Truckload rates keep climbing even as freight volumes shrink
The brief
Cass's June 2026 index shows shipments down 4.1% year over year while expenditures rose 11.2% and the Truckload Linehaul Index rose 5.5%, its 18th straight monthly YoY gain. The divergence is driven by shrinking trucking capacity, a 40% jump in retail diesel, and new July 1 contract bids taking effect.
Takeaway
Shippers should expect contract truckload pricing to reset upward through H2 2026 despite soft volumes — budget for higher linehaul plus fuel even without a demand rebound.
Why it matters for logistics
Contract vs spot decoupling: capacity attrition is now the pricing driver, not demand. Procurement teams renewing after July 1 will feel it first.
Read the original at The Logistic News
https://thelogisticnews.com/cass-reports-rising-truckload-rates-in-june-as-freight-volume-recovery-loses-momentum/