U.S. truckload spot rates climbed to a record high in early June 2026, reaching $3.83 per mile, the highest level on record. Analysts tie the surge to a sharp tightening of capacity driven by a federal compliance crackdown that has pulled roughly 40,000 trucks from service over the past year.
Safety oversight gaps remain a central concern. About 1.2 million trucks, or 36 percent of the active fleet, carry no FMCSA safety rating, and another 300,000 operate under a conditional rating that regulators and courts treat as the highest risk category for freight assignment.
A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision added pressure on freight intermediaries. In Montgomery v. Caribe Transport, the court ruled unanimously that negligent hiring claims against freight brokers are not preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act, opening brokers to liability when they place loads with unsafe carriers.
Regulators are also tightening equipment and enforcement rules. Carriers running electronic logging devices that have been revoked must revert to compliant logging and replace the hardware within 60 days. A coordinated reckless driving enforcement campaign is scheduled for July 12 to 18 and will cover both commercial and passenger vehicles, following 36,640 U.S. traffic fatalities reported in 2025.
Source: Shiptli - https://shiptli.com/news/june-2026-freight-market-spot-rates-and-carrier-crackdowns/