TIA Q2 report signals potential freight market rebound

Summary

The Transportation Intermediaries Association’s Q2 2025 3PL Market Report — compiled from monthly data from over 50 TIA members and prepared by Donald Broughton — shows early signs of improvement in the freight brokerage market. Key moves: total shipments rose 10.7% sequentially to 1.74 million and were up 7.8% year‑on‑year; total revenue increased 5.4% quarter‑on‑quarter and 5.2% year‑on‑year; invoice per shipment fell to $1,690 (down 4.8% sequentially). Truckload dominated broker activity at 72% of volumes. The report and TIA CEO Chris Burroughs flag cautious optimism but note that tariffs and policy uncertainty remain downside risks.

Key Points

Total shipments climbed 10.7% sequentially to 1.74 million and were up 7.8% versus a year earlier.
Truckload accounted for 72% of broker activity; Miscellaneous (ocean, air, warehousing, special services) 14%; LTL 11%; intermodal 3%.
Quarterly revenue rose 5.4% sequentially and 5.2% annually, while invoice per shipment fell 4.8% sequentially to $1,690.
Volume trends: TL +4.0% Y/Y and +5.9% Q/Q; LTL +8.9% Y/Y and +3.5% Q/Q; intermodal down ~3% Y/Y and Q/Q; Other (air/ocean/warehousing) up strongly.
TIA links improving import container volumes (approaching Q2 2022 peaks) and lean retail inventories to potential stronger trucking demand ahead.
Management caution: tariffs, Supreme Court actions on IEEPA tariffs and general uncertainty could slow a sustained recovery despite encouraging Q2 data.

Context and relevance

This report matters because it may mark the turning point after roughly a year of weak freight activity (TIA notes a downturn across at least the last 12 quarters). For carriers, brokers and shippers, the data suggest improving volumes and revenue momentum — but mixed price signals. If import containers and retail demand continue to recover, spot market activity and dry‑van load posts could pick up, boosting utilisation and margins. Conversely, unresolved tariff policy and geopolitical uncertainty remain the main near‑term downside risks that could blunt recovery or keep shippers cautious.

Why should I read this?

Short version: if you move goods, book transport or price freight, this is worth a quick look. The Q2 numbers show the market might be turning from flat to better — which affects capacity, rates and how you plan for Peak Season. We’ve read the report so you don’t have to dig through the raw tables; this summary gives you the headlines and the bits that could change how you bid, buy or allocate capacity next quarter.

Author style

Punchy: the piece pulls together clear metrics (shipments, revenue, invoice per shipment) and a straight‑talk view from TIA’s CEO. It’s cautious optimism — not celebration — and that’s exactly the tone industry readers need right now.

Source

Source: https://www.logisticsmgmt.com/article/tia_q2_report_signals_potential_freight_market_rebound