Freight market · June 2026
The freight market, in plain numbers
National truckload rates are tightening — up 7.0% over 3 months. Here's the wider picture — truckload rates, freight volume, diesel, and produce lanes, each with its public source.
Truckload rates
▲ +7.0%
over 3 months
BLS producer price index, long-distance truckload · June 2026
Freight volume
▲ +2.5%
over 3 months
BTS Transportation Services Index (freight)
Diesel
$5.31/gal
national on-highway average
EIA weekly retail diesel
Capacity is tighter nationally — you have more room to hold firm on your number.
National truckload rate index (BLS PPI, June 2026) — general market direction, not a rate for this lane.
How to read these numbers
The PPI trend is contract-weighted and lags the spot market by a few weeks — treat it as direction, not a rate. Diesel is your cost side: a $0.30/gal move is roughly $0.05/mi at 6 mpg. A USDA truck shortage at origin means carriers set the tone on that lane. None of this changes your math — run the load through the calculator and let your own cost floor decide.
Where reefers are short this week
USDA-reported produce origins running a truck shortage — the lanes where a reefer has the most negotiating leverage right now.
Produce origins with a truck shortage
Reefer · weekly- Georgia → Philadelphia · Tomatoes, Plum Type$3,300–$3,500/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- Georgia → New York · Tomatoes, Grape Type$3,400–$3,600/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- Georgia → Boston · Tomatoes$4,300–$4,500/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- Georgia → Baltimore · Tomatoes, Cherry$3,300–$3,500/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- South and Central District California → Seattle · Grapefruit$5,300–$6,100/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- South and Central District California → New York · Grapefruit$10,200–$11,500/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- South and Central District California → Philadelphia · Grapefruit$9,800–$11,000/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- South and Central District California → Dallas · Grapefruit$4,900–$5,800/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- South and Central District California → Miami · Grapefruit$8,100–$9,200/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- South and Central District California → Boston · Grapefruit$9,800–$11,500/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
Source: USDA AMS specialty-crops truck-rate report (weekly). Produce lanes only, quoted per load as USDA reports them — not a rate-per-mile, quote, or guarantee.
LoadMerit provides educational content, simulations, calculators, and decision-support tools for freight load analysis. Content is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be treated as legal, financial, tax, regulatory, insurance, brokerage, carrier, or dispatching advice.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (PPI), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (TSI), U.S. Energy Information Administration (diesel), and USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (produce truck rates). This is public economic context for educational use — not a rate quote, live spot-market data, or a guarantee. Confirm current rates with your own sources.