The freight corridors between the United States and Canada are already strained by driver shortages and port backlogs. Add a tariff war on aluminum, and shippers face higher rates, longer dwell times, and a ripple effect that hits every truck on the road.
What happened
Last week the Aluminum Association of North America (AANA) and the Canadian Aluminum Association (CAA) released a joint statement calling for an immediate halt to the retaliatory 10% tariff the U.S. imposed on Canadian aluminum in March 2024 and the 7.5% Canadian counter‑tariff on U.S. aluminum products. Both groups argue the tit‑for‑tat measures are a distraction from the real threat: Chinese overcapacity, which floods the market with cheap billets and sheet. The statement cites that U.S. imports of Canadian aluminum fell 12% in 2025, while Canadian imports of U.S. aluminum dropped 9%, directly translating into fewer loads for cross‑border carriers.
Why it matters for dispatchers/drivers
Truck dispatchers and drivers feel the pinch the moment a tariff hits a commodity. Aluminum is a staple for automotive, aerospace, and construction shipments that travel the I‑94, I‑90, and I‑5 corridors. A 10% duty adds roughly $1,200 per 40‑foot container of raw aluminum, forcing shippers to either absorb the cost or pass it to the carrier. Most carriers operate on thin margins—average net profit per mile sits around $0.08—so any added expense squeezes rates. Moreover, customs clearance times have risen by 15% since the tariffs, creating more detention and dead‑head miles.
For dispatchers, the tariff creates a two‑front problem: fewer loads and longer booking cycles. Drivers see fewer back‑hauls, meaning empty miles climb and fuel‑efficiency targets slip. The result is a direct hit to driver pay and a spike in turnover, already at 22% nationwide.
My take
Tariff politics belong in Washington, not on the road. The U.S. and Canada should drop the aluminum tit‑for‑tat and unite against China’s dumping. Every extra duty drags down the entire supply chain, kills load volumes, and pushes drivers into the gig‑economy or out of the industry entirely. It’s a classic case of politicians playing with a freight‑dependent economy while the working trucker bears the cost.
— Ekjot Singh
What you should do
- **Audit your load board** for aluminum‑related freight and flag any that include tariff surcharges; negotiate to split the duty with shippers.
- **Educate your drivers** on customs paperwork to reduce detention; a quick refresher can shave 30 minutes off clearance time.
- **Leverage EK Dispatch Academy tools** to model rate impacts of tariffs and adjust your pricing strategy before the next load is posted.