Topic: Rates and Pricing

FTR reported that preliminary October Class 8 truck net orders, at 24,300 units, saw an 18% gain, from September to October, while falling 22% annually. ACT reported that Preliminary Class 8 orders came in at 24,500 units in October, for a 21% annual decline,

A new Truckstop.com and Bloomberg survey shows small fleets and owner-operators expect demand to hold steady or improve through early 2026.

The national average rose 3.5 cents, coming in at $3.753 per gallon, for the week of November 3.

Given the myriad of challenges facing the LTL market, it is likely that current market conditions are likely to remain intact, barring a true indication of a demand catalyst.

For August, the most recent month for which data is available, the SCI came in at 1.3, following a -2.0 reading in July.

Quarterly consolidated revenue, at $21.4 billion, fell 3.7% annually, and basic earnings per share, at $1.74 (topped Wall Street estimates of $1.29), fell $0.24, or 13.4%, annually. Total operating profit, at $1.8 billion, was off 9.1% annually. 

With a 9.9-cent increase, the national average price per gallon came in at $3.718 per gallon.

Load posts on DAT One rose 2% to 2.26 million last week, while truck posts fell for the second consecutive week, down 5% to 232,703.

LM Group News Editor Jeff Berman recently interviewed Chris Butler, CEO, at Cranford, N.J.-based National Tree Company. Butler provided Berman with an overview of how National Tree is handling tariff policy, supply chain uncertainty, seasonal issues, and sourcing, among other topics.

Prior to the White House’s proclamation being issued, Dan Moyer, senior analyst, commercial vehicles, at freight transportation consultancy FTR, said that this development had rattled fleets, OEMs, and suppliers coping with weak demand, rising costs, and fragile supply chains.

For August, the most recent month for which data is available, the TCI reading, at 0.3, marked an improvement over July’s -1.03, with FTR calling August’s reading “neutral.” The July TCI reading fared better than June’s -1,83, the lowest in 2025.

Falling 4.5 cents, the national average, for the week of October 20, came in at $3.620, following a 4.6-cent decline, to $3.665, for the week of October 13, and a 4.3-cent decrease, to $3.711, for the week of October 6, for a collective 13.4-cent decline over the last three weeks.

The September shipments reading, at 1.042, was down 5.4% annually, faring better than August’s 9.3% annual decrease, and increased 2.5% over August. The September shipments reading, at 1.042, was down 5.4% annually, faring better than August’s 9.3% annual decrease, and increased 2.5% over August.

Q3 Freight Index: Carriers Fight Margin Pressure as Industry Faces Longest Downcycle in Years AFS and TD Cowen highlight freight market complexity, with historical models and economic shifts shaping short-term forecasts.

Following August spot truckload volume and rate declines, September readings were more mixed, while conditions largely remained the same, according to the new edition of the DAT Truckload Volume Index, which was released today by DAT Freight and Analytics.

A session at this week’s Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) EDGE conference in National Harbor, Maryland addressed various aspects related to the current state of the freight market, including the impact of various freight recessions, above-average inventory levels despite efforts to reduce them, the importance of maintaining shipper-provider relationships, as well the impact of tariffs, and other topics.

A trio of industry stakeholders—each focused on different areas of surface transportation, including truckload, ground parcel, and less-than-truckload (LTL)—addressed current market conditions for their respective modes, as well as take a look at key priorities shippers need to be focusing on in 2026, at a session at this week’s Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) EDGE conference in National Harbor, Maryland.

A panel of industry experts across different areas of the supply chain provided a detailed overview of market trends and themes this week in a session at the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) EDGE annual conference, which was held in National Harbor, Maryland.

The national average price per gallon, for the week of October 6, fell 4.3 cents, to $3.711, for the week of October 6, which was preceded by a $0.005-cent increase, to $3.754, for the week of September 29

The 30th Annual 3PL Study reveals how evolving partnerships and emerging technologies are reshaping the supply chain landscape amid disruption, cost pressures, and labor gaps.