2026 Freight Brokerage Trends: Why Margins Matter More Than Volume

Bloomberg Intelligence and Truckstop surveyed 187 freight brokers, forwarders, and 3PL professionals in late 2025 for the 2026 Freight Brokerage Operations Report. One finding stood out above everything else.

54% of brokers expect gross margins to improve over the next 3-6 months. Only 48% expect revenue to grow.

More brokers are prioritizing margin improvement over revenue growth. That’s not how the industry has operated in the past. It represents a fundamental shift in strategy.

Download the full report to see all the findings, or read on to understand why this shift matters and what’s driving it.

The discipline advantage

Every time you walk away from a load that doesn’t hit your margin threshold, you’re not leaving money on the table. You’re protecting your business. Brokers who tap real-time spot market insights can see where pricing trends are heading and make smarter decisions about when to hold firm and when to move.

The brokers who maintain pricing discipline during soft markets don’t have to restructure when capacity tightens. They’ve already built relationships based on service value, not just being the cheapest option. When the market turns, they scale from strength.

This margin-first approach isn’t about surviving until things get better. It’s about positioning yourself to capture opportunity.

Why brokers are optimistic despite mixed results

Current performance tells a complicated story. Volume comparisons for late 2025 split almost evenly: 35% up, 27% flat, 38% down. There’s no clear industry-wide trend.

But when brokers look ahead to the next 3-6 months, sentiment shifts dramatically. 54% expect higher demand. Only 14% anticipate further declines. That’s a 24-point swing from current reality to future expectations.

The optimism extends to rates as well. While 2025 spot rates were mixed, 44% expect increases ahead. Contract rates show even more stability, with 39% expecting increases versus only 10% expecting decreases.

What’s driving this outlook? Capacity signals. 46% expect tighter capacity over the next few months (more loads than available trucks), compared to just 24% expecting looser conditions. Carrier exits are starting to rebalance supply and demand, even if freight volumes remain moderate.

These expectations closely align with broader 2026 freight predictions pointing to tightening capacity and improved pricing leverage.

This creates opportunity for brokers who maintained their discipline. When capacity tightens and rates improve, they won’t be scrambling to rebuild shipper relationships or explain why their prices suddenly increased.

What else the data shows

The margin discipline story is just one of several major trends reshaping the industry in 2026. The complete report reveals:

• The widening technology and freight broker software gap between businesses (41% are deploying AI tools, 48% are not)
• Why current performance looks mixed but future expectations are optimistic
• How fraud prevention has become a competitive advantage (83% feel better prepared than prior cycles)
• What capacity signals mean for pricing power in the next 3-6 months
• How brokers are approaching hiring and expansion decisions

The brokerages positioning themselves best aren’t making growth bets. They’re protecting margins, improving efficiency, and maintaining flexibility until sustained market improvement proves itself.

The path forward

The shift toward margin discipline isn’t temporary. It reflects a deeper understanding of what actually sustains a brokerage through volatile markets. Volume without profitability doesn’t build a business. It just keeps you busy until the cash runs out. That’s why many brokerages are pairing margin discipline with factoring as a cash flow tool to stay flexible without chasing unprofitable volume.

The brokers who embrace this reality now are the ones who’ll be ready when conditions improve. They won’t need to restructure their pricing or repair relationships damaged by unsustainable rate chasing. They’ll have the operational efficiency and financial stability to scale quickly.

The complete report gives you the full picture of how 187 brokerages are navigating these decisions. See where the industry is heading and what strategies are working across technology adoption, fraud prevention, capacity planning, and hiring.