Truckload Linehaul Rates Stay Below Last Year’s Levels

Spot pricing still well below contract

The Cass Truckload Linehaul Index remained negative in September (down 2.0% year over year, after August’s 2.6% drop). Rates increased 2.3% sequentially, however, as would be expected based on seasonality. With spot pricing still well below contract, spot pricing should continue to grow as a percentage of the mix, causing realized pricing to continue to decline, staying below 2018 levels. 

Intermodal Freight Costs Continue to Ease

The Cass Intermodal Price Index in September has fallen enough to close the gap on the YoY increases we’ve been seeing every month for the last three years. September’s realized intermodal costs were up just 0.1% over last year. Sequentially, while truckload rates were increasing, intermodal costs fell 0.7%.

Fuel fall of 8% year-over-year, as well as lower year-over-year TL linehaul rates, are negative forces on intermodal demand and therefore pricing.

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