CCJ MarketPulse – May 2016

The CCJ MarketPulse is a short survey of 200 for-hire fleet executives. Its purpose is to gauge fleet sentiment regarding monthly business conditions and concerns as well as hiring and purchasing plans. Here are the key findings from the May 2016 CCJ MarketPulse survey:

  • Business conditions in May improved from the previous month, up to 5.56 from 5.0. Respondents from fleets with up to 100 power units were slightly more optimistic, rating May a 5.6 (4.96 in April), compared to respondents from fleets with more than 100 power units which rated May a 5.54 (5.02 in April).
  • More respondents from both power unit groups indicated business was better in May compared to April than those who responded it was worse, but nearly half of all respondents indicated business in May was worse than the same month last year. Over the next six months, 35.6% of respondents from fleets with more than 100 power units expect business to get better, compared to only 20% of respondents with up to 100 power units.
  • Only 35% of respondents from fleets with up to 100 power units and 39% of respondents from fleets with more than 100 power units plan to add full-time employees in the next six months, continuing a steady decline in the last several months.
  • Overall, 39.2% of respondents plan to increase the size of their fleets in the next six months, while 40.5% plan on replacing equipment but maintaining current fleet size. 5.1% of respondents indicated plans to decrease fleet size.
  • Driver availability (32.9%), freight volume (30.4%) and freight pricing (27.8%) are tightly grouped as carriers’ top concerns. Only 3.8% of all respondents said Political climate in Washington was their top concern, but 60.1% listed it in their Top five concerns overall.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE MAY 2016t CCJ MARKETPULSE REPORT