US truckload spot rates reached an all time high of 3.83 dollars per mile in early June 2026, according to FreightWaves' SONAR National Truckload Index, a level that broke past the previous record set during the pandemic era freight boom of roughly 3.50 to 3.60 dollars per mile. The rate jumped 9 cents per mile in a single trading session, and analysts say the increase reflects genuine tightening in carrier capacity rather than a temporary fuel cost spike.

Tender rejections, which measure how often carriers turn down contracted freight in favor of higher paying spot loads, climbed to 17.55%, the highest level since the pandemic era. The Logistics Managers Index recorded a transportation price reading of 96.0 on its 100 point scale, the fastest rate of increase recorded for any single metric in the index's near decade of history.

Data from DAT Freight and Analytics showed the buildup already underway in March, when the average spot van rate reached 2.52 dollars per mile, up from 1.99 dollars per mile in March 2025. Reefer rates rose to 2.97 dollars per mile from 2.27 dollars, and flatbed rates climbed to 3.09 dollars per mile from 2.53 dollars a year earlier. Contract rates moved higher as well, with the contract van rate reaching 2.72 dollars per mile and the contract flatbed rate hitting 3.43 dollars per mile.

Rising diesel costs are compounding the pressure. The national average diesel price stood at 5.35 dollars per gallon in June, up 1.899 dollars from a year earlier, with California prices reaching 7.051 dollars per gallon. Uber Freight projected spot rates will remain 20 to 25% above year ago levels for the rest of 2026.