The numbers that move fleet budgets.
Live diesel prices, freight rate indices, and reefer spot rates — pulled automatically from U.S. government data. This is the market context most buyers never see before they sign.
Trucking Market Snapshot
National pricing signals that move fleet budgets — updated weekly & monthly from U.S. government data.
At $6.18/gal, a truck running 2,500 miles/week at 6.5 MPG burns about $2,377/week in fuel (~$8 less than last week).
Index at 207.6, +1.9% vs last month. Year over year +13.9% — carrier pricing power is strengthening. Compare against diesel: rates outrunning fuel means margin expansion.
Index at 517.3, +4.5% vs last month. Year over year +14.3% — carrier pricing power is strengthening. Regional and multi-stop carriers should weight this over the truckload index.
Average $4.30/mi across 77 reported produce lanes, -0.5% vs last week. Year over year +15.3%. When reefer rates run hot, refrigerated equipment earns its premium — the math that justifies the reefer payment.
At 7.00% prime, a $60k truck at prime+2 over 60 months runs roughly $1,246/mo. Every half-point of prime moves that payment about $15/mo.
Index at 167.9, +0.0% vs last month. Year over year +1.2% — carrier pricing power is holding steady. Regional and multi-stop carriers should weight this over the truckload index.
Used vehicle prices are climbing — buyers on the fence face rising lot prices.
Diesel typically follows crude by ~2 weeks — fuel costs likely rising soon.
Carriers are hiring — capacity is growing, which can soften rates.
Price history
How to read these numbers
Diesel price
Fuel is typically a truck’s largest variable cost — often a quarter to a third of per-mile operating cost. The DOE/EIA weekly average is also the index most fuel surcharges are pegged to, so when this number moves, surcharge revenue should move with it. Watch the trend more than the price: a steady climb squeezes anyone running on fixed contract rates.
Truckload rate index
The Producer Price Index for long-distance truckload measures what shippers actually pay carriers — realized contract rates, not load-board quotes. When this index rises faster than diesel, carriers are gaining pricing power. When it lags fuel, margins compress across for-hire fleets.
LTL rate index
LTL pricing moves to a different rhythm than truckload — it’s driven by network density and terminal costs as much as by fuel. If you run regional or multi-stop work, this index tracks your world more closely than the truckload number.
Reefer spot rates
The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service surveys actual refrigerated truckload rates on produce lanes every week — what a reefer costs from, say, Salinas to Boston. It’s the closest free equivalent to paywalled load-board spot quotes. The number shown is a simple average across all reported lanes, so read it as the market’s temperature, not your lane’s price. If you run reefer, this is the rate your equipment competes against.
Prime rate
The base rate banks use to price commercial loans. Most truck financing is quoted as “prime plus” — so when prime moves, your payment moves. A $60k note at prime+2 over 60 months swings roughly $30/mo for every half-point of prime.
New truck prices
The Producer Price Index for heavy-duty truck manufacturing tracks what new trucks cost leaving the factory. When new prices climb, used values follow — and the “buy new vs. buy used” math shifts. Flat or falling? Used buyers gain leverage.
Used truck values
The CPI for used vehicles is the only free, regularly-updated signal on where used prices are heading. It’s a broad index (cars + trucks), so treat it as a trend arrow for the used lot, not a price guide for a specific unit.
Crude oil
Diesel prices follow crude with roughly a two-week lag. When crude spikes, budget for higher fuel costs soon. When it drops, relief is coming — but don’t count it until the pump price moves.
Trucking employment
How many people work in truck transportation. Rising employment means carriers are adding capacity — which can soften freight rates. Falling employment signals tightening capacity, which supports rates but can mean driver shortages.
National and regional averages for reference only — your lanes, fuel network, and contracts will differ. Reefer rates are USDA-reported produce-lane truckload rates (a simple average across reported lanes, not your lane’s price). Load-board spot quotes (DAT/Truckstop) move faster than these government series and aren’t published free; treat the PPI as the contract-rate reality check. Not financial advice.
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