NTI

U.S. freight railroads delivered one of their strongest performances in years during March 2026, signaling that the goods-producing economy is regaining meaningful momentum across multiple sectors. According to the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) latest Rail Industry Overview, total U.S. rail carloads averaged 230,401 per week in March — the strongest March result since 2019 […]

The U.S. truckload spot market just hit a new cycle high at $2.82 per mile on the National Truckload Index (NTI.USA)—that’s the 7-day moving average of booked dry van spot rates, fuel included. Volumes are holding firm at multi-year peaks we haven’t seen since late 2022. The chart shows the steady climb of trucking spot […]

Nationwide tender rejections are at 11.5%.

Tender rejection rates have held above 7% throughout January and the spread between spot and contract continues to narrow.

Tender rejection rates remain above 7%, but tender volumes and spot rates are experiencing some seasonal pressure

Tender rejection rates are remaining elevated during a period where the market would traditionally be loosening

Tender rejection rates were back on the rise this week as winter weather impacted markets across the south. Tender volumes start 2025 down y/y

Tender rejection rates are retreating from their holiday highs, but spot rates have continued to inch higher into the new year.

Tender rejection rates briefly touched 10% before retreating, which continues to show that the freight market is in transition…

Tender rejection rates have moved to a 2-year high, but spot rates have yet to see the significant increase from the holidays.

Rejection rates and spot rates are likely to see further upward movement with less than two weeks until the Christmas holiday.

The holiday impacts have yet to arrive as both tender rejection rates and spot rates are off their recent highs and volumes continue to slide.

Tender volumes and tender rejection rates moved higher this week with spot rates following suit. Thanksgiving could change the status quo.

Tender volumes and tender rejections declined over the week, but spot rates are still showing signs that peak season is going to be favorable.

Tender volumes declined over the week, but tender rejections and spot rates are showing signs that peak season is going to be favorable.

Tender volumes declined over the week, but tender rejections and spot rates found a little positive momentum over the past week.

Tender volumes and rejection rates moved lower over the past week, while spot rates increased slightly during the week.

Tender volumes and rejection rates moved higher over the past week, but spot rates were unaffected on a national level.

Spot rates and tender rejection rates saw a slight increase to start Q4, but tender volumes fell as a result of the ILA strike.

Tender volumes, tender rejection rates and spot rate all drop in the final full week of the third quarter.

Tender volumes have started to flatten out while tender rejection rates have picked up a little steam this week.

Tender volumes have continued to show strength, but the market remains oversupplied. Hurricane Francine had little impact on the market

Tender rejection rates suffered the largest weekly decline in the past 6 weeks while tender volumes are being impacted by the holiday weekend

Tender volumes closed August higher, up 3.13% year over year. A slight rise in rejection rates before Labor Day was still below July peaks.

Tender volumes increased over the past week, while tender rejection rates remained unchanged. The next week will be important for the direction of the freight market in the fourth quarter.

Tender volumes started to gain a little positive momentum over the past week while tender rejection rates inched slightly lower…

The freight market is fairly stable to start August as spot rates and tender rejection rates experienced little change week over week…

Spot rates moved slightly higher in the final week of July, while rejection rates and volume levels continued to retreat from recent highs.

Spot rates have retreated off their recent high, but remain elevated compared to the rest of the year while demand and rejection rates are following seasonal trends.

The freight market is appearing to stabilize at higher levels after the Fourth of July, setting up for a better second half of 2024.

The freight market was more reactive to the Fourth of July holiday than the year prior, but capacity has been quick to return to the road.

Volumes, rejection rates and spot rates remain elevated, setting the stage for the summer months.

Volumes, rejection rates and spot rates remain elevated following the Memorial Day holiday, setting the stage for the summer months.

Even as carriers’ pricing power deteriorated, freight demand was consistently robust throughout February.

The early stages of this recovery are characterized by a rebalancing market, a return to normalcy after a four-year roller coaster of volatility.

The sustained imbalance between supply and demand has yet to be corrected, such that only an unprecedented tidal wave of demand could satisfy the current amount of capacity in the national freight economy.

Spot rates did eventually see a boost at the start of the new year, albeit one that was unable to meet our prior forecasts.

Tender volumes began to outpace 2020 earlier this week and are now marching toward favorable comparisons with 2021.

Volumes are leveling out at the start of December, delaying the seasonal dip that ordinarily occurs at this time of the year.

Tender volumes were outpacing 2022 levels before the holiday and came within spitting distance of 2020 — freight demand’s second-best year on record.

This week, freight markets underwent a surprising rally that saw a wave of volumes sweep across the country.

Domestic manufacturers fail to inspire optimism, since they foresee major headwinds on output in the first half of 2024.

The upcoming months are littered with major holidays during which carriers can leverage seasonal constraints on capacity for higher spot rates.

Outside of the holiday rush periods, the fundamental lack of freight demand will continue to expose the lingering overcapacity in the market.

Given the surplus of available capacity, shippers are more confident in switching to “just-in-time” freight strategies as consumer resilience remains an open question.

By next week, it is likely that actual freight flow will have finally risen on a yearly basis for the first time since May 2022.

Consumer demand during the holiday season is expected to be relatively soft, which should temper expectations for a red-hot peak season in truckload markets.

Perhaps the most pressing question for both freight markets and the broader economy is how the consumer will fare in the coming months.

Rejection rates gathered some promising momentum in the run-up to Labor Day, though these gains are slowly being lost.

After a none-too-brief break, the Pricing Power Index is resuming its regular Friday schedule.

Weekly NTI Update

Weekly NTI Update

Weekly NTI Update

Weekly NTI Update

Weekly NTI Update

NTI works to provide carriers with actionable data and benchmarking studies, enabling them to make informed decisions about their own compensation packages.

Against significant odds, the Federal Reserve might realize its once-unlikely goal of a “soft landing” — that is, taming inflation without also triggering a recession.

Weekly NTI Update

Freight volumes continue to trend sideways, which is a positive sign overall as the 15th of July traditionally marks a time for slowing demand in the freight market.

Weekly NTI Update

Demand from retail shippers is historically quiet in the period from now until August, after which retailers restock their shelves for the back-to-school season.

Weekly NTI Update

Demand from retail shippers is historically quiet in the period from now until August, after which retailers restock their shelves for the back-to-school season.

Weekly NTI Update

Maritime’s peak season — which typically ramps up in August and lasts throughout October — is expected by retailers and supply chain professionals to be weaker than it has been in previous years.

Weekly NTI Update

Weekly NTI Update

Tender rejections have yet to return to mid-May’s all-time low, but their softness could persist in a trough for the next two quarters.

Weekly NTI Update

One last round of bad news to cap this week: China and the U.S. both posted dismal data from their respective industrial economies.

Volumes did see some growth ahead of the upcoming Memorial Day holiday, though not nearly enough to bust out the champagne and sparklers.

Weekly NTI Update

So as not to bury the lede, this week’s lack of change in the PPI might ultimately prove to be the most exciting stability in quite some time.

Weekly NTI Update

Despite expectations for seasonal growth in the second quarter, the health of the American consumer has continued to become more precarious, stirring headwinds for even once-reliable sources of freight.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is holding its annual International Roadcheck next Tuesday through Thursday.

Weekly NTI Update

Weekly NTI Update

Volumes are just beginning to tick up at the tail end of April, but freight demand in the quarter has been mostly flat and thus grossly unseasonable.

Weekly NTI Update

Learn more at SONAR.FreightWaves.com

Weekly NTI Update

What do historically low rejection rates mean for the truckload industry?

While ocean carriers are not facing the same risks as their domestic trucking counterparts, given their consolidation and enormous war chests, ocean’s weakness in demand will continue to trickle down into truckload markets.

Weekly NTI Update

Upstream and historic values are predicting another strong deterioration in truckload spot rates in April. How seriously should we take this?

Despite seeing slight seasonal growth, truckload markets are showing a continued soft patch.

Weekly NTI Update

The gap between current levels of freight demand and those of 2019 is narrowing, casting doubt on the market’s ability to sustain growth.

Weekly NTI Update

The consumer will be key to resolving the present tension in freight demand’s future, but consumers continue to be predictably unpredictable.

Weekly NTI Update

Market conditions will likely become a bit more favorable before they get much worse.

Weekly NTI Update

Strangely enough, tender volumes are abiding by seasonal trends.

Weekly NTI Update

Weekly NTI Update

Strangely enough, tender volumes are abiding by seasonal trends. The first quarter of 2022 was unusually active as shippers tried to get ahead of disruptions to capacity, which historically tightens in the spring.

Weekly NTI Update

With the inflation-squeezed consumer running through their discretionary budgets, freight demand is in a precarious state.