The Breakthrough Monthly Freight Index
Elevate your freight strategy with the Breakthrough Ecosystem. Stay informed with the latest freight index and market update, empowering you to navigate shifts in demand and capacity.
Freight index analysis
Shipments in the Breakthrough Ecosystem declined 5.1% year-over-year and 4.0% from the previous month, reflecting typical Q1 seasonal patterns. In January, all regions except the Pacific and New England saw significant year-over-year drops, with the East North Central region—accounting for nearly a quarter of the ecosystem—falling the most at 11.6%.
While the Consumer Packaged Goods, Paper & Packaging, and Retail sectors grew, the Food & Beverage and Durable Goods industries remained below the national average, keeping overall performance negative.
Freight market update
Published: February, 19 2025
Consumer resilience drove 2.3% real GDP growth in Q4 2024, with consumption playing a key role despite investment posing its biggest drag in two years. Durable goods spending boosted GDP for the third consecutive quarter, rebounding after early 2024 contractions. Data from the Breakthrough Ecosystem shows durable goods shipments rose in late 2024 but moderated by January. Freight shipments in sectors like machinery, construction, and automotive slowed due to inflation and high borrowing costs. Mixed trends in durable goods and private investment, alongside policy uncertainty, suggest growth in these areas will remain challenging into 2025.
Adapt to freight market demands
To maintain a competitive advantage, integrate innovative strategies that leverage data, technology, and market expertise. By doing so, you can take a proactive approach to procurement.
Access real-time data
Prepare for the forecasted increase in freight demand by having access to a real-time, shipper-transacted dataset. With this type of data at your fingertips, you can benchmark your network against other industry-leading shippers and uncover opportunities within your transportation network.
Invest in relationships
Invest in mutually beneficial relationships with carriers to be prepared for any sudden changes in freight demand or capacity. Leverage Capac-ID to determine if alternative carriers might be a better match for certain lanes and loads.
Leverage a trusted source
Keep informed about market shifts to adjust your transportation plans promptly. By leveraging unbiased market expertise from sources like Breakthrough, you can effectively communicate market dynamics to your C-suite, enhancing your credibility as a transportation leader.
About the Breakthrough Ecosystem
The Breakthrough Ecosystem is one of the cleanest and most robust sets of transportation data in the U.S.
23+ million shipments
$28 billion in transportation spend
12+ billion commercial miles
1.5+ billion gallons of diesel fuel
Take control of your freight network
Experience firsthand how Breakthrough’s innovative freight solutions can keep a constant pulse on your transportation network performance and identify areas for cost reduction and efficiency gains.