The last two weeks were busy for U.S. trucking and freight. Here’s what happened, in plain English.
1. Diesel Hits a Record High
The weekly retail diesel average hit a record $6.285 per gallon on September 14, up 31.8 cents in a week and 68.1% higher than a year ago. It didn’t stop there. The national average reached $6.529 for the week of September 21, another 24.4-cent jump. Most fuel surcharges are calculated from this benchmark, so shippers are seeing it on their invoices.
2. Spot Rates Stay Elevated
Truck capacity is tight, and prices show it. Dry van spot rates averaged $2.20 per mile for the week ending September 12, up 34.2% year over year. That’s well above the seasonal norm, so budgeting for freight is getting harder and hasn’t been this fluid for many years.
3. Freight Volumes Finally Turn a Corner
There’s some good news for demand. Cass data showed truckload linehaul rates up sharply year over year in August, with volumes turning positive after 42 months of decline. After a long slump, more freight is moving again. Combined with fewer trucks, that adds pressure on capacity.
4. The Driver Crackdown Keeps Shrinking Capacity
Trucking executives said the regulatory crackdown on noncompliant drivers is still in its early stages, which could let large carriers keep pushing rates up even with modest demand. C.H. Robinson also flagged that the government is shutting down driver training schools and auditing CDL testing. Fewer drivers means fewer trucks available, and that’s the main reason analysts expect costs to keep rising steadily through 2027, even without a big jump in demand.
5. Rail Rebounds, But Delays Linger
U.S. railroads moved 535,663 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending September 19, up 4.9% on last year, reversing the previous week’s dip. But rail isn’t a cure-all. Rail dwell times at Los Angeles and Long Beach stretched to nearly a week, and one freight forwarder advised shippers to consider moving time-sensitive loads to truck.
What It All Means
Costs are climbing, trucks are getting scarcer, and rail can’t always pick up the slack. Sitting on a shipment and hoping the market softens looks like a risky plan right now.
That’s where the right partner matters. At TEC Expedited, we specialise in expedited freight, from hot shot loads to time-critical, same-day and next-day deliveries across the U.S. When your freight can’t wait for a rail ramp or a spot-market dip, we get it moving with dedicated capacity and straight answers on price and timing.
Got a shipment that can’t afford delays? Get a fast quote at tecexpedited.com.
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