DOT Blitz Week is almost here, and the freight market is already starting to twitch.
On this week’s episode of The Transfix Take, Jenni Ruiz and Maze break down the key signals brokers, shippers, and carriers should be watching as diesel rises, capacity tightens, and tender rejections prepare for a potential climb.
Diesel is back in focus, with national on-highway prices sitting at $5.64 per gallon, up 30 cents, while linehaul rates remain relatively steady around $1.97 per mile. But with DOT Blitz Week one week away, Maze expects the market to shift quickly, especially as long-haul capacity comes off the road and contractual freight starts getting rejected.
Here’s what we cover:
• Tender rejections are sitting just under 14%, but Maze expects that number to rise as DOT Blitz Week begins.
• The Southeast is tightening, with Florida markets like Jacksonville, Miami, and Tallahassee showing notable gains.
• The South and coastal regions are splitting, with southern markets tightening while parts of Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic continue to loosen.
• The Midwest and Northeast are cooling, but long-haul freight heading west remains a key pressure point.
• The West Coast is softening overall, though California remains the market to watch.
• The spot market is calm for now, but that could change fast as rejections rise and carriers play into market favorability.
With DOT Blitz Week around the corner, this is the week to watch the market closely and have a plan ready before volatility hits.
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