# The market isn’t short on freight – it’s short on trucks.
What happened
FreightWaves data shows tender volumes have stagnated for 24 months while carrier rejections have tripled since early 2024. The surge isn’t demand‑driven; it’s a capacity drain. Drivers are leaving for better pay, early retirement, or moving to the booming EV/Autonomous niche. Fleet owners report a 15% drop in active trucks YoY, and broker platforms are seeing 30% fewer qualified carriers per load.
Why it matters for dispatchers/drivers
For dispatchers, a thin supply means every tender is a battle. Load‑to‑truck ratios have slipped from 1.8:1 to 1.2:1, inflating freight rates but also inflating carrier rejection risk. Drivers now have leverage: they can reject low‑pay loads without fear of being black‑listed. However, the flip side is longer deadhead miles for those who stay, eroding earnings. The market is morphing into a “capacity‑first” environment where speed of match beats price‑only negotiations.
My take
The industry is in the throes of a supply‑driven cycle. Regulators can’t fix it with more ELD rules; we need real pay‑back and better working conditions. Until capacity returns, dispatchers must become data‑savvy matchmakers, not just price haggler. – Ekjot
What you should do
- Leverage real‑time load boards and EK Dispatch Academy’s **Data‑Match module** to prioritize high‑pay, low‑deadhead loads.
- renegotiate contracts with brokers to include **rejection‑fee clauses** that protect your margin when carriers turn down low‑ball offers.
- Invest in driver retention: offer **pay‑for‑performance bonuses** and transparent mileage tracking to keep talent from jumping ship.