Cass: Linehaul rates up 2% in April

   Truckload linehaul rates rose 2 percent in April, continuing a slow but steady price increase seen the beginning of the year, according to Cass Information Systems.
   Intermodal only showed a slight bump of 0.3 percent in per-mile costs.
   Linehaul rates started the year with a 2.4-percent rise, which grew to 3.3 percent in February. Rates were up 2.2 percent in March. While rates are going up, the climb isn’t as steep at the increases seen from February to April last year.
   Intermodal costs, which include an average of linehaul, fuel and accessorial costs, rose 0.8 percent in January and saw their biggest recent growth spurt of 4.4 percent in February. Costs were up 1.7 percent in March.
   Total intermodal per-mile costs were up 0.3 percent in April 2013 compared to last April. In March, February and January they were up 1.7 percent, 4.4 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively. – Jon Ross