Freight tied to data center construction and heavier manufacturing activity is helping lift shipping volumes across the United States this summer, according to trade publication reporting citing carrier and freight data provider figures. XPO reported shipment volumes up 6 percent year over year in July, while freight data provider DAT estimated roughly 500,000 data center related truckload shipments have moved so far in 2026.

Caterpillar and Deere, two of the largest global manufacturers of heavy equipment, are considered bellwether companies for the breakbulk and roll on roll off ocean shipping segment tied to industrial and data center buildouts, with both companies reporting exposure to data center related equipment demand this year.

The freight growth linked to data centers and industrial construction adds to a broader tightening across the domestic trucking market this summer. Shippers have reported greater interest in dedicated trucking arrangements as capacity has tightened, with one large carrier recording its highest quarterly dedicated bid activity since 2020 and dedicated equipment reaching roughly 80 percent of its fleet.

Tender rejection rates, which track how often carriers decline contracted loads in favor of higher paying spot freight, recently exceeded 15 percent, the highest level since early 2022, according to industry data cited in trade press coverage this week. The combination of steady industrial freight and tightening capacity has pushed spot rates above contract rates in a growing number of lanes for the first time in several years.

Source: Journal of Commerce -- https://www.joc.com/article/high-and-heavy-equipment-makers-tap-into-data-centers-for-growth-6227625