Fuel Updates

As of mid-March 2026, US domestic truck fuel costs have surged, with the national average diesel price reaching approximately $5.07 per gallon. This represents a sharp increase from previous weeks, with some reports noting that diesel has exceeded $5 per gallon for the first time since 2022, driven by heightened geopolitical tensions and tightening supply conditions.

By late March 2026, the US domestic truck market is also showing signs of a significant and long-anticipated tightening, signaling a shift from a prolonged downturn into an early recovery phase. Capacity has contracted due to continued carrier exits, pushing spot rates up more than 20% year-over-year in early 2026, while contract rates have begun to rise as well. Additionally, strict enforcement of new government regulations (including the non-domiciled CDL rule that took effect on March 16th, 2026) is placing further pressure on already limited capacity.

Reefer Freight:

• As of mid-March 2026, domestic reefer spot rates have seen a modest weekly decline of 2.5%, averaging $2.88–$2.94 per mile nationally, but still remain approximately 4.7% higher year-over-year.
• The domestic reefer market continues to experience strong demand and significant rate volatility, largely driven by elevated produce volumes out of California and Florida.
• Regional rate inflation is expected in Texas, Florida, Arizona, and the Northeast as seasonal demand intensifies.
• While Q1 typically brings a soft period for refrigerated freight, 2026 is showing an atypical trend, with notably tight reefer capacity.
• Load-to-truck ratio: Domestic reefer load-to-truck ratios dipped slightly to 14.9, down from 15.3, as produce-related capacity improved across several major regions.

Van Freight:

• As of late March 2026, the national average dry van spot rate has reached a new 2026 cycle high of approximately $2.89 per mile, driven by tightening capacity.
• The domestic dry van market is experiencing strong, resilient volume, up more than 42% compared to the same week in 2025.
• While the Midwest led recent rate increases, it experienced a slight pullback last week; however, most other regions continued to record rate growth.
• Rising diesel prices are increasing operating costs, prompting many owner-operators to reassess their participation in the spot market.
• Load-to-truck ratio: The national dry van load-to-truck ratio has cooled slightly, dipping to 8.1 from 8.4 the prior week. Despite this decline, ratios remain exceptionally elevated (roughly 50–60% higher year-over-year and nearly double the 10-year average) reflecting robust demand for capacity following recent weather-related surges.

Flatbed Freight:

• As of late March 2026, national average flatbed spot rates are seeing a strong and sustained rise, driven by elevated demand from data center construction and infrastructure projects. Rates are up approximately 3.5% year-over-year, and by mid-March, continued tightening (particularly in the Midwest and South Central regions) has pushed rates even higher.
• The domestic flatbed market in late March 2026 is experiencing significant tightening, with spot rates up 8.5% over the past month and capacity nearly 90% tighter than this time last year.
• Approximately 42.67% of flatbed tenders are being rejected, signaling that many carriers are turning down contracted loads in favor of higher-paying spot market opportunities.
• High demand is creating severe capacity constraints on major high-volume lanes, such as Ontario, CA → Salt Lake City, UT, which has seen substantial year-over-year rate increases.
• Load-to-truck ratio: As of late March 2026, the domestic flatbed load-to-truck ratio remains extremely elevated, hovering around 70–74 loads per truck, reflecting intense demand and a markedly tight market.

We hope you have a fantastic week! If you need any assistance or have any questions, please reach out to your RIM Representative or to our Domestic Team at RIMDomestic@rimlogistics.com.