Feb 11, 2025

. (Photo credit: Jim Allen/FreightWaves) Empty trailer space has long been an inefficiency in the trucking industry. With shifting market conditions and rising costs, shipping “air” is becoming more expensive than ever, driving urgency for shippers to adopt better solutions. Things like half-empty trailers and underutilized space aren’t just a headache anymore—they’re impacting your bottom line. If you’re shipping freight in today’s evolving environment, it’s crucial to rethink how you utilize capacity and begin planning for market changes ahead of 2025. Here’s what’s happening, why it matters, and how a Shared Truckload solution can help save costs while improving operational efficiency. Setting the stage for 2025 As we move into 2025, several trends are shaping the trucking industry. FreightWaves’ market data indicates a turning tide in the truckload market, signaling a stronger advantage for carriers. Many providers are renegotiating truckload contract rates in favor of higher pricing, leaving shippers with rising bills. Simultaneously, capacity issues persist. Research shows that 43% of truckloads move partially empty—essentially shipping air. This inefficiency drives up costs for shippers and represents wasted revenue opportunities for carriers. Rising operational expenses, coupled with tighter margins, only magnify this challenge across the industry. Adding to the complexity, LTL NMFC code changes could nudge more shippers toward alternative solutions. Yet, for businesses unable to fill an entire trailer, traditional truckload shipping isn’t cost-effective—placing shippers in a frustrating bind. It’s within this context that Shared Truckload is emerging as a game-changing solution. How the market is driving the cost of shipping air Shipping air—moving a truckload trailer that isn’t completely full—wastes both money and resources. And as the market shifts to favor carriers, the cost of these inefficiencies is climbing fast. For carriers, partially empty trailers represent an increasing opportunity cost. Every unused cubic foot is a lost chance for profit. Dramatic fluctuations in demand, coupled with rising diesel prices, push carriers to maximize capacity in every shipment. For shippers, the rising costs of underutilized trailers can make staying competitive tougher than ever. The solution? Fill that empty space. This is where Shared Truckload (STL) solutions step in, providing shippers with smarter, more efficient ways to pool loads and maximize trailer usage. STL allows multiple shippers to share trailer space, splitting costs proportionally without compromising delivery speed or performance. The result? Optimized shipping that’s better for shippers, carriers, and the environment. Technology at the core of Shared Truckload Executing Shared Truckloads efficiently is no easy feat. Freight brokers have attempted to manually coordinate shared loads for decades, but they’ve always struggled to harmonize complex details like commodities, shipment sizes, locations, and equipment requirements—all at scale. Enter Flock Freight’s pooling technology, a leader in the space capable of achieving what manual efforts cannot. Powered by machine learning, Flock’s proprietary algorithms instantly analyze every variable in the shipping equation: Route Optimization: Predicts the most efficient paths based on real-time data. Load Matching: Seamlessly pairs multiple compatible shipments. Carrier Integration: Helps carriers locate matching loads to fill unused trailer capacity. By doing so, Flock Freight not only improves efficiency but also provides precise, predictable outcomes for both shippers and carriers. It’s Shared Truckload at scale, bringing advanced technology to solve an age-old problem. Carrier benefits of Shared Truckload For carriers, the stakes are higher when trailers move partially empty. Rising costs and competition require them to operate as cost-efficiently as possible. With Flock Freight’s technology, carriers can proactively find and fill unused capacity to maximize their revenue per mile. For example, after booking a shipment, Flock Freight analyzes available space and helps carriers find additional loads that align with their route and timeline. Real Shared Truckload example Consider this scenario from a recent Flock Freight Shared Truckload. Flock’s technology handled everything from load matching to optimization, so all three shippers saved money while maintaining their timelines. Flock delivered their goods alongside other businesses’ freight, splitting the trailer space and cutting transportation costs in half. It’s a simple, effective example of how STL addresses inefficiency while creating value for everyone involved. The time to act is now With shipping costs rising and the market becoming less favorable for shippers, it’s time to future-proof your transportation strategy. Shared Truckload offers a solution that’s flexible, cost-efficient, and technology-driven. For shippers, STL allows you to save on transportation costs and reduce inefficiencies while addressing the challenge of underutilized trailers. For carriers, STL represents a new revenue opportunity and a pathway to maximize efficiency. If shipping “air” is no longer an option, Shared Truckload is your chance to stay competitive in a fast-changing market. Click here to learn more about Flock Freight.