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24 August 2026

Diesel Prices Surge, Spot Rates Plunge: Why Trucking Costs Are Disconnected

Downunder Voices Newsroom

Source reporting: FreightWaves

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Diesel Prices Surge, Spot Rates Plunge: Why Trucking Costs Are Disconnected

Diesel prices are soaring, but spot rates continue to fall, creating a significant disconnect in the trucking market. This SONAR Market Update dives deep into the factors driving this divergence, from global conflicts impacting refinery output to shifts in intermodal rail and changing length of haul for truckload freight. Understand what this means for carriers and shippers navigating a volatile market. Diesel prices have climbed steadily since early July while spot truckload rates have moved in the opposite direction — a divergence that FreightWaves’ Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp say reflects a market governed by supply and demand, not fuel costs. The disconnect matters to every shipper paying fuel surcharges pegged to retail diesel and to every carrier trying to protect margins in a softening spot environment.

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