What changed?
The Freight Rate Index fell from May's record level but still registered 70.2 in June, one of the strongest readings in the survey's history. ACT's Capacity Index rose to a 43-month high, but the improvement reflected larger fleets expanding rather than a broad industry recovery. Driver availability remained deeply depressed.
| Indicator | Operational read |
|---|---|
| Freight Rate Index | Rates remain elevated despite a pullback from May |
| Capacity Index | Larger fleets are expanding, but industrywide capacity is still tight |
| Driver Availability Index | Labor remains the bottleneck |
| Class 8 buying | Equipment replacement is still below historical norms |
Why this matters for importers
Inland transportation is becoming the pressure point after the container lands. If sellers only focus on ocean rates, they may miss the handoff cost from port to warehouse, rail ramp to DC, or 3PL to retail/customer delivery.
This is especially important for Q4 inventory. Late bookings, last-minute re-routing and warehouse appointment misses can all turn into higher truckload rates or weaker service.
What operators should do now
- Reserve critical inland lanes before containers discharge, not after arrival notice.
- Build a priority list for containers that must move first if truck capacity tightens.
- Compare contracted carriers, spot brokers and 3PL-controlled capacity weekly.
- Watch driver-rule and equipment signals together with ocean freight and port dwell.
- Avoid using a single national trucking assumption for port drayage, regional TL and LTL.
Source: FreightWaves