July Market Recap – What Small Carriers Did Right (and Wrong)

July didn’t pull any punches. Volatile rates. Tightening capacity. Diesel spikes that tested everyone’s cash flow. For small carriers, it was either a month of smart moves—or hard lessons. What separated those who protected margins from those who scrambled to survive? Discipline. Strategy. Execution.

In this recap, we break down what small carriers got right, where they went wrong, and how to use July’s market as a launchpad for smarter, leaner operations heading into peak season.

What Small Carriers Got Right

1. They Focused on Home Turf

The carriers who won in July didn’t chase freight across five states. They stayed close to home, worked repeat lanes, and locked in consistent power-only or short-haul freight that kept wheels moving and fuel costs manageable.

Real example:
One 6-truck fleet in Tennessee turned down 800-mile loads in favor of a tight 250-mile triangle. By week three, they had locked in a daily run with a regional food distributor—high frequency, predictable rates, and lower maintenance risk.

2. They Used the Downtime to Strengthen Relationships

Rates weren’t great, but downtime was gold for carriers who used it wisely. July was when smart owners picked up the phone—not just for loads, but to follow up with brokers, check in with old shippers, and build actual relationships.

Tactical move:
Carriers that updated their shipper list, ran lane reports, and scheduled two weekly prospecting hours are already seeing better offers roll in.

3. They Made Coaching a Priority

July’s heat didn’t just test engines—it tested drivers too. Smart carriers saw an uptick in harsh braking, speeding violations, and HOS mistakes. But instead of punishing, they coached.

Winning script:
“Let’s review your last roadside. That 68 in a 55 dinged our CSA—next time, ease it down through that construction zone. If we drop that unsafe driving score, we qualify for a better contract I’m bidding on now. You’re key to that.”

Small tweaks in conversation led to real results. Fewer violations. Stronger scores.

4. They Watched Their Numbers Like a Hawk

Gross doesn’t mean anything if the net ain’t right. Carriers that tracked cost-per-mile daily in July were able to spot trouble early—especially when diesel jumped mid-month.

One carrier insight:
“We noticed we were spending $0.12 more per mile after switching fuel cards. We swapped vendors mid-cycle and got back on track before the damage got worse.”

The lesson: eyeball every line item. Especially when rates are thin.

5. They Took Tech Seriously

The ones who finally ditched Excel and stopped printing BOLs from the truck stop? They ran tighter ops, tracked KPIs weekly, and didn’t wait until invoicing to know how much they made.