According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the mid-year 2021 indicators that the company tracks for the economy, freight and equipment utilization are about as good as analysts at the company have ever seen.

“Near term, volumes will be dictated by OEM and supplier capacity; the market will take as many trucks, tractors and trailers as the manufacturers can make for this year and deep into next year,” Kenny Vieth, president and senior analyst for ACT Research, said. “We’ve been on a wild 12-month return-to-near-normal ride, but having reached the ‘it’s as good as it gets’ stage, the next question company management and ACT’s clients are asking is when does it all end?

“From the trajectory of our forecast, it is clear that we think the most likely answer is not any time soon. But even as a theoretical exercise, it’s worthwhile to run through the array of signals to watch for early, actionable signs of a pending change in direction. Those include considerations like the yield curve, commodity prices, stock prices, purchasing managers’ surveys, spot freight rates and ACT Research’s Class 8 Tractor Dashboard.”