Robert Reich on freight markets
From Episode #12: Schneider’s Drive Forward: Electrics & Autonomics · · Conversion Interactive Agency
“If you look at the typical how long is a peak and how long are these freight recession valleys, you would absolutely argue that we are on the far end of any historical number of months that freight would be in recession and we'd be experiencing, as you said, the rate recession that we're all experiencing.”
On , Robert Reich, Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer at SCHNEIDER NATIONAL INC, spoke about freight markets during Episode #12: Schneider’s Drive Forward: Electrics & Autonomics on Conversion Interactive Agency.
About Robert Reich
Robert Reich, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Schneider National, appeared on the podcast *The Resource* in May 2024. During the episode, Reich discussed the current economic climate in trucking, stating that the industry was experiencing a prolonged "freight recession" and "rate recession" that he described as being on "the far end of any historical number of months." He also addressed the company's efforts in battery electric vehicles, noting that Schneider was operating 94 battery electric vehicles in Southern California, including 92 eCascadia daycabs used primarily in its intermodal fleet. Reich reported that driver feedback on the electric vehicles had been "great." Reich explained that Schneider's electric fleet initiative was a multi-year project driven by regulatory direction, particularly in California, and sustainability goals. He noted that the company chose to electrify an entire operation rather than test a small number of trucks, and that California funding initiatives, including the Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative, helped support the purchase of 50 battery electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. On the topic of driver recruitment and retention, Reich emphasized the importance of pay predictability, stating that drivers are seeking "a better more understandable pay rate" and consistent freight to meet their needs.