More trucks are running half-empty on U.S. roads, a new study from Flock Freight and Drive Research shows. The companies released the 2025 edition of their annual shipper survey this week, pointing to growing inefficiencies in the trucking market.
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The study found that 58 percent of truckloads moved with empty trailer space in 2024, up from 43 percent the year before. The average underloaded truck left about 34 linear feet of space unused, meaning every third truck on the road was essentially running empty.
“We’re seeing more half-empty trucks on the road than ever before, a result of a soft freight market where low costs make shipping empty space less of a concern,” said Chris Pickett, Chief Commercial Officer at Flock Freight. “Shippers rely on truckload freight for its flexibility and ability to quickly bring goods to market, a need that won’t disappear even as the market rebounds and the cost of shipping unused space increases. What shippers truly need is a solution that lets them pay only for the space they use, without sacrificing service quality or cargo security. That’s exactly where Flock’s Shared Truckload comes in.”
The survey polled 1,000 transportation decision-makers across retail, industrial machinery, food and beverage, and consumer packaged goods. Among the findings:
Truckload underutilization is rising. Last year, 58% of truckloads had unused space, a 15% jump from 2023.
Service matters most. On-time delivery ranked as the top priority for shippers. Late shipments and penalties cost large companies an average of $6.2 million per year.
Fraud and theft are costly. More than 1% of shipments faced fraud or theft in 2024, costing companies nearly $10 million annually.
With major retailers tightening on-time, in-full (OTIF) requirements, shippers choose faster, more expensive options even when they don’t need a full truck. One in six less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments arrived late last year, driving more shippers to book full truckloads.
Flock Freight says its Shared Truckload model can help. The company’s AI-powered system pools shipments from multiple shippers onto a single truck, helping to cut waste, lower costs, and deliver goods on time.
Shared Truckload allows shippers to move freight as soon as it’s ready, without having to wait for a full truck. “This not only reduces costs but ensures on-time, damage-free delivery while maintaining truckload-level service quality,” the company said.
