---
title: Shippers See Relief as Conditions Improve for the First Time Since Fall
description: Shippers experience relief as FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index turns positive in August amid stable fuel prices and softer freight rates, though challenges may arise soon.
---

[State of Freight TODAY ](https://today.ftrintel.com)

# [Shippers See Relief as Conditions Improve for the First Time Since Fall](https://today.ftrintel.com/sci-october-2025)

 Written by [The FTR Experts](https://today.ftrintel.com/author/experts) | 10/31/25 1:30 PM

**Stable fuel prices and softer freight rates lifted FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) into positive territory in August — a rare sign of relief for shippers navigating a volatile freight market.**

### **A Return to Positive Territory**

After several months of negative readings, FTR’s **Shippers Conditions Index** rose to **1.3 in August**, up from **-2.0 in July**.

- The improvement was largely driven by **stable fuel costs** and **moderating freight rates**, providing the most favorable conditions since late 2024.
- While welcome news for shippers, FTR expects these conditions to be temporary, with **modestly tighter capacity and firmer rates** expected in the coming months.

> *“As we suggested last month, the crackdown on truck drivers with inadequate English skills and on foreign nationals holding non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses will tighten freight capacity to some degree,”* said **Avery Vise, FTR’s vice president of trucking**. *“However, lots of questions remain over the scope of that impact, and we are adjusting our assumptions only slightly until we see signs of a market impact.”*

### **Emerging Pressures on Driver Supply**

The October edition of **FTR’s Shippers Update** expanded on this issue, highlighting **evidence that driver capacity may already be tighter than previously believed**.

- Increased scrutiny of driver eligibility and licensing could lead to further tightening.
- Any uptick in freight demand could amplify this constraint, shifting the balance of power in the freight market back toward carriers.

### **Why It Matters**

Shippers use the SCI as a **forward-looking barometer** to anticipate cost pressures, identify negotiation windows, and plan contract strategies.

- With the index trending upward, **shippers currently have a short-term window of opportunity** to secure capacity before potential tightening ahead.
- Monitoring SCI trends helps organizations **plan proactively**, rather than reacting to rate or capacity shocks once they occur.

👉 **Want to see the full charts and analysis?** Visit [FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index](https://www.ftrintel.com/shippers-conditions-index).

[View full post](https://today.ftrintel.com/sci-october-2025)

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