Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Truckload Linehaul Rates Hit Record High, Intermodal Continues Surge

A measure of truckload linehaul rates hit an all-time high last month, according to one latest measure, while a separate report showed another gain when it comes to intermodal rates.

Evan Lockridge
Evan LockridgeFormer Business Contributing Editor
November 21, 2017
Truckload Linehaul Rates Hit Record High, Intermodal Continues Surge

 

2 min to read


A measure of truckload linehaul rates hit an all-time high last month, according to one latest measure, while a separate report showed another gain when it comes to intermodal rates.

Ad Loading...

Truckload shipping costs, linehaul only, increased 5.5% in October compared to the same time a year earlier, according to the Cass Truckload Linehaul Index, which hit a reading of 132.5. This marked its highest level on record, which goes back to 2005.

Ad Loading...

Linehaul costs have not only been up over 2016 for the last seven months, but these increases have been growing larger.

“In just the last 120 days, our pricing forecast for 2017 has improved from -1% to 2%, to no change to 2%, to 2% to 4%, as the current strength being reported in spot rates by DAT Solutions is leading us to believe contract pricing rates should keep rates in positive territory through the end of the year,” said Donald Broughton of Broughton Capital Partners, who provides analysis of the numbers.

The Cass Truckload Linehaul Index measures market fluctuations in per-mile truckload pricing that isolates the linehaul component of full truckload costs from others, such as fuel and accessorials, providing a reflection of trends in baseline truckload prices.

Meantime, the Cass Intermodal Price Index showed total intermodal costs per mile rose 1.9% year-over-year in October, with the measure at 132.8, its highest level since April.

Compared to September, intermodal costs increased 2.9%, while October marked the thirteenth consecutive month of year-over-year increases.

Ad Loading...

The index established its most recent peak in March at 135.4 as diesel flirted with $2.60 a gallon, and has sequentially trended lower since, as diesel fell back toward $2.50 a gallon in July, according to Broughton. And now, he is predicting another rise in fuel costs, which could lead to even higher intermodal rates.

“We now expect it to exceed March’s peak by the end of the year,” he said. “Longer term, we continue to foresee oil trading in the $45 to $55 [per barrel] range and diesel in the $2.25 to $2.75 [per gallon] range throughout 2017, sans the refining interruption pressure produced by the recent hurricanes.”

The Cass Intermodal Price Index measures market fluctuations in per-mile U.S. domestic intermodal costs. It includes all costs associated with the move, such as linehaul, fuel and accessorials.

Data within both measures comes from actual freight invoices paid on behalf of clients of freight-payment processor Cass Information Services, which totals nearly $21 billion annually.

More Fleet Management

Illustration showing generic graphs and stylized trucking fleet
Fleet Managementby StaffMarch 24, 2026

ACT: Trucking Volumes Rise, Capacity Tightens as Fuel Prices Cloud Outlook

ACT Research data shows volumes hitting a four-year high and supply-demand balance strengthening, but higher oil prices are undercutting tariff relief and tempering optimism.

Read More →
People looking at Wabash display at TMC
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseMarch 23, 2026

Wabash Teams Physical Security With Digital Tech For Better Cargo Visibility

The patent-pending cargo solution integrates a digitally connected cargo door and an intelligent locking system with the TrailerHawk.AI technology platform.

Read More →
Cyberstop column header depicting images related to cybersecurity and rising oil prices
Fleet Managementby Ben WilkensMarch 20, 2026

From Diesel Prices to Cyberattacks: How the Iran War Is Affecting Trucking

The impact of the Iran conflict extends beyond fuel costs, bringing more fraud and cybersecurity risks to the trucking industry.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
ATA President Chris Spear.
Fleet Managementby Jack RobertsMarch 17, 2026

ATA’s Spear Warns Fuel Prices, Trade Policy, and Global Conflict Could Stall Trucking Recovery

Speaking at the TMC Annual Meeting in Nashville, ATA President Chris Spear said trucking faces mounting pressure from rising fuel prices, geopolitical instability, and uncertainty around trade policy.

Read More →
Illustration of author headshot with black-and-white old-fashioned rig in the background

New Entrants, Chameleon Carriers, and Safety: Is It Too Easy to Start a Trucking Company?

More than 100,000 new trucking companies enter the industry each year, but regulators manage to audit only a fraction of them. That churn creates opportunities for inexperienced startups — and for “chameleon carriers” that shut down after safety violations and reappear under new identities. Read more from Deborah Lockridge in this commentary.

Read More →
Panel discussion
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeMarch 12, 2026

Fleet Managers Invited to Apply for Exclusive HDT Exchange Event

HDTX is an intimate event that connects heavy-duty trucking fleet managers with industry suppliers through small-group discussions, educational sessions, and structured one-on-one meetings.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
DAT iPhone Widget.
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseMarch 12, 2026

DAT Launches iPhone Widget to Help Owner-Operators Find Loads Faster

New DAT One feature shows top-paying loads directly on an iPhone’s home screen, helping carriers react faster to spot-market opportunities.

Read More →
Optimal Dynamics Scale screen shot
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseMarch 12, 2026

Optimal Dynamics Launches AI System to Help Carriers Choose Better Freight

Optimal Dynamics says its new Scale platform uses AI agents and optimization to help carriers find and secure freight that improves network balance and profitability.

Read More →
DAT March 2026 trucking conditions.
Fleet Managementby Jack RobertsMarch 12, 2026

DAT: Flatbed Demand Climbs as Van and Reefer Rates Soften

DAT Freight & Analytics data shows tightening flatbed capacity, easing produce markets, and softening van and reefer rates.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
YouTube thumbnail with Mike Roeth of NACFE saying "NACFE's Messy Middle: Which Fuel Wins?"
Fuel Smartsby Deborah LockridgeMarch 11, 2026

Run on Less “Messy Middle” Data Shows Multiple Paths Forward for Truck Powertrains [Watch]

NACFE's Run on Less - Messy Middle project demonstrates the power of data in helping to guide the future of alternative fuels and powertrains for heavy-duty trucks.

Read More →