Fetch Freight hosted Freight Forecast: Planning for 2026, our annual conversation with ACT Research, exploring what’s ahead for the freight market. The discussion centered around data-driven insights and practical strategies to help carriers and shippers prepare for the year ahead.
Fetch Founder & President Mitchell Lewis led the conversation alongside Brett Lankford of Fetch Freight and Tim Denoyer of ACT Research. Together, they unpacked a wide range of topics, from supply and demand trends to evolving regulations and their potential impact in 2026. The conversation concluded with a forward-looking market outlook, including an analysis of current market conditions and expectations for the months to come.
Key Takeaways from Freight Forecast: Planning for 2026
Market Outlook: With supply and demand slowly rebalancing, the freight market is showing early signs of recovery. Class 8 truck orders, freight volumes, and capacity contraction were central indicators discussed as we look toward a more stable 2026.
Driver Availability and Regulations: CDL issuance trends and the stricter enforcement of non-domiciled driver rules were topics we discussed in last year’s forecast, and the impact became clearer throughout 2025 as these changes tightened the driver pool. This year’s conversation revisited those developments and looked at how continued federal oversight, including potential crackdowns on ELD compliance, may influence capacity in the year ahead.
Capacity and Rates: Capacity has continued to adjust throughout 2025, shaped by several years of contraction and ongoing cost pressures. With tighter driver availability, influenced by regulatory changes and enforcement activity, the broader capacity picture may suggest that capacity could continue tightening in pockets of the market, which may influence the rate environment heading into 2026.
For the full discussion and key takeaways to help guide your 2026 planning, watch here.