Freight Pulse & Law Update: LTL General Rate Increases Come Faster Now, Manufacturing Pulls Freight Back, and Broker Transparency Waits on OIRA

LTL carriers are no longer waiting a year to raise rates. Saia’s July 6, 2026, general rate increase was 7.1%, three months earlier and 120 basis points larger than its 2025 move, and sector increases now land about every 11 months. Shippers should budget for the cadence, not just the percentage.

Why are LTL general rate increases coming faster?

• Saia’s 7.1% GRI took effect July 6. It was 120 basis points above its 2025 increase and three months earlier in the year, according to Saia.

• The traditional annual cadence has shortened to roughly 11 months.

• The TD Cowen-AFS Freight Index reports LTL fuel surcharges 79% higher year over year in September. Q3 rate-per-pound finished 78.8% above the January 2018 baseline; Q4 is projected at 82.5%.

Is freight demand actually recovering?

• The ISM Manufacturing PMI registered 54.5 in September; new orders reached 55.3. Both readings indicate expansion.

• Public LTL carriers reported year-over-year weight gains in July and August, with XPO the lone outlier. Freight previously moving through truckload is returning to LTL as truckload rates rise; the Q4 rate-per-mile index is projected 23.4% above baseline, its highest since Q1 2022.

• The 2026 CVSA Brake Safety Week ran August 23–29, with results expected before year-end.

What is the broker transparency rule’s status?

The proposal remains under review at OIRA. It would require brokers to provide transaction records electronically within 48 hours of a request. That is not yet a new requirement: current 49 CFR 371.3 requires brokers to keep records for three years and allows parties to the transaction to review them.

Mid-Atlantic / I-95: For shippers using 3PL Maryland and Mid-Atlantic fulfillment networks, more frequent GRIs, tighter truckload capacity and expanding manufacturing activity may raise both transportation costs and inbound warehouse volume.

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