{
  "id": 18836589,
  "title": "Intermodal rates coming in hot this fall; mostly fuel driven",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/08/intermodal-rates-coming-in-hot-this-fall-mostly-fuel-driven",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-08T01:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "FreightWaves",
    "slug": "freightwaves",
    "url": "https://www.freightwaves.com/news/intermodal-rates-coming-in-hot-this-fall-mostly-fuel-driven"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Intermodal contract rates have surged in the fourth quarter, driven primarily by fuel surcharges. Transcontinental rates have risen more than 12% year-over-year, while rates on the shorter Eastern lanes have increased about 9%. Intermodal rates are typically negotiated annually, with most resets occurring near year-end. The increases, while significant, still provide a deep discount compared to truckload transportation. Diesel prices have played a major role in the rate hikes, with a 50% rise in March and April followed by a 6% increase in the transcontinental contract index from April to May. Similarly, a 36% increase in diesel prices from July to September led to a 10% rise in the index from August to October. Fuel accounts for roughly two-thirds of the transcontinental increase and three-quarters of the Eastern increase. Excluding fuel, transcontinental rates are up about 5%, and Eastern rates about 2%. Many larger shippers have negotiated their own, less aggressive fuel surcharge tables.",
  "summary": "Fuel surcharges are doing most of the work for intermodal contracts this year, but are further increases expected? The post Intermodal rates coming in hot this fall; mostly fuel driven appeared first on FreightWaves .",
  "key_points": [
    "Intermodal rates surged 12% YoY in Q4, driven by fuel surcharges",
    "Diesel prices rose 50% in March-April, 6% from April to May",
    "Fuel accounts for 2/3 of transcontinental rate increase"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Rising fuel surcharges are driving the current surge in intermodal contract rates, forcing shippers to absorb higher costs even as rail transportation maintains its significant price advantage over trucking.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}