DAT Guy: Market Insights with Dean Croke – Reefer Slowdown, Ghost Fleets & The People’s Tree | Road Gang Radio
In this edition of DAT Guy on Road Gang Radio, host Jimmy Mac and co-host Dean Croke, Principal Market Analyst at DAT Freight & Analytics, break down the latest trends shaping the freight market this November. With Dean’s decades of real-world experience — from his 2 million over-the-road miles as an owner-operator to his role leading analytics at DAT — this is the deep dive every carrier, broker, and shipper needs. Dean and Jimmy unpack the latest DAT market data, starting with how ELP and non-domicile CDL enforcement has fallen short of expectations. Despite ongoing discussions about tightening capacity, rates aren’t rising — they’re dropping, with October bid season seeing shippers negotiate rates down instead of up. They explore the continuing carrier exits and the rise of “ghost fleets” — dormant equipment waiting to re-enter the market once conditions improve — and what that could mean for the next two years of freight recovery. In reefer markets, Halloween usually brings a spike in perishable shipments, but this year’s data tells a different story: volumes tanked 14%, possibly impacted by SNAP benefit suspensions amid government funding issues. And finally, a brighter note on the highway: The People’s Tree, a 50-year-old red fir from Nevada’s Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, is on its way to Washington, D.C., in a custom-wrapped Knight-Swift Kenworth. The 3,700-mile cross-country journey celebrates the spirit of America’s public lands — and the drivers who make traditions like this possible. Get the full DAT blog and insights at: https://www.dat.com/blog/author/dean-... Learn more about DAT Freight & Analytics: https://www.dat.com DAT Guy is part of Road Gang Radio on the RadioNemo Network, where trucking meets data-driven storytelling. Thanks for tuning in! You can catch our shows and segments anytime on your favorite podcast app or listen live on YouTube, Facebook, iHeart, and RadioNemo.com!