The truckload market is heading into Q4 with less breathing room.
While spot rates pulled back seasonally in August, underlying capacity remains constrained. DAT reported an August dry van spot linehaul rate of $2.19 per mile, while recent weekly rates remained more than 30% above year-ago levels. Uber Freight also reports that dry van contract linehaul rates were 18% higher year over year in July.
For shippers, the bigger concern is what happens if freight demand picks up. Uber Freight says capacity has not rebuilt as quickly as typically expected during a tightening cycle, leaving networks more vulnerable to another spot-rate increase during peak season.
That makes Q4 planning less about predicting one national rate and more about protecting individual lanes. Routing-guide performance, backup capacity, lead times and regional exposure all deserve attention before peak pressure builds.
TLC is monitoring lane availability and market conditions as Q4 develops. When capacity gets complicated, we work with customers to evaluate practical routing options and keep freight decisions on track.
