Freight Pulse & Law Update: Dry Van Spots Climb to $2.26, FMCSA Green-Lights Cab Beacons for Driverless Trucks, and PhilaPort Bets $837 Million on Southport

Why are truckload rates still climbing?

Spot rates held mostly steady despite falling loads: dry van up 0.4¢ (49% year over year), reefer up 1¢ (46%), flatbed down 0.7¢ (43%). (FleetOwner)

• DAT linehaul spot averages: dry van $2.26/mile, reefer $2.75, flatbed $2.65.

• September’s reefer rate hit $3.60/mile, a record; West Coast diesel topped $8.

What did FMCSA decide on driverless trucks?

A five-year exemption lets carriers running Level 4 automated trucks use cab-mounted beacons instead of highway triangles through Oct. 7, 2031. Aurora logged 34 CMVs and 500,000+ miles without a fault; motorist response measured 135.7 meters for beacons versus 133.2 for triangles. (Federal Register)

• Other carriers must notify FMCSA first; beacons need redundant power and must activate within five minutes.

• No hazmat or passenger loads; operations stay within each truck’s validated design domain.

What is the status of the diesel tax deferral?

Executive Order 14435 directs Treasury to defer certain diesel excise taxes incurred Oct. 5–Dec. 31, 2026, penalty-free, plus dyed-diesel relief. Guidance is still pending, so carriers should not change fuel-tax treatment until it appears in the Federal Register. FMCSA audits continue unchanged.

What does PhilaPort’s expansion mean for the region?

PhilaPort’s $837 million plan pairs $371 million from Pennsylvania with $466 million in federal grants and private investment: a 2,000-foot Southport berth, the first in 50 years, container capacity up 122%, autos up 18%, 6,000-plus jobs, groundbreaking in early 2027.

The port moved a record 889,268 TEUs in 2025. Northeast reefer capacity loosens in October, though fuel keeps all-in rates elevated. (Port expansion details)

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