GDP grew 4.3% in Q3, and it was ‘healthier’ growth
The Q3 GDP report showed the US economy expanding at a 4.3% annualized rate, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The BEA’s Tuesday release put a strong headline number on third-quarter real gross domestic product (GDP).
For trucking, GDP matters because it’s a broad measure of economic output, and freight demand tends to follow overall activity with a lag. When the economy is expanding, shippers generally move more goods, and that can support volumes across key lanes.
Not everyone is sold on the headline, though. Economist David Rosenberg criticized the GDP print, calling the top-line number a “fugazi”. That’s a reminder for drivers and small fleets that one big number doesn’t always tell the whole story behind demand, rates, and day-to-day freight conditions.
In practical terms, the GDP release is a big-picture signal, not a dispatch sheet. Drivers typically feel economic shifts through shipment consistency, shipper behavior, and how quickly rates respond—especially when markets are already sensitive to costs and capacity.