US truck pricing rising despite soft demand

The rise in one US truck pricing index last month shows that shippers are balancing current capacity needs and future demand rather than taking advantage of a soft freight market to demand lower prices in the short term. The truckload producer price index (PPI) rose 1.8% in August from July, while the less-than-truckload PPI expanded 1.5% within the same period, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The solid growth in the LTL PPI, up 16.7% since July 2023, belies carrier warnings that pricing is softening as freight demand declines, driving down shipment counts. Comparatively, the truckload pricing index has been negative year over year since 2023, aside from a four-month period.  

The two indices, along with truck and intermodal spot rates, can be viewed on the Surface channel within Gateway, the industry’s most extensive trend-tracking tool that is available exclusively to JOC.com Gold subscribers. Click here to interact with these charts and more.  

AI and the Shipper: Where Automation is Making a Difference

Thursday, September 25th at 2:00pm EDT

Virtually every single discussion about logistics technology today eventually circles around to one subject: AI. The topic is everywhere as the industry wrestles with what AI means to core processes and the future workforce at shippers and their service providers. But peel back the layers a bit, and the discussion gets even more complicated. Questions arise left, right and center:

– Do shippers need an AI layer across our existing systems?

– Are partners equipped, from a data quality perspective, to support automation goals?

– Are new, AI-native solutions better than incumbent products that are adding AI features?

– Should shippers invest in these tools themselves, or rely on 3PLs to innovate on their behalf?

– What is the ROI from these tools?

– And, of course, how does this affect current employees?

In this one-hour session, the Journal of Commerce will discuss all this and more with a panel of technology experts across disciplines in the global logistics industry.

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TPM Today  |  Spotlight on global supply chain

Join us live for conversations led by Journal of Commerce Sr. Editor Eric Johnson.

10am EST Every 2nd and 4th Friday

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[Free Resource] Shipper Checklist for July 19 NMFC Changes

Starting July 19, 2025, major National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC®) updates will affect how LTL freight is classified, potentially impacting rates, billing, and operations. Download this Shipper Checklist to gain practical guidance to help you navigate these changes—understand how reclassifications will affect pricing and liability, ensure accurate dimensions to prevent costly disputes, optimize packaging for efficiency and cost savings, and align with partners to stay ahead of changes.

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