Hello Craft University students, and thank you for supporting our efforts to help bring more actionable information and insights to breweries of all sizes and business models. With that in mind, we will occasionally be sharing articles from some of the top experts from across the industry, to help leverage their knowledge and connections for your benefit.
With that in mind, below is the first in a series of quarterly freight reports by the fantastic folks at Brew Movers, one of our Beer30 Marketplace Preferred Vendors. We hope you enjoy it, and that it helps with planning as you explore distribution, festivals, and long-distance transportation and freight in the coming months.
Cheers!
As we step into 2026, I wanted to share a quick update on what we’re seeing across the freight market and what it may mean for shippers in the months ahead.
After a long stretch of uncertainty, freight demand appears to be stabilizing in several key sectors. At the same time, capacity is gradually tightening as the market adjusts. When fewer trucks are available, service expectations can shift quickly, and pricing often becomes more sensitive to regional demand, seasonal changes, and lane-specific conditions.
We are also seeing early signals that rates are beginning to respond. Spot market movement is one of the clearest indicators, and recent spikes suggest we may be heading into a more volatile pricing environment than what many shippers have experienced recently.
The key takeaway is that 2026 may look more balanced than the past few years. Shippers who plan ahead, build flexibility into their timelines, and strengthen their carrier relationships will be better positioned to manage both cost and reliability.
If you’d like additional context, here are a few industry reads we’ve been following:
● Truck transportation jobs flat in December, lowest since 2021
● State of Freight: a depressed trucking market suddenly comes to life
● Truckload spot rate spikes are telling us something
At Brew Movers, we help shippers navigate market shifts with proactive planning, dependable execution, and clear communication. If you would like to talk through your freight strategy for 2026, we would be happy to connect.
Warm regards,
Brandon Arnold
COO, Brew Movers
