Transport Capital Partners reports that a large body of small and medium sized trucking fleets will exit the business within the next six months if freight volumes don't improve.
In its Third Quarter 2011 Business Expectation Survey, TCP said 15% of those fleets could close their doors.
Even as smaller fleets are considered to be more optimistic about freight volumes over the next year, 20% of those with under $25 million in revenues would consider leaving, while 11.8% of fleets with more than $25 million in revenues would also think about leaving.
TCP partner Richard Mikes said it was ironic that smaller fleets are generally more optimistic about volumes over the next 12 months, yet they are still very serious about leaving the industry.
"A dichotomy still remains in our industry," said TCP partner Lana Batts, "even with carriers seeing more freight volumes." She added that carriers are still under pressure from most areas – fuel, regulations, equipment, drivers. "In essence, it just isn't fun anymore."
“Taken in its entirety," Mikes said, "this third quarter survey shows a ‘trend of caution’ in the overall no-growth economy, and the impact of a surge of regulations on trucking is best summed up by the halving of the number of carriers expecting growth in the year ahead.”