Diesel’s up, freight rates a mixed bag — spot surge expected with winter storms
Diesel prices moved higher again this week, adding another layer of cost pressure for carriers and owner-operators. Fuel is one of the biggest line items in trucking, and even modest increases can quickly narrow margins on loads that were priced when diesel was lower.
Freight rates, meanwhile, remain a mixed picture. Some lanes and segments are showing strength while others are still soft, leaving many drivers sorting through inconsistent load boards and uneven weekly revenue.
With winter weather entering the picture, a spot-market surge is expected around winter storms. When snow and ice disrupt freight networks, capacity often tightens as trucks slow down, routes change, and appointment windows get missed. In those situations, shippers and brokers may pay more to cover time-sensitive freight that needs to be recovered or rerouted.
For drivers, the combination of rising diesel and uneven rates matters because it changes what a “good” load looks like. Higher fuel costs raise the break-even point, and spot volatility can reward the right timing and lanes while punishing deadhead and delays.
In the broader context, this is a familiar pattern for winter trucking: fuel costs trending up and down with market forces, freight demand varying by lane, and short-term pricing swings when storms disrupt normal operations.