{
  "id": 19545902,
  "title": "Spot Rates Up 50%, Rail Volumes at Highs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/spot-rates-up-50-rail-volumes-at-highs",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-11T19:42:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "FreightWaves",
    "slug": "freightwaves",
    "url": "https://www.freightwaves.com/news/spot-rates-up-50-rail-volumes-at-highs"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Spot rates have surged 50% year-over-year, while intermodal contract rates have remained steady, resulting in road-to-rail savings near 30%, according to the latest SONAR data. Truckload spot rates have climbed 52% to $3.56 per mile, whereas contract rates have increased 25% to $2.88 per mile and are at a 52-week high. The gap between spot and contract rates is putting pressure on shipper budgets as annual bid season approaches. Intermodal contract rates have only risen 3%-5% year-over-year, lagging far behind the truckload contract increase. Rail volumes are at their highest since 2026, with October outbound rail at 44,700 units, a 9% increase year-over-year. Loaded outbound containers also rose 9% year-over-year, accounting for 80% of outbound volume. October inbound intermodal volumes increased 8% year-over-year, while international intermodal was up 11%, though both have softened from August and September peaks. Inbound ocean TEU bookings grew 11% year-over-year in November, but have slipped 5% to 6% since peaking in July. Tender rejections on the truckload side are currently 12.88%, roughly double November 2025 levels but down 1.3 points month-over-month and 17% from a June peak. Short-haul truckload volumes are up 14% year-over-year, likely driven by the shift from road to rail. Diesel prices are at $6.13 per gallon, down 2.6% week-over-week.",
  "summary": "Unlock critical freight market insights with Sonar’s new MCP offering. Learn how AI can access real-time data on truckload and intermodal rates, volumes, and capacity. In this update, we dive into the current market: spot rates are up 50% year-over-year, while intermodal contract rates remain steady, driving road-to-rail savings near 30%. Discover how domestic intermodal […] The post Spot Rates…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "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."
}