Transportation Costs Remained Elevated Through Q3

Uber Freight reports that capacity constraints and high fuel prices continue to pressure U.S. freight markets.

Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Transportation

Isometric editorial illustration of a heavy-duty steel cargo container resting on a clean concrete surface in a muted color palette. — Transportation costs remained elevated through Q3 as capacity constraints and fuel prices continued to pressure U.S. freight markets, Uber Freight reported. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Uber Freight released its Q3 2026 market update, highlighting a divergence between rising contract pricing and declining spot rates. Persistent driver shortages and limited production of Class 8 trucks have kept transportation costs elevated across the U.S.

Why it matters

Tight capacity driven by the exit of 48,000 noncompliant drivers and supply chain limitations are forcing carriers to prioritize yield over volume. These factors, combined with high fuel costs, are expected to keep logistics prices elevated through the fourth quarter.

National van contract linehaul reached $2.39 per mile in July, while diesel prices climbed to $5.652 per gallon during the week of August 24. These figures reflect market conditions where new Class 8 build capacity remains oversubscribed by 35,000 units.

The players

Uber Freight

This logistics platform provides digital freight brokerage services and market data analytics for the transportation industry.

The details

Shippers are increasingly utilizing transloading services in Laredo and El Paso to navigate capacity constraints caused by the supply-demand imbalance. Meanwhile, intermodal volume has seen a 3.8% increase year-to-date as firms attempt to manage spillover from tight truckload networks.

National van contract linehaul hit $2.39 per mile in July 2026.
U.S. intermodal volume rose 3.8% year-to-date through August 22, 2026.
Diesel prices climbed to $5.652 per gallon for the week of August 24, 2026.
Van spot linehaul fell to $2.21 per mile by August 26, 2026.
Transportation costs are expected to stay elevated throughout Q4 2026.

Market Landscape

The current transportation environment extends the pattern of elevated pricing and tight capacity established by the 76.5% LTL rate-per-pound index above the 2018 baseline. This trend signals that structural supply chain constraints are becoming the new industry standard.

Consumers may face sustained upward pressure on retail pricing as companies continue to pass on elevated logistics costs. Shoppers should anticipate potential volatility in product availability due to ongoing capacity constraints in the trucking sector.

The takeaway

The freight market is currently defined by a structural supply-side shortage that prevents a quick return to lower shipping costs. Businesses and consumers should prepare for high transportation overhead to persist until new equipment production can adequately meet demand.