Trucking

By Staff -- Logistics Management, 5/1/1999

Trucking rate hikes have cooled off a bit: Less-than-truckload rates fell 0.1% from February to March and truckload rates have held steady. Nonetheless, overall rates for trucking and non-air courier services in March rose 0.4% from February levels and jumped 2.9% from March 1998 rates. Higher labor costs are surely one factor behind the boost in rates. Higher fuel costs also may be contributing to the rate hike. After rising 2.6% on a year-ago basis in the first quarter, rates are estimated to be up 2.1% in the second quarter.

% CHANGE VS.: 1 month ago 6 mos. ago 1 yr. ago

Less-than-truckload -0.1 +3.4 +8.1

Truckload 0.0 +0.7 +0.6

Agricultural - not local 0.0 +0.1 +0.3

General freight - local 0.2 -2.1 -0.1

Agricultural - local 0.0 0.0 0.0