Anecdotal evidence. Have worked for a regional LTL freight carrier for 33 years. Our tonnage levels always predate the national facts and figures by 2-3 months.
We are presently at very low levels,...so much so that personnel decisions(extreme) are looming.
I would not call that anecdotal. You can tell more from logistics about the economy than any formula used by an Ivy League talking head.
There was a late night article posted several weeks ago regarding how many cargo ships had been mothballed and how carriers were not anticipating bringing them back online any time soon. There were similar stories a few years ago about a “ghost fleet” off the coast of China, but this one indicated further cuts in shipping. I have searched for it and can’t find it and as usual for a “late night thread” it only got a few responses and disappeared.