Radiant Logistics is digging in for an extended stretch at the bottom of the cycle. Management’s message: stay selective on freight, protect yields, and keep costs tight while waiting for demand to firm. That stance reflects what many asset-light providers are seeing on the ground — a mix of steady shipments in core lanes but thinner margins as customers press for price and competitive capacity remains abundant.
Two fresh data points this week help explain the backdrop Radiant and its peers are navigating. On the international side, ocean carriers executed another round of Nov. 1 general rate increases and continue to micro-manage capacity. Xeneta’s latest weekly read shows average spot rates on the Far East–US West Coast at roughly $2,756/FEU and $3,492/FEU into the East Coast as of November 6, with carriers trimming offered capacity on most fronthaul trades versus a month ago. That combination — tighter capacity with modest price traction — has nudged spot rates higher into November and narrowed the spread between US coasts, a reminder that forwarding margins can whipsaw even when volumes are merely steady.
Closer to home, seaborne import flow into US gateways is set to cool. The National Retail Federation’s Global Port Tracker said Friday that with shelves already stocked and tariff uncertainty prompting pull-forward earlier in the year, containerized imports should slow through the remainder of 2025. NRF pegs November at about 1.85 million TEU (down mid-teens year over year) and December at roughly 1.75 million TEU (down high teens), implying fewer port drays, transloads and follow-on truckload moves than a typical holiday finish. For a 3PL like Radiant, that likely means less project-style surge work off the docks and more pressure to win share on routine replenishment — often at tighter spreads.
For trucking providers tied to Radiant’s network, the signal is mixed. Softer imports into December suggest calmer port markets and more predictable turn times, but the ocean GRIs and capacity controls can ripple into inland costs and mode decisions — for example, when shippers pivot allocations between transpacific lanes and domestic truckload based on relative price. The net result for the fourth quarter: fewer easy wins, more value placed on execution (on-time pickup, accurate billing, solid claims performance) and proactive procurement to keep purchased transportation aligned with fast‑moving ocean benchmarks.
The strategic takeaway for a downcycle: Radiant’s asset‑light model gives it room to lean into higher‑service freight while walking away from volume that doesn’t clear a margin hurdle. But with holiday inflows ebbing and carriers finding some success with price actions at sea, the company’s margin math will depend on daily blocking and tackling — locking in dependable capacity, protecting yield on must‑move freight, and using data to steer freight toward lanes and modes where pricing is still rational. For truckers, that means opportunities remain — just narrower — and will accrue to those who can prove reliability and cost discipline load after load.
Sources: FreightWaves, Xeneta, National Retail Federation
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