May 12, 2008

The trucking industry has been stagnant for several months due to a slow economy and overcapacity. However, rapid progress in a few areas could shift some $1 billion in LTL business in 2008 and 2009 and improve industry profitability.

Between 1998 and 2006, unionized LTL carriers lost one-third of their market share to nonunion carriers. At a rate of 2.5 percent a year, a continuation of this trend by itself means a shift of $800 million per year to nonunion carriers. For this to occur profitability it will require reduction in capacity and revenue at YRC, the parent of the nation’s largest unionized LTL carriers…