Weather Updates:
- Freeze protection services are currently active in Canada, the Upper Midwest and Northern New England. For shipments containing freezable freight, please ensure freeze protection is added. Note that this may result in additional charges and possible transit delays.
- There are currently no significant severe weather risks, and no transit time or carrier impacts are expected over the weekend.
- UPS Christmas Cutoff: The busiest parcel shipping season is in full swing and to ensure UPS packages arrive by Christmas in 2025, ship via Next Day Air today.
- Holiday Transit Times: During the holiday seasons transit times slow down as freight surges, winter weather hits, and terminals run on shortened holiday schedules. Shippers remember to build in extra days and expect more variability in delivery performance through the end of the year.
- Diesel Rates: National diesel prices fell by $0.063 from last week, down four weeks in a row, averaging $3.544 per gallon, $0.068 higher than the same time last year. The West Coast (less California) region experienced the largest decrease, down $0.105 to $3.766 per gallon.
- Market Activity: Spot load posts were up 7.9% from last week, and spot truck posts decreased by 7.1%, primarily due to the holidays ahead. The Load-to-Truck Ratio (LTR) was up for vans, flatbeds and reefers.
- Outbound Tender Rejection Index (OTRI): The OTRI continues to surge, hitting its highest mark since April of 2022. The OTRI currently sits at 11.99, up from last week’s 9.93 figure.
- Dry Van: National van demand increased by 15.2% to a 9.86-1 LTR nationally, with the highest demand spread across most the United States, other than Northern New England, CA, IL, IN, MD, MI, NE, NH, OK, PA, and WI, exceeding 5.5+ to 1 LTR. The spot rate per mile (RPM) for dry vans is up $0.18 from November, averaging $2.27 nationally, with the Midwest holding the highest RPM at $2.51. VOTRI has already eclipsed the 2024 high of 8.85 points by nearly one full point and hit a mark more than 2x higher than any point in 2023 or 2024. The VOTRI is at 11.53, up nearly two points from last week’s value of 9.76.
- Flatbed: National flatbed demand increased by 20.5% to a 31.81-1 LTR, with the highest demand in the Northwest, the Southeast, Central New England, CO, MN, MT, ND, SD, UT and WV at over 18+ to 1 LTR. The flatbed spot RPM is up $0.07 from November, averaging $2.54 nationally, with the Midwest holding the highest RPM at $2.69. FOTRI was the biggest mover of the week, gaining nearly 10 full points. The FOTRI increased to 21.96, up from last week’s value of 12.37.
- Reefer: National reefer demand increased by 17.0% to a 17.19-1 LTR nationally, with the highest demand in the Midwest (less MN, MO and IL) and Western states (less UT), AR and MS at over 12+ to 1 LTR. The spot RPM for reefers is up $0.10 from November, averaging $2.64 nationally, with the highest rates in the Midwest at $3.05. ROTRI was another significant mover this week. The ROTRI currently sits at 23.09, up nearly 4 points compared to last week’s value of 19.11.
- FBX Trends: Container rates were up and down from last week with the global average cost of an FBX container up 7% to $2,066, and the FBX01 container average increased 8% to $2,127. The FBX03 decreased 3% from last week to $3,069.
- Port of LA: The port reported a 37.82% YOY volume decrease from 17 scheduled vessels during the week of December 21, 2025. For the week of December 28, volume is projected to increase 18.38% YOY from 20 scheduled vessels moving 113,149 TEUs.
There are no embargoes currently impacting our freight network.