Truckstop reports September load volume up roughly 20% year over year
Truckstop said its spot market load volume was tracking roughly 20% above year‑ago levels in September, with flatbed freight posting its strongest gains since 2008. With about two‑thirds of September already complete, volume was up 15% YoY, putting the full month on pace for roughly a 20% increase.
Flatbed growth is being driven by data‑center construction and broader AI infrastructure investment, pushing volumes to levels not seen since 2008. Van and reefer segments are reflecting capacity constraints rather than demand, while some shippers face proposed linehaul box‑freight rate increases of 10% to 15% and are looking at intermodal options. Carriers are under margin pressure from insurance premiums that have risen 10% to 20% annually for four or five years and diesel prices that have hit record levels, including a first‑ever $10‑per‑gallon reading in California. Spot rates adjust faster than contract fuel surcharges, giving carriers a buffer, but prolonged fuel gains can still erode margins, especially on unfamiliar lanes.
“We’re about 15% year over year in September, and we’re about two-thirds of the way through September,” Sean Dehan, COO and Chief Strategy Officer of Truckstop said.
After years of running below an inflation‑adjusted baseline that assumes 3% annual growth from 2005, dry van linehaul rates have only recently climbed back to that line. Dehan noted that regulatory and safety‑compliance frameworks have effectively re‑baselined the market to an inflationary rate floor, while the Montgomery and Lupus decisions have heightened broker liability concerns.
What we know
Spot market load volume on Truckstop’s platform is tracking roughly 20% above year-ago levels in September
Flatbed freight volumes have reached levels not seen since 2008
With roughly two-thirds of September complete, Truckstop’s platform was already up 15% year over year
Insurance premiums have risen 10% to 20% annually for four or five successive years
Diesel prices have reached record levels including a first-ever $10-per-gallon reading in California