Freight Pulse & Law Update: Long Beach Logs Its Busiest Month Ever as J.B. Hunt Costs Bite and Dwell Times Creep Up

Why did Long Beach just set a record?

The Port of Long Beach handled 997,177 TEUs in September 2026, its busiest month in 115 years. The 25% year-over-year increase beat October 2024’s record as shippers adjusted timing.

• Imports: 509,390 TEUs (+31.3%); exports: 91,747 (+7.8%).

• Year to date: 7,675,255 TEUs (+3.9%); prior record 987,191.

• Officials cite diesel and Panama Canal pressures.

What do J.B. Hunt’s results signal about costs?

J.B. Hunt’s third-quarter results show freight growth did not shield every unit from cost inflation. Dedicated operating income fell 22% to $81.7 million on driver and insurance costs. Intermodal income rose 18%; Truckload fell 6%.

• Intermodal revenue rose 20% to $1.83 billion.

Can a state ease diesel rules in an emergency?

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs declared a diesel-market emergency on October 13. Her order, effective through December 31, 2026, lets farm vehicles run untaxed red-dyed diesel on non-interstate highways and waives permit fees for ag trucks up to 90,800 pounds.

• Enforcement is de-prioritized, not repealed.

Are San Pedro Bay dwell times rising?

Yes. September local container dwell averaged 3.18 days, up from 2.95 in August; rail dwell climbed to 7.19 from 6.75. The Pacific Merchant Shipping Association cites record cargo demand and intermodal capacity limits.

• Local dwell: +0.23 days; rail dwell: +0.44 days.

What does the surge mean for the I-95 corridor?

Near-million-TEU months push pressure inland toward East Coast hubs. For brands relying on 3PL Maryland and Mid-Atlantic fulfillment, origin delays compress inbound schedules.

• Lanta Logistics operates a Glen Burnie warehouse on the I-95 corridor; book peak-season appointments early.

How can operators protect inventory visibility?

FlowOps by Lanta is an operator-built warehouse management system linking inbound receiving, appointments and SKU records, turning uncertain ETAs into structured schedules.

• $99/month, unlimited SKUs, 20+ modules, patent-pending Agentic AI.

Explore FlowOps by Lanta and compare plans to align inbound visibility with your warehouse operation.