Transportation Market Update

January 8, 2021, Transportation Market Update

Current outbound volumes have dipped due to the holidays, but are 38% higher than in 2019 and 47% higher than in 2018. Past data suggests that we will see a rebound in outbound volumes within the next week.

As the market continues to evolve, Schneider is here to help. View the full report here:

in less than a month, more than 17 million COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed, but a fraction have been administered, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID data tracker.

According to the NY Times, the administration of the vaccine is taking longer than expected, due to decreased holiday staffing, overburdened health facilities, and held back doses for nursing homes and other long-term facilities. The problems are concerning now that a new, more contagious variant is starting to be seen in the United States.

Have questions about how COVID-19 distribution is affecting your supply chain or need help adjusting your supply chain around the distribution disruption? Contact an expert to begin the conversation today.

Manufacturers are rethinking their supply chains, investing in expanding or building new factories in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. What does this mean? An increase in domestic manufacturing could alter trucking routes and increase capacity demand in North America.

Also, network modeling becomes even more important. Learn more with our position paper: Supply chains in flux? What to do now? 

Considering strategies like nearshoring or reshoring amidst the pandemic?  Our engineering services like network modeling can help ensure you move forward with the best solution for your business. Use the link below to begin the conversation today.

“2020 has been an unusual year for every industry including transportation, requiring solutions to many unexpected challenges." – Mark Rourke, CEO, Schneider

Freight volumes have been at unprecedented levels since early last year -- and we believe marked demand outpacing aggregate industry supply is a durable condition that will last multiple quarters. Compounding that pressure, the number of long-haul drivers in the market has been drastically decreasing, unlike past demand cycles.

Read more about the strategies Mark recommends shippers deploy to meet capacity needs, via his LinkedIn article, here.

The Emergency Declaration was issued following the declaration of a national emergency by the President in response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Regulatory relief is provided for commercial motor vehicle operations providing direct assistance in support of emergency relief efforts related to COVID-19. 

The Emergency Declaration has been extended multiple times. The December 1 update shall remain in effect until February 28, 2021, or until the revocation of the Presidentially declared COVID-19 national emergency, whichever is sooner. 

The Emergency Declaration is limited to transportation of: 

1. Livestock and livestock feed. 
2. Medical supplies and equipment related to the testing, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. 
3. Vaccines, constituent products, and medical supplies and equipment including ancillary supplies/kits for the administration of vaccines, related to the prevention of COVID-19. 
4. Supplies and equipment necessary for community safety, sanitation, and prevention of community transmission of COVID-19 such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, soap and disinfectants. 
5. Food, paper products and other groceries for emergency restocking of distribution centers or stores. 

Direct assistance does not include routine commercial deliveries, including mixed loads with a nominal quantity of qualifying emergency relief added to obtain the benefits of this emergency declaration. 

See the full Emergency Declaration, Restrictions, and Limitations on the FMCSA website. 

Schneider is committed to following the FMCSA Emergency Declaration while maintaining our #1 Core Value of safety among our drivers and associates.

We continue to closely monitor information related to the COVID-19 outbreak and – as always – our priority is to protect the health and safety of our associates, our drivers, our customers, and the general public. Our crisis management team is continually monitoring the situation and is taking steps to ensure the wellness and safety of our associates.

Recognizing that our drivers are the backbone of our business, we are in regular communication through our driver support teams to ensure that they are well informed as to the environment they are operating in. Their safety and wellness are a top priority.

Your business is very important to us and we are happy to answer more questions related to specific worksites or regions should you have them.

For the latest information on COVID-19, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

Our associates and transportation experts are available to help with supply chain strategy and shipping needs to respond to the pandemic. You can count on Schneider to provide your business with the same exceptional service and timely support we’ve provided shippers for 85+ years.