#contract-rates
(19 articles)Freight Demand Jumps 5% as Spot Rates Hit 52-Week Highs
Freight demand has accelerated sharply, with the SONAR Tender Volume Index climbing nearly 5% week over week to reach 11,600 on November 9th, marking levels not seen since late spring. This demand sur
Knight-Swift's Ruthless Pricing Beats Hunt's Conservative Strategy
The trucking industry is experiencing a stark divergence in financial performance driven by fundamentally different operational philosophies rather than market conditions alone. Knight-Swift's willing
Beyond Shipper of Choice: Building Strategic Carrier Partnerships in 2026
The 2026 truckload market is fundamentally shifting from transactional vendor management to strategic partnership models. With tender rejections running 2.5 times higher than 2025 and contract rates u
Heartland Express Returns to Profit on Freight Recovery
Heartland Express achieved its first profitable quarter since 2023, reporting Q3 net income of $1 million driven by stronger freight volumes and improved customer pricing rather than asset sales. The
Contract Freight Rates Hit Recession Highs as Diesel Tops $6.50/gal
Freight market dynamics are shifting as contract rates reach their highest seasonally adjusted levels since the freight recession ended, signaling carrier capacity constraints despite softer overall d
TL Linehaul Rates Jump 10% in September as Capacity Tightens
Truckload linehaul rates continued their upward trajectory in September 2026, rising 10.1% year-over-year according to Cass Information Systems data, marking the 21st consecutive month of year-over-ye
Carrier Pricing Power Eases But Remains Strong at 70
The SONAR Pricing Power Index declined to 70 this week from 71, marking the fourth consecutive weekly decline, yet the freight market remains firmly in carriers' favor as the fourth quarter approaches
Rising Diesel Costs Could Trigger Q4 Capacity Exodus
Diesel fuel costs are creating a structural profitability squeeze for carriers that could accelerate capacity exits heading into fourth-quarter peak season. While spot linehaul rates are trading 40% a
TL Rates Surge 11% as Freight Demand Turns Positive
August 2026 marked a significant inflection point for the trucking market, with Cass Information Systems data revealing truckload linehaul rates surged 11.3% year-over-year, the largest increase since
Intermodal Freight ROI Reaches 49%: Key Lanes & Strategy
Intermodal freight is experiencing a significant cost advantage window, with return on investment reaching up to 49% on high-opportunity lanes. The divergence between rising truckload rates, both spot
Freight Market Tightening: What Shippers & Brokers Must Know
The freight market has entered a sustained tightening cycle, not a seasonal fluctuation, with implications for shippers and brokers who relied on artificially low rates. Overdrive Logistics detected e
Transpacific Shipping Rates Spike as Price Hikes Spread
Ocean carriers are executing aggressive rate increases on transpacific trade lanes, with spot rates climbing week-over-week on the Asia-US corridor. However, the market dynamics reveal significant div
Univar Solutions Wins Freight by Investing in Carrier Relationships
Univar Solutions hosted its annual Carrier Kickoff event in Chattanooga, bringing together 100 transportation providers and 200+ attendees to emphasize that **relationship-building, not just rate nego
Pricing Power Index Shows Carrier Leverage Easing Ahead of Peak Season
SONAR's Pricing Power Index (PPI) has declined over five consecutive weeks from a mid-July peak, signaling a potential shift in market dynamics as carrier leverage appears to be easing. The index, a d
Truck Capacity Crisis Pushes Freight Costs Up 28% Despite Falling Volumes
The U.S. trucking market has entered a new phase of dysfunction: shippers are simultaneously experiencing shrinking freight volumes and sharply rising per-unit transportation costs. According to the U
Freight Rates Surge: Capacity Crunch Drives 18% Contract Rate Spike
Recent Q2 earnings reports from major trucking and rail carriers reveal that the North American freight market remains in a capacity-driven tightening cycle, with rates rising significantly despite mo
Trucking Capacity Shrinks as Rates Hit Record Highs
The U.S. trucking market is entering a critical supply-demand imbalance where capacity constraints are driving freight rates to near-record levels, with no relief expected in the near term. ACT Resear
Contract Trucking Rates Jump 50¢/Mile as Market Tightens
The trucking market is experiencing a significant structural shift, with contract rates potentially increasing by as much as 50 cents per mile, a jump of approximately 20% according to Sonar data cite
Freight Spot Rates Hit Record Highs Ahead of July 4th
The North American freight market is experiencing exceptional volatility as spot rates reach record highs in the weeks leading up to the July 4th holiday. This surge reflects a significant spike in fr