Freight Rates Are Still Trash: Why the “Trucking Recovery” Is Just Corporate Propaganda

by Hervy
(United States)

🚛

Intro:

“Hang tight, freight’s about to bounce back.”
That’s what they’ve been saying for how long now? Meanwhile, you’re out here chasing $1.50/mile loads while diesel stays up and load boards stay dry. Let’s cut the corporate crap — here’s what’s really going on with freight rates, why it's not your fault, and how to stop getting played.

📉

The Ugly Truth About the “Recovery”

There ain’t one — yet.
Rates are still in the basement, and the only people seeing “recovery” are the brokers pocketing the margin between your struggle and the shipper’s wallet.

Too many trucks, not enough loads.
Everyone flooded the game during COVID. Now it's oversaturated like a truck stop shower at 6 a.m. Supply is high. Demand? Barely coughing.

The megas are built for recessions — you’re not.
Big fleets run on volume and sweetheart fuel deals. You, the independent or small carrier? You bleed on every mile. And they know it.

People are out here hauling for less than cost.
Not because they want to — but because they’re trying to hold on. The freight famine is real, and it’s turning good drivers into desperate ones.

🧠

Real Talk From the Road

Old heads aren’t shocked.
They’ve seen this before. Recessions come, and only the lean, smart, and stubborn make it through. If you’re not cutting costs and staying nimble, you're a step away from “For Sale” on the windshield.

Younger drivers are pivoting.
They’re not sitting around crying over $1.30/mile. They’re learning dispatch, flipping gear, building side hustles, and even using AI tools to create income off-duty. Adapt or get left behind.

Truckin’ execs live in la-la land.
CEOs talk optimism while sipping cold brew in air-conditioned boardrooms. If they had to run a dry week on the spot market, they’d shut the whole company down.

🧰

What the Industry Is Doing (Spoiler: Not Much)

Some fleets are parking trucks.
They’d rather let equipment sit than haul freight at a loss. That should tell you something.

Others are training and pivoting.
Drivers who see the writing on the wall are stacking skills — not just stacking miles. AI, dispatching, YouTube, flipping trailers, ecommerce — anything that keeps the money coming when the wheels stop.

The brokers? Oh, they’re feasting.
While you fight over trash rates, they’re sipping profit off the top like it’s sweet tea.

🧨

Bottom Line:

Nobody’s coming to save you. The market will shift eventually — but what will you look like when it does? Burnt out, broke, and behind on payments? Or battle-tested with an off-duty income and options?

This is survival of the smartest, not just the strongest.

🚀

Call to Action:

If you’re tired of waiting on a miracle from the freight market, start building real freedom now.
Learn how to use AI and build an off-duty income while you're still rolling.

👉 RetireFromTrucking.com
Want street-level insight from real truckers who’ve been there and made it through?
👉 LifeAsATrucker.com