COVID-19 didn’t introduce new problems in transportation. Instead, it shined a bright spotlight on existing ones. Now is the time to fortify supply chains and build a more dynamic and proactive way of navigating this volatile marketplace. Supply chain networks are more balanced as shipping patterns stabilize and adjust to higher transportation costs. With shippers prioritizing the “in full” part of the On Time-In Full (OTIF) equation, fewer truckloads are needed to move even the same amount of consumer spending as during the height of the pandemic. With thinner margins in 2023, carriers need to maximize utilization. That means reducing empty miles, emphasizing fuel economy, and coordinating with shippers and brokers to reduce dwell times. The next freight cycle is around the corner. Spot truckload rates and volumes declined throughout 2022 while the gap between national average spot and contract van rates steadily increased until December when the spread began to close.