Freight Market Trends

National truckload rates as of October 22, 2026

• Dry van: $3.11/mi all-in including fuel ($2.26 linehaul + $0.85 fuel surcharge), DAT week ending Oct 17.
• Reefer: $3.68/mi all-in including fuel ($2.76 linehaul + $0.92 fuel surcharge), DAT week ending Oct 17.
• Flatbed: $3.67/mi all-in including fuel ($2.65 linehaul + $1.01 fuel surcharge), DAT week ending Oct 17.
• FreightFA live-quote index, dry van: $3.54/mi all-in, the average of today's bookable shipper quotes on 25 benchmark lanes. It runs above DAT because it is the shipper side of the market.
• Diesel: $6.28/gal, EIA U.S. average retail, week of Oct 19.

These figures were current when this page was published. DAT and EIA publish weekly and FreightFA checks them daily; the live numbers are at https://freightfa.com/market-trends.

Truckload outlook as of October 22, 2026

• Dry van, 7-day average: $3.10 per mile (as of 2026-10-22). Outlook for the next week: steady (-0.3%), $2.99 to $3.16 per mile, most likely $3.09.
• Reefer, 7-day average: $3.67 per mile (as of 2026-10-22). Outlook for the next week: steady (-0.2%), $3.59 to $3.73 per mile, most likely $3.66.
• Flatbed, 7-day average: $3.65 per mile (as of 2026-10-22). Outlook for the next week: steady (-0.1%), $3.59 to $3.72 per mile, most likely $3.65.
• Capacity, Dry Van: balanced against its recent norm.
• Capacity, Reefer: balanced against its recent norm.
• Capacity, Flatbed: balanced against its recent norm.

From FreightFA's daily brief as it stood when this page was published. The live brief, rebuilt several times a day, is at https://mcp.freightfa.com/brief.

Rail, ocean, air, and barge as of October 22, 2026

• Rail, Agricultural freight: Class I railroads' average revenue per carload is +5.9% versus a year earlier (Q2 2026, 6 railroads, 13 figures from their SEC filings, fuel surcharges included).
• Rail, Industrial freight: Class I railroads' average revenue per carload is +6.5% versus a year earlier (Q2 2026, 6 railroads, 37 figures from their SEC filings, fuel surcharges included).
• Ocean, Drewry World Container Index: not published today. Held back: the newest source reading ($1,913 per 40ft container) breaks from the readings just before it ($4,485 per 40ft container), so it is not quoted until the next reading confirms it.
• Ocean, Baltic Dry Index: 2,680 points (as of 2026-10-22). Outlook for the next reading: steady (+1.3%), 2,598 to 2,846 points, most likely 2,716.
• Air, TAC global air freight rate: not published today. Held back: this series has not passed its backtest.
• Air, IATA jet fuel price: $192.44 per barrel (as of 2026-10-22). Outlook for the next reading: steady (+0.1%), $188.82 to $194.70 per barrel, most likely $192.65.
• Barge, Twin Cities: 852% of tariff (as of 2026-10-13). Outlook for the next reading: steady (+0.3%), 804 to 898% of tariff, most likely 855.
• Barge, Mid-Mississippi: 839% of tariff (as of 2026-10-13). Outlook for the next reading: steady (-2.3%), 750 to 905% of tariff, most likely 820.
• Barge, Lower Illinois: 825% of tariff (as of 2026-10-13). Outlook for the next reading: steady (-0.1%), 750 to 904% of tariff, most likely 824.
• Barge, St. Louis: 673% of tariff (as of 2026-10-13). Outlook for the next reading: steady (-3.8%), 577 to 726% of tariff, most likely 648.
• Barge, Cincinnati: 794% of tariff (as of 2026-10-13). Outlook for the next reading: steady (-3.1%), 677 to 880% of tariff, most likely 769.
• Barge, Lower Ohio: 794% of tariff (as of 2026-10-13). Outlook for the next reading: steady (-3.0%), 677 to 880% of tariff, most likely 770.
• Barge, Cairo-Memphis: 567% of tariff (as of 2026-10-13). Outlook for the next reading: falling (-6.1%), 464 to 620% of tariff, most likely 533.

A forecast is shown only when it has passed a backtest and its source readings are consistent; a figure that fails is named with the reason instead of being shown.

From FreightFA's daily brief as it stood when this page was published. The live brief, rebuilt several times a day, is at https://mcp.freightfa.com/brief.

What's on the page

• Truck: national dry van, reefer, and flatbed spot rates (all-in including fuel) and a market outlook.
• Truck capacity: whether each equipment type is tight, balanced, or loose against its recent norm.
• Rail: change in Class I railroads' average revenue per carload versus a year earlier, from their SEC filings, fuel surcharges included.
• Ocean, air, and barge rate series, each with its source on the page.