Truckers Face Bad Business Environment and Experts See It Getting Worse

One of many tractor-trailers in the fleet owned by Illinois-based JKC Trucking. With permission from JKC Co-owner Mike Kucharski

Truck drivers and larger carriers are facing a tough business environment, which may get worse than it did during the Great Financial Crisis, according to a report.

Freight demand has deteriorated over the last year due to a sluggish economy, and per-mile rates for drivers have plunged since the pandemic-era boom in 2021, which brought a surge of goods onto the market.