Freight market, week of 12 October 2026: diesel eases, rates stay high
Beast Freight Dispatch Desk · Published · Data: DAT (4 to 10 October 2026), EIA (week ending October 12, 2026)
| Equipment | Spot per mile | Linehaul | Load-to-truck | Change on last week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van | $3.12 | $2.26 | 10.5 | Linehaul up 5 cents |
| Reefer | $3.68 | $2.75 | 16.8 | — |
| Flatbed | $3.68 | — | — | — |
Diesel fell for the third week in a row, but it's still brutal. The EIA put the national average at $6.18 a gallon for the week ending 12 October, 2 cents lower, and about $2.51 above a year ago. California sits at $8.09. For a truck at 6.5 mpg, that's about 95 cents of fuel in every mile.
Spot rates held up. For 4 to 10 October, DAT had van at $3.12 a mile, reefer at $3.68 and flatbed at $3.68, all with fuel surcharge. Strip the surcharge out and van linehaul was $2.26, up 5 cents. Load posts dropped 18% after quarter-end freight cleared, and the van load-to-truck ratio eased from 13.7 to 10.5. DAT's 35-day forecast has van linehaul easing to $2.23 by mid-November, and reefer edging up to $2.77.
Carriers are not feeling as good as the rate board looks. In the Q3 Bloomberg and Truckstop survey of 370 carriers, 40% said their rates were lower than a year ago, and 45% expect costs to keep rising sharply over the next six months. About 40% expect more trucks than loads. Fuel is now the top business challenge, ahead of broker issues and insurance.
What it means for your next load
A surcharge-heavy rate looks better than it is, because fuel eats it. Check each load against your cost per mile at today's diesel price, not last quarter's.
Run it here