We still have 4 free trade fiefs and I'm pretty sure at least 2 other steppe fiefs are free trade. Steppes and EU are afree trade mecca right now (EU because nobody is guarding it because UIF made the game really gay over there to the point no one cares).
You can play the 'Free trade in the steppes' card all you want Kesh, but unless your faction takes Bhulaban, they're closed. Here's the logic.
There are four entry points to the steppes. One is blocked by GeForce. As you can see from their recent attacks, they don't really care who is who. As long as they aren't AoW, they'll attack you if you they see you, and think that they'll win. Second, getting in touch with them is rather difficult. I know, because I've tried. ;-) My caravans won't go near their territory simply because communication lines aren't well established, and they're too whimsical.
Another entry is blocked by AoW. Sure, you can come back and say 'Well if you're on good terms, then there isn't a problem.' It's a good argument. However, AoW friendlies are already in the steppes, or in GeForce. There are the neutrals with MB and LCO, but the truth is, those clans don't NEED the steppes to trade. They have plenty of fiefs, and plenty of armies to control them. So that eliminates the territories to the southeast, and east. That leaves Black Company, Wardens, Astralis, Desire's crew, Edit: Vagabonds, and Acre. Since Acre/Astralis are definitely NOT friendly, that shoves 75 (rough guestimate) traders out of your fiefs as well from that entry point. EDIT: Add to that the (minor) hostility shown from AoW towards BC... they probably won't be heading to the steppes either.
A third entry is Sungetche Castle, but with Bhulaban so close, and the fact that it has been a hot spot of activity for AoW, same rule applies as above.
That leaves the northern most entry. In all honesty, if anyone is going to go that route from the south/east/north then they will probably just head to EU. It's safer.
All that being said, Strat is dead. So many closed borders, so many huge neutral factions, and so few battles. It boils down to the economy, and unless those borders open, or one/two/all the neutral factions become aggressive, and trade can open up... STOP BITCHING about the lack of battles. Seriously, the gear is expensive, and it takes a long time to outfit a decent size army... can't do that without trade. And thus we come full circle.
EU = dead because everyone is allied to one another.
NA = dead because shit is too expensive and no one can gain money.
