Less than truckload fuel surcharges have jumped sharply this year, with the average LTL fuel surcharge in the second quarter running more than 60 percent above its June 2025 level, according to trade publication reporting on pricing data. The increase tracks a roughly 51 percent rise in diesel prices compared with the early 2026 average, as broader volatility in crude and refined fuel markets works its way into carrier rate structures.

The long distance LTL producer price index rose 18 percent year over year in June, reflecting how much of the pricing pressure in the sector now comes from fuel costs layered on top of base rates rather than base rates alone. Industry forecasts cited in trade coverage expect LTL rates to hold at these elevated levels into the third quarter, with the possibility of further increases tied to renewed conflict in the Middle East and its impact on fuel prices.

Freight volumes have also been returning to the LTL market this year, with carriers reporting improved pricing power and profitability opportunities in the second quarter even as the longer term outlook remains clouded by tariff policy and geopolitical risk. The combination of returning freight and sustained fuel surcharge growth marks a shift from the softer pricing environment LTL carriers navigated for much of the prior two years.

Source: Journal of Commerce -- https://www.joc.com/article/freight-returning-to-us-ltl-market-as-pricing-fuel-costs-climb-higher-6207125