Freight Pulse & Law Update: Diesel at $6.29 Sets the Rate Floor, Fuel Haulers Get 16-Hour Days, and CBP Starts Yanking Importer Numbers
The evening freight picture is simple: capacity is tightening, diesel is absorbing the upside, and compliance mistakes now have immediate commercial consequences.
What is driving freight rates tonight?
Diesel averaged $6.29 per gallon on Sept. 14, pushing all-in spot rates higher while linehaul remains largely flat. In other words, the apparent raise is fuel. National outbound tender rejections reached 14.32%, DAT’s weekly national van rate is approximately $2.20 per mile, and the truckload capacity exodus continues.
J.B. Hunt warned on Q3 performance, while Uber Freight cautioned on Q4 rates. Carriers are leaving, but the remaining capacity is not necessarily earning more after fuel.
Which rules changed this week?
FMCSA’s temporary waiver, effective Sept. 16 through Dec. 16, 2026, lets qualifying gasoline and diesel haulers operate up to 16 hours in a 24-hour period. It is not a blanket hours-of-service change. Drivers still need valid credentials, required rest, waiver documentation, and normal equipment compliance. The FMCSA waiver does not suspend CVSA Brake Safety Week standards.
Other deadlines are moving quickly:
CBP can void inaccurate or incomplete importer-of-record numbers as of Sept. 18.
Canada Section 338 measures impose 50% duties on 122 classifications; specified alcohol, dairy, and vehicles face a Sept. 29 ban.
The Russia Sanctions Act authorizes potential tariffs up to 100% on major Russian-energy purchasers.
Section 301 China tariffs remain delayed until after the Sept. 24 summit.
IEEPA refund Phase 3 begins Oct. 6; UCR fees rise about 20% Oct. 1.
FMCSA is purging noncompliant CDL training providers, and the ICE CDL-fraud tipline remains active.
What should operators do this week?
Recalculate fuel surcharge math against actual MPG and deadhead.
Carry waiver documentation and confirm driver eligibility.
Verify every Form 5106 and IOR record before CBP voids it.
Vet carriers carefully, including authority, insurance, CDL, and equipment history.
At the Port of Los Angeles, three 40-foot containers toppled off a vessel into the water at Berth 302 during cargo operations on Sept. 14 and were recovered by the following morning; the contents were non-hazardous. Near Batangas, 47 empty boxes remain a navigation concern.
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