U.S. Bank, DAT launch quarterly truck freight rates report

U.S. Bank and DAT Freight & Analytics announced Tuesday a collaboration to motorboat a caller quarterly probe study connected U.S. motortruck freight rates. The caller study complements the existing U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index, which the slope has published quarterly since 2017.

While the Freight Payment Index focuses connected shipment volumes and spending information derived from $43 cardinal successful yearly freight payments, the Rates Edition focuses connected declaration rates, spot rates and substance surcharges utilizing DAT information and analytics.

The inaugural Q1 2026 variation examined the last months of 2025, revealing subtle but meaningful shifts.

Spot marketplace rates ended September astatine $1.62 per mile, roseate 3% to $1.67 per mile by the extremity of October, past dropped 1.1% to $1.65 per mile by the extremity of November.

Contract rates held dependable astatine $1.99 per mile successful September and October earlier rising 1% to $2.01 per mile successful aboriginal November. By Dec. 1, they had risen little than 0.5 percent constituent to $2.02 per mile.

The study noted that substance surcharges remained a large variable. They held dependable astatine $0.42 per mile from precocious August done October. By aboriginal November, they declined to $0.40 per mile earlier expanding to $0.43 per mile by Dec. 1. The 7.5% summation from November into aboriginal December was owed successful portion to refinery outages successful the Gulf Coast and Midwest.

“The November spike stood out, particularly since nationalist diesel prices dropped that month. It’s a reminder that substance surcharges don’t ever way pump prices successful existent time, truthful it pays to support a adjacent oculus connected however those fees are calculated and updated,” the study said.

Compared with the erstwhile year, some spot and declaration rates were little than 1% higher. The study described the humble summation arsenic reflecting “typical seasonal patterns alternatively than structural change, arsenic holiday-driven request often tempers year-over-year comparisons.” Steadier declaration rates, it added, continued to supply shippers and carriers a reliable baseline.

Regional breakdowns revealed notable differences. The Northeast saw stronger outbound freight volumes, driven by manufacturing and retail activity. The Southeast, connected the different hand, lagged owed to weaker occupation markets and softer user spending.

Behind these complaint movements were structural changes, including a narrowing spread betwixt declaration and spot rates. The study said this created a little model for shippers to renegotiate lanes oregon tally mini-bids and instrumentality vantage of the convergence.

The spot-to-contract spread widened successful November contempt declines successful load volumes for both.