Freight Market
Cass data show shipments growing as truckload linehaul rates rise 10%
· Source: Cass Information Systems
The Cass Freight Index shipments measure rose 1.9% year over year and 2.3% from August in September, marking a second consecutive annual gain after a 3.5-year downturn. The Truckload Linehaul Index increased 10.1% year over year and 0.6% month over month.
Summary and practical context by RoadHouse Recruiting · Reviewed
For-hire freight demand improved for a second month
Cass said shipments rose 1.4% month over month on a seasonally adjusted basis after a 5% gain in August. The company linked the improvement to modest retail and industrial growth, inventory restocking and a smaller private-fleet footprint.
Pricing remained stronger than shipment growth
Freight expenditures increased 20.4% year over year, reflecting higher shipments, rates and fuel surcharges. Cass said its linehaul index covers both spot and contract truckload freight and excludes fuel and accessorial charges.
Two months do not establish a durable trend
Cass cautioned that rising oil prices and interest rates remain headwinds. The report is a monthly national index, not a lane-level quote or a guarantee that every carrier will see higher volume.
Understanding the update
This is Cass's September 2026 monthly market report. It measures broad for-hire activity and pricing; it is not a regulatory change or DAT spot-rate update.
What it means for drivers and carriers
Carriers should compare the national improvement with their own loaded miles, tender acceptance and contract renewals before adding capacity.
Questions to consider
- Are shipment counts improving on the fleet's core lanes?
- How much of higher customer spend is linehaul versus fuel surcharge?
- Are contract renewals reflecting the national pricing trend?
Read the original reporting
This page provides an original summary and practical commentary. The linked source contains the full reporting. Older stories reflect information available on their published dates.
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