Freight Rates Surge in 2026, Transforming Fuel Nightmare

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For an owner-operator who often sat out low-paying loads in recent years, 2026 has brought a dramatic turnaround, with rates and miles surging. Landstar-leased owner Jay Hosty has already run 30,000 miles in the first few months of the year, compared to 65,000-75,000 annually in the past. While some segments have seen rate moderation, Hosty is finding plenty of lucrative loads, with dry van, reefer and flatbed rates all up significantly year-over-year. The spike in freight demand has helped offset the ongoing pain of high fuel prices, which have finally started to ease in recent weeks.

Why it matters

The rapid rise in freight rates is a welcome development for owner-operators who have struggled with low pay and high costs in recent years. It highlights the industry's ability to adapt to changing market conditions and pass along higher expenses to shippers. However, the volatility in fuel prices remains a major challenge, underscoring the need for owner-operators to closely manage their costs and find ways to improve fuel efficiency.

The details

Landstar-leased owner Jay Hosty has seen a dramatic turnaround in his business in 2026, with rates and miles surging compared to the previous few years. He's already run 30,000 miles in the first few months, compared to 65,000-75,000 annually in the past. Hosty is finding plenty of lucrative loads, with dry van rates up 53 cents per mile, reefer rates up 70 cents, and flatbed rates up 56 cents compared to March 2025. While some segments have seen rate moderation in recent weeks, the overall trend has been very positive. Hosty has been able to offset the ongoing high fuel prices, which have finally started to ease, with the spike in freight demand.

• In the first few months of 2026, Hosty has already run 30,000 miles.
• For the entirety of 2025, Hosty ran between 65,000 and 66,000 miles.
• Hosty averaged 70,000-75,000 miles per year in the couple years prior to 2025.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Hosty is expecting delivery of a new Great Dane dry van in May, which will be equipped with a forward lift axle for the tandem. He is anxious to see how the lift axle impacts his fuel efficiency, especially as he hauls a lot of lightweight freight.