Freight broker RXO said Wednesday that its truckload spot rate index hit a four-year high in the first quarter, with expectations for further increases in the second quarter. Even with tepid transportation demand, the loss of capacity resulting from tighter regulatory oversight of the driver pool is driving up rates sharply. The RXO (NYSE: RXO)…
Chart of the week: Spot to contract rate differential (excluding estimated spot fuel costs greater than $1.20/gal) SONAR: RATES12.USA The difference between spot and contract rates suggests that the last few months may have been one of the toughest periods for non-asset-based logistics companies in recent history. The rapid change in market conditions after long…
Shippers watching their route guides and budgets face a new reality in 2026: costs are rising even as volumes decline. This is according to the latest quarterly US Bank Transportation Payments Index – Rates Edition. The report, produced in collaboration with DAT Freight & Analytics, showed a freight market in which pricing power is shifting…
Chart of the week: SONAR Truck Load Rejection Index, National Truck Load Index – USA SONAR: STRI.USA, NTI.USA Domestic tender rejection rates (STRI) have only declined slightly since peaking in early February, while dry van spot rates are rising again as fuel prices rise. The bottom line is that the truck market may be entering…
The U.S. trucking industry continues to face a harsh economic reality: spot rates have failed to keep pace with inflation, squeezing carrier margins and contributing to significant financial pressure on truckers nationwide. Below is a clear picture of the disconnect: spot transportation rates (via the SONAR National Truckload Index) overlaid on the Consumer Price Index…
Chart of the week: Van Contract Rates, National Truck Freight Index (hauling costs less fuel above $1.20/gal) – US SONAR: VCRPM1.USA, NTIL12.USA Long-term (contracted) rates for dry truck freight (VCRPM1) have remained essentially stable over the past year, increasing about 1% since July 2024. Short-term spot rates (NTIL12), which are naturally more volatile, have increased…
Chart of the week: Outbound Tender Volume Index, Outbound Tender Rejection Rate – USA SONAR: OTVI.USA, OTRI.USA The national outbound tender volume index (OTVI), which measures truck demand, hit a record low for the month of October last week, registering a value of 9,311. This places the index approximately 19% less than last year and…
