Join the President of Tallgrass Freight, Sean Richardson, as he breaks down what a tightening market means for agents heading into the holidays, and why the moves you make this quarter could set the tone for your 2027 year.
A few weeks ago, I saw a post pointing out that there were less than a dozen Saturdays left until Christmas. My first thought was that I hadn’t started my shopping. My second thought was about freight. The holiday rush is already building, and customers are making plans for the rest of the year right now. For agents, that ticking clock should light a fire under you. Let’s look back at how Q3 played out — and talk about what it’ll take for you to finish the year strong.
Where Q3 Left Us
Our approach through the back half of 2025 and into 2026 was all about volume. Rates may have been sitting at the floor, but freight was still moving, so our agents went out and captured as much of it as they could. We started seeing that work pay off in Q3.
As capacity tightened even more, carriers proved once again that they’ll go wherever the money is. When the spot market pays 35% to 40% more than contracted rates, trucks follow. Agents who kept their foot on the pedal through the soft market are in a great spot now. Why? Because customers want to partner with someone they can trust — especially when costs are climbing.
The Road Ahead for Q4
Capacity is tight and it’s staying that way.
It’s getting more expensive to run a trucking company, and there’s really no way around that. A quick glance at the headlines confirms it. Fuel and insurance costs keep stacking up, and a lot of the smaller carriers just don’t have the cushion to absorb it. Some are closing their doors, while others are getting bought out by bigger fleets.
Either way, that leaves fewer trucks on the road with just as much freight that needs to move, and we all know how that story ends. I fully expect rates to keep climbing through the rest of the year, which is why now is the time for freight agents to get ahead of it with your customers.
Compliance is getting sharper.
We’re still feeling the ripple effects of the Supreme Court ruling, especially now that insurance renewals are coming in for 2027. It’s pushed the whole industry to stop and ask, “Is what we’re doing really enough?” I honestly think that’s a healthy question to be asking.
At Tallgrass, we’ve been tightening our compliance protocols even further, and our agents have full visibility into carrier scorecards, insurance coverage, and more through tools like MyCarrierPortal and Descartes. When you’re bringing on a carrier you haven’t worked with before, we want you to have everything you need to make the best call for your business. Earnestly, that’s our heart across the board. In every aspect of freight entrepreneurship, we want you to have every tool necessary for success.
Everything’s hitting at once.
Diesel is breaking price records nationally. At the end of the day, carriers are for-profit businesses. They’re not going to eat that cost, and it’ll get passed down the line all the way to the store shelf. On top of that, the holiday rush is ramping up and winter weather is on its way.
That’s why I keep coming back to the importance of good communication. If you call a customer the day before pickup to tell them their lane just went up 40%, that’s a tough pill for them to swallow.
Instead, you want to have that conversation now and come to the table with some options — maybe a few new carriers you’ve sourced in that lane — and show them exactly why they want you in their corner. Freight costs are going up for everybody, and the agents who are upfront about it are the ones customers stick with.
Seize the Opportunity
This is the time of year when a lot of agencies get comfortable and start coasting into January. Don’t be one of them. Keep working your plan, use the carrier capacity and support our team has built for you, and go after those new customers while the competition is taking it easy.
You’ll also have something new to bring to the table with the launch of our own LTL product this quarter. With this product, agents can negotiate pricing in a new and innovative way. Our agents will now have a whole new mode to sell that could add another 20% to 40% to their business.
There’s never been a better time to come see what we’re all about. As I often say, the best time to join Tallgrass was yesterday. The second best time? Today.
Setting Yourself Up for 2027
One of the best things you can do this quarter is sit down with each of your customers for an end-of-year review. Walk them through the loads you’ve moved together and the lanes that carried the most volume. Talk about where things went well and where you can improve.
Then ask the most important question: what does 2027 look like for them? Maybe they’re launching a new product line or acquiring a competitor. You’d be surprised what comes out of these conversations. It might be 50 loads a month to Virginia that they never thought to offer you.
And whatever the headlines say, stay focused on what you can control. When I was an agent, I kept a mirror on my desk as a reminder that every success and every setback comes back to the person looking back at you. That level of ownership is what sets Tallgrass agents apart. Even on the hard days, always try to keep things in perspective. You own your own business, and you’ve got a whole team behind you. Life’s pretty good.
2027 marks our 15th anniversary, and we couldn’t be more excited. With the agents and team we have in place, 2027 could be our best year yet.
The next decade at Tallgrass will be one for the history books. If you’re thinking about making a move, reach out to our recruiting team to start a conversation today.