RapidShips research report

Trucking Prices and Freight Volume, 2017 to 2026

The prices trucking companies receive, from BLS, set against the amount of freight for-hire carriers move, from BTS.

By RapidShips Dock OperationsLast reviewed 2026-09-305 sourcesData through August 2026

Executive summary

In August 2026 the producer price index for long-distance truckload trucking was 207.644 (preliminary), +13.9% on August 2025 (RapidShips analysis).[1] Over the same year, BTS reported that its Freight Transportation Services Index fell 2.0% from July 2025 to July 2026.[5]

So in this data, yes: what carriers are paid has risen by double digits over the past year while the amount of for-hire freight moved has slipped. The data shows the gap; it does not explain it.

The question

Are trucking prices rising while freight volume is flat?

Data sources

Methodology

  • Price: three BLS producer price indexes (long-distance truckload, long-distance LTL and local trucking), not seasonally adjusted, compared August to August.
  • Volume: the BTS Freight TSI, seasonally adjusted, compared July to July because July 2026 is its latest month.
  • Percentage changes are RapidShips analysis: (later / earlier) minus 1. The two indexes have different units and bases, so they are compared by their own changes, never by their levels.

Labels used below: Fact a figure as the source publishes it; RapidShips analysis a calculation by RapidShips from published figures, with the formula. This report contains no estimates or forecasts.

Findings

  1. Fact

    Long-distance truckload PPI: 207.644 in August 2026 (preliminary) and 182.330 in August 2025.[1]

  2. RapidShips analysis

    Year over year: truckload +13.9%, LTL +14.3%, local trucking +10.5%.

    Each: (August 2026 / August 2025) minus 1.

  3. Fact

    Freight TSI: 135.7 in July 2026 and 138.5 in July 2025 (2000 = 100). BTS reported a 2.0% fall over that year.[5]

  4. RapidShips analysis

    The truckload index is close to its highest level in this data, 211.126 in March 2022, while the Freight TSI is below its highest value since 2017, 140.7 in August 2019.

    Highest monthly values from January 2017.

  5. Fact

    BTS said the July 2026 decrease came from lower air freight, pipeline and trucking, while rail carloads, rail intermodal and water volumes increased.[5]

Charts and tables

Every chart has a table with the exact values underneath.

Trucking producer price indexes, 2017 to 2026

Show series
Producer Price Index for general freight trucking, 2017 to 2026Line chart, January 2017 to August 2026. Latest: Long-distance truckload (TL) 207.644 in August 2026; Long-distance less-than-truckload (LTL) 306.839 in August 2026; Local general freight trucking 198.606 in August 2026. Exact values are in the table.1001502002503003502017201820192020202120222023202420252026Producer Price Index for general freight trucking, 2017 to 2026Line chart, January 2017 to August 2026. Latest: Long-distance truckload (TL) 207.644 in August 2026; Long-distance less-than-truckload (LTL) 306.839 in August 2026; Local general freight trucking 198.606 in August 2026. Exact values are in the table.10015020025030035020172019202120232025
  • Long-distance truckload (TL)
  • Long-distance less-than-truckload (LTL)
  • Local general freight trucking

Monthly index, December 2003 = 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Series are not told apart by colour alone: each has its own line style and end marker. The table below has every value.
Data table: all 116 months
Producer Price Index for general freight trucking, 2017 to 2026. Unit: index, December 2003 = 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
MonthLong-distance truckload (TL)Long-distance less-than-truckload (LTL)Local general freight trucking
August 2026207.644 p306.839 p198.606 p
July 2026203.781 p293.695 p194.424 p
June 2026198.768 p307.961 p197.848 p
May 2026203.536 p312.051 p198.110 p
April 2026200.958310.995191.753
March 2026191.312277.741184.835
February 2026183.307272.923182.293
January 2026181.359270.648183.779
December 2025181.077267.294179.832
November 2025189.108268.211179.893
October 2025184.899266.342179.796
September 2025186.058267.001179.749
August 2025182.330268.431179.803
July 2025180.906265.420179.509
June 2025168.388261.013179.217
May 2025178.512258.130179.069
April 2025175.089259.125179.431
March 2025165.826259.005179.050
February 2025179.387259.215178.704
January 2025181.652257.376178.951
December 2024171.718243.422178.892
November 2024160.349243.394179.451
October 2024165.925243.330179.512
September 2024172.163243.046179.902
August 2024176.722243.762182.016
July 2024190.065247.454180.861
June 2024182.698241.732179.436
May 2024181.575244.791179.802
April 2024172.961246.943180.851
March 2024172.822245.484178.643
February 2024178.320244.230177.198
January 2024178.925242.245175.510
December 2023177.712236.187175.164
November 2023187.206240.901169.445
October 2023184.002244.315171.217
September 2023182.025242.879170.430
August 2023173.268240.812166.151
July 2023178.666230.773171.156
June 2023190.471230.664170.436
May 2023192.615231.510172.124
April 2023184.407228.176178.154
March 2023202.307233.331176.984
February 2023194.459236.298184.804
January 2023187.156240.539185.642
December 2022200.778233.568186.272
November 2022195.947242.376196.340
October 2022197.549237.312196.088
September 2022197.526242.930195.778
August 2022200.068242.100195.523
July 2022204.018248.576196.940
June 2022203.350258.802193.701
May 2022210.733251.869192.282
April 2022209.823243.598190.187
March 2022211.126239.535188.753
February 2022208.028220.690175.226
January 2022198.275222.856173.654
December 2021187.738218.148171.229
November 2021182.629217.984171.242
October 2021173.847211.703169.190
September 2021169.568209.299164.407
August 2021164.691207.759163.714
July 2021159.929208.302163.692
June 2021159.300210.700163.800
May 2021162.100203.700163.100
April 2021159.300203.400155.400
March 2021154.700202.500155.200
February 2021151.300196.800154.100
January 2021146.100196.700151.700
December 2020147.600187.100153.400
November 2020146.600187.700150.200
October 2020142.200189.600150.400
September 2020139.000185.500147.100
August 2020135.600189.900147.100
July 2020134.000190.300148.900
June 2020132.000186.100138.300
May 2020128.200187.700138.400
April 2020131.800188.400148.400
March 2020134.300189.700149.200
February 2020136.100191.100148.300
January 2020136.300193.600147.600
December 2019141.000185.200147.000
November 2019140.100189.300146.900
October 2019136.600188.700147.000
September 2019136.600187.800146.300
August 2019136.100190.100146.300
July 2019136.800188.100146.400
June 2019137.700190.300146.700
May 2019137.300189.900146.100
April 2019136.700186.200145.400
March 2019138.200187.800145.400
February 2019138.600188.800145.600
January 2019139.900188.500145.700
December 2018140.400183.900145.900
November 2018140.300184.800146.700
October 2018139.800185.300146.700
September 2018138.600184.000143.700
August 2018137.500183.300143.000
July 2018136.800183.200142.900
June 2018135.400183.100141.700
May 2018133.600181.000135.900
April 2018132.300178.900133.600
March 2018132.000178.400133.600
February 2018132.000178.500132.900
January 2018131.000177.400132.800
December 2017130.300175.500132.000
November 2017128.500175.100131.700
October 2017126.600173.500131.400
September 2017126.600173.300131.400
August 2017125.900169.900131.300
July 2017124.200169.700129.300
June 2017124.200167.900129.300
May 2017124.000168.000129.300
April 2017124.300167.000128.600
March 2017124.200166.700128.500
February 2017124.700166.800128.500
January 2017124.400166.400128.300

p = preliminary, as flagged by the source.

Freight Transportation Services Index, 2017 to 2026

Freight Transportation Services Index, 2017 to 2026Line chart, January 2017 to July 2026. Latest: Freight TSI 135.7 in July 2026. Exact values are in the table.1201251301351401452017201820192020202120222023202420252026Freight Transportation Services Index, 2017 to 2026Line chart, January 2017 to July 2026. Latest: Freight TSI 135.7 in July 2026. Exact values are in the table.12012513013514014520172019202120232025
  • Freight TSI

Monthly index, 2000 = 100, seasonally adjusted. Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The table below has every value.
Data table: all 115 months
Freight Transportation Services Index, 2017 to 2026. Unit: index, 2000 average = 100, seasonally adjusted. Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
MonthFreight TSI
July 2026135.7
June 2026136.6
May 2026135.3
April 2026138.2
March 2026139.3
February 2026138.4
January 2026136.3
December 2025136.9
November 2025137.2
October 2025136.7
September 2025138.0
August 2025138.9
July 2025138.5
June 2025137.0
May 2025136.9
April 2025137.5
March 2025137.6
February 2025136.8
January 2025137.8
December 2024137.4
November 2024137.1
October 2024138.3
September 2024137.3
August 2024138.8
July 2024137.3
June 2024138.0
May 2024138.6
April 2024135.2
March 2024136.7
February 2024136.7
January 2024135.2
December 2023138.5
November 2023137.5
October 2023137.7
September 2023137.5
August 2023137.0
July 2023137.7
June 2023137.0
May 2023136.8
April 2023137.0
March 2023137.7
February 2023139.0
January 2023138.1
December 2022135.3
November 2022134.7
October 2022137.0
September 2022138.3
August 2022137.8
July 2022137.0
June 2022138.2
May 2022138.0
April 2022138.4
March 2022139.1
February 2022137.4
January 2022137.4
December 2021136.0
November 2021135.5
October 2021134.5
September 2021132.8
August 2021131.7
July 2021132.9
June 2021134.0
May 2021135.1
April 2021136.2
March 2021134.6
February 2021131.7
January 2021136.2
December 2020133.9
November 2020132.3
October 2020132.0
September 2020131.1
August 2020130.8
July 2020132.5
June 2020128.5
May 2020125.5
April 2020123.7
March 2020133.9
February 2020135.1
January 2020135.6
December 2019135.4
November 2019136.7
October 2019137.0
September 2019137.0
August 2019140.7
July 2019138.6
June 2019136.6
May 2019137.4
April 2019137.6
March 2019136.4
February 2019136.3
January 2019137.5
December 2018137.2
November 2018139.2
October 2018139.1
September 2018138.0
August 2018136.2
July 2018135.6
June 2018136.9
May 2018136.2
April 2018135.2
March 2018135.3
February 2018133.7
January 2018131.3
December 2017133.3
November 2017131.7
October 2017130.1
September 2017128.8
August 2017128.9
July 2017128.2
June 2017125.8
May 2017125.9
April 2017125.3
March 2017124.9
February 2017124.6
January 2017123.8

Interpretation

RapidShips analysis

For a shipper, the two series together say that paying more for trucking in 2026 is not a sign that more freight is moving nationally. BLS does not break these indexes into causes, so this report does not assign one.

These are national indexes. A lane out of Port Newark can move differently, and neither index is a rate you can quote.

Limitations

  • PPI values for the latest four months are preliminary and BLS can revise them.[1]
  • BTS revises the TSI as inputs are updated; the latest month includes BTS estimates for pipeline, air freight and waterborne data.[5]
  • The Freight TSI covers domestic for-hire freight only, not port or international moves.

Sources

  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “PPI industry data for General freight trucking, long-distance TL, not seasonally adjusted (series PCU484121484121),” Official statistical series. Accessed September 30, 2026.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “PPI industry data for General freight trucking, long-distance LTL, not seasonally adjusted (series PCU484122484122),” Official statistical series. Accessed September 30, 2026.
  3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “PPI industry data for General freight trucking, local, not seasonally adjusted (series PCU484110484110),” Official statistical series. Accessed September 30, 2026.
  4. U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, “Transportation Services Index and Seasonally-Adjusted Transportation Data (column TSI_Freight),” Official dataset. Accessed September 30, 2026.
  5. U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, “The July 2026 Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) Fell 0.7% from June 2026 and Fell 2.0% from July 2025 (BTS 26-68),” Official news release. Published September 9, 2026. Accessed September 30, 2026.