📉 Weak Peak Season: Trucking's Freight Forecast Fizzles

by TRUCKERS VA
(UNITED STATES)

This blog post breaks down key takeaways from a video that pulls together tips from multiple articles. Each section links to the full article so you can dig in further when you're ready.

“Short and Soft” Peak Season

This year’s freight forecast isn’t bringing the usual August heat.

Freight volumes are weak and rates are saggin’.

Tariffs, sluggish consumer demand, and leftover supply chain mess are to blame.

Brokers are taking advantage while drivers scramble for loads.

Truckers are being urged to get creative — side hustles, efficiency tweaks, and cutting deadhead miles could be the key.

Adaptability isn’t optional anymore — it’s survival.

👉 Read the full article

TGS Shuts Down — And the Drivers?

After 40 years, TGS Transportation shut its doors with barely a whisper.

Drivers were left with zero warning, stranded mid-haul.

The real story isn’t the shutdown — it’s how these folks were ghosted.

No severance, no help, no heads-up. Just “good luck out there.”

This is a reminder: always have an exit plan and build skills that go beyond the driver’s seat.

👉 Read the full article

DOT Wants Input… But Will They Listen?

In a shocking twist, the DOT is asking truckers for feedback on how freight should run.

Proposals are being tossed around — speed limiters, training reforms, better safety policies.

Truckers are skeptical. We’ve seen “surveys” before with no follow-through.

Still, it’s a rare chance to speak up — even if just to leave a digital paper trail.

👉 Read the full article

US–Canada Tariff Trouble

New tariffs are wrecking freight flows between the U.S. and Canada.

Cross-border hauls are down, and routes are being flipped.

Guess who’s footing the bill? Yup — the drivers.

Freight’s being rerouted and delayed, causing headaches and pay cuts.

Once again, drivers are the shock absorbers of global trade drama.

👉 Read the full article

DOT Speed Limit Proposal — Who’s Really Slowing Down?

DOT’s floating the idea of capping truck speeds nationwide.

Supposedly it’s about safety, but cars still whip by at 90.

Truckers argue it’ll create more danger — especially on two-lane roads.

Critics say it’s less about safety, more about control and compliance.

The convo’s heating up, and truckers are pushing back hard.

👉 Read the full article

Ticketed for… an Unmade Bed?

Yes, this really happened. A driver got fined for having an unmade bunk.

Inspectors claimed it was a “safety hazard.”

Truckers are wondering if this is the new normal or just a bad joke.

Either way, it’s a wake-up call — DOT scrutiny is getting ridiculous.

Keep that cab tidy, but don’t be afraid to speak out against nonsense.

👉 Read the full article

Bottom Line

The freight market’s wobbling, regulators are tightening the screws, and companies are ghosting drivers without warning. But one thing remains true — smart drivers stay ready. Whether it’s learning new income skills, staying active in policy conversations, or just keeping that cab clean enough to dodge a fine — it’s all about control.

👉 Want to take control of your future?
Visit:
🔗 RetireFromTrucking.com
🔗 LifeAsATrucker.com

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