1989 to Now: Thom Albrecht on Freight’s Strange Cycle

Freight market outlook: Thom Albrecht says this is the most fascinating supply cycle he’s seen in his career. The Reliance Partners CRO breaks down why demand improved in June and July, why supply still drives the market, and what rail, chemicals, scrap and grain are signaling for trucking. If you’re trying to read where freight goes next, this is the operator-level takeaway. #FreightMarket #TruckingIndustry #RailFreight The trucking freight cycle — already being driven primarily by supply constraints rather than demand — could last beyond the end of next year or into the first quarter of 2028 if regulatory enforcement stalls, and could extend significantly longer if pending rules are enacted, according to Thom Albrecht, Chief Revenue Officer of Reliance Partners, one of the largest insurance brokers focused exclusively on trucking. Albrecht, who began his Wall Street career covering freight in 1989, identified five supply-side developments that have already reshaped carrier capacity: English language proficiency enforcement, action on non-domiciled drivers, elimination of self-certification at CDL institutions, the move away from self-certification for electronic logging devices,