The National Drayage Spot Market Index has increased by 9.2% YOY

June reflects a drayage market entering early peak season under compounding pressure — demand is accelerating, Far East inbound volumes are surging, and cost structures remain anchored at elevated levels. The National Drayage Spot Market Index is up 9.2% year-over-year; the highest reading of 2026 — driven by a convergence of fuel costs, transpacific front-loading, geopolitical disruption, and tightening port dynamics heading into the summer freight cycle.

The transpacific market shifted rapidly following the US-China tariff truce announced in May 2026. That announcement triggered a significant wave of front-loading as importers moved quickly to bring in inventory during the 90-day window, pushing demand well beyond available capacity on key lanes. Carriers responded by pulling capacity, with blank sailings of 10 to 15 percent implemented across the transpacific to support mid-May General Rate Increases — with the squeeze particularly acute on US East Coast routing.

Carrier GRI filings for June 1 are targeting all-in rates of $7,000 per FEU into US East Coast ports, with Asia to US East Coast spot rates already climbing to approximately $4,300 per FEU in late May. Capacity deployment is projected to climb to approximately 90% across Pacific Southwest, Pacific Northwest, and East Coast/Gulf gateways in June — meaning the volume that left Far East origins over the past several weeks is now arriving at US ports and driving directly into the drayage network.

The truce expiration in November 2026 is also creating planning anxiety that is pulling Q3 forward-loading into May and June, meaning this is not a one-week event — inbound pressure from the Far East is expected to sustain through the summer months. For drayage, this translates to higher container volumes flowing through port gates, compressed appointment windows, and increased competition for chassis and carrier capacity at every major US gateway.

Freight rates remain elevated following recent Middle East events, strong demand, and high fuel costs, with elevated bunker prices causing emergency bunker surcharges and further rate increases expected through Q2. National diesel currently sits near $5.52/gal — approximately 57% above June 2025 levels — sustaining upward pressure on carrier operating costs across all regions.

Clustered vessel arrivals during peak windows at major coastal gateways — including Houston, Los Angeles/Long Beach, New York/New Jersey, and Savannah — are tightening chassis availability and appointment access, with these short-cycle pressure periods expected to continue shaping drayage planning through the summer. Inland impacts are becoming more visible across intermodal facilities, where uneven arrival waves are reducing turn-time consistency and affecting driver productivity across ramp networks.