the ...
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Episode 302
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18:13
Rail Market Update - February 20, 2024
In this Rail Market Update: Get the latest on weekly rail traffic, with a focus on intermodal activity. This week's topics include: Rail Equipment Finance ConferenceTariff UpdateWeekly Rail Traffi...
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Episode 242
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6:39
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning February 17, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we dig into some key indicators of the industrial and consumer economy, including manufacturing output, retail sales, and inventories. Plus, we review pricing in the consumer and b...
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Episode 301
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18:47
Trucking Market Update - Week Beginning February 10, 2025
In this week’s episode of FTR’s Trucking Market Update podcast, we dive into payroll employment for trucking, highlighting the outcome of an annual benchmark revision of the data. We also look at non-payroll employment in trucking and at the em...
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Episode 300
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23:44