2022 transportation buying trends

Transportation contract negotiations for 2022 are likely to continue the trends seen in 2021. The lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic with, transportation backlogs and capacity constraints across all modes, will make for another unprecedented year.

This year’s annual Transportation Buying Trends Survey was purposely conducted a bit later than normal (it was completed in early November) to provide the most up-to-the-minute reflection of what to expect in this rapidly shifting scenario.

Included below are highlights for the TL, LTL, rail, intermodal, marine, courier and air modes. Read on to see what shippers across Canada expect for increases in their freight rates, the penetration of surcharges, and their concerns regarding capacity constraints.

Sixty-two percent of respondents were based in Central Canada (Ontario and Quebec), with 28 percent residing in Western Canada and nine percent in Eastern Canada.

In terms of industry, 26 percent of respondents were from manufacturing, 26 percent were with 3PLs, while 22 percent were in distribution, nine percent represented freight forwarders, and seven percent, respectively, worked in retail and wholesale.