Q3 Truckload Recap: Winners, Laggards And Somewhere In Between What was billed as a blowout quarter got off to a slow start with the first couple of truckload (TL) carriers posting in line or worse-than-expected quarterly reports. As the earnings season progressed, several companies began to report results better than and some well ahead of analysts' forecasts. Carriers were busy in the third quarter hauling all the essentials required by stay-at-home-lifestyles. Shipments of grocery and other retail consumables, appliances, exercise equipment and home improvement goods moved through supply chains at a breakneck pace. Hard goods in need of shipment have replaced discretionary spending on services and the need for continual restocking was on full display in the quarter. Every carrier to some degree proclaimed the strength in consumer demand and the lack of available truck capacity to meet the need. Expectations of favorable freight fundamentals, including significant contractual price increases throughout 2021, was the hot topic on most earnings calls.