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Transportation

Reefer Truckload Rejections Soar: 1 in 5 Loads Rejected Nationally

Transportation via FreightWaves
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#fwtv_ejLr0Y8sEnY .fwtv-panel{border:1px solid #d0d0d0;padding:18px;border-radius:6px;line-height:1.6}#fwtv_ejLr0Y8sEnY .fwtv-panel p{margin:0 0 12px}#fwtv_ejLr0Y8sEnY .fwtv-note{font-style:italic;color:#666;margin-top:16px;padding-top:12px;border-top:1px solid #e0e0e0}The freight market is seeing fluctuating volumes and steady tender rejections, with a particular spotlight on the refrigerated sector. Learn why 1 in 5 reefer loads are being rejected nationally, and how rising diesel costs and fall harvests are impacting spot and contract rates. Discover which regions are driving these trends and what to expect as winter approaches.Refrigerated truckload tender rejections are running at 21.44% nationally as of Oct. 20, meaning roughly 1 in 5 reefer loads is being turned down by carriers, according to FreightWaves SONAR data. That figure has held near the 21% range after peaking at 22.13% on Sept. 17 and briefly dipping to a low of 20.89% on Sept. 24 — signaling persistently tight capacity in the temperature-controlled segment even as broader freight demand softens.The overall truckload market has been similarly resilient on the capacity side. The SONAR Truckload Rejection Index (STRI) has hovered between 13% and 14% since August, sitting at 13.9% as of Oct. 20, while the SONAR Truckload Volume Index (STVI) slipped about 2% week over week to approximately 11,000 on the index — a sign of muted demand that has yet to translate into meaningful rate relief for shippers.Geography is a key factor behind the elevated reefer rejection numbers. SONAR’s tender rejection maps show the tightest conditions concentrated in the Pacific Northwest and across parts of the Midwest, regions where refrigerated volumes have also climbed. Julie Van de Kamp attributed the pressure to fall harvest commodities — apples, potatoes, and onions moving out of the Pacific Northwest, and poultry and other protein products shipping from South Dakota, Iowa, and nearby states ahead of Thanksgiving demand.“I think that’s primarily being driven by harvest for fall — think apples, potatoes, onions in the PNW, things being harvested and stored there, as well as protein meat products in the Midwest like poultry, early Thanksgiving, getting ready for that and those sorts of refrigerated commodities shipping out of there,” said Julie Van de Kamp.On rates, the reefer segment has outpaced the broader market in 2024. Refrigerated spot rates are up approximately 28% year-to-date, while reefer contract rates have risen about 9% year-to-date, according to SONAR data Van de Kamp cited. She noted that diesel costs make the economics of refrigerated freight especially sensitive, since reefer units must keep trailers running continuously — a cost burden that doesn’t ease when the trailer is empty or parked.Van de Kamp also flagged the coming winter as a factor that could sustain or push rates higher. Reefer equipment is not only used to keep cargo cold in warm months but also to protect temperature-sensitive freight from freezing once ambient temperatures drop below 32 degrees — demand that extends well into the first quarter. “I expect to see refrigerated rates continue to rise even more than van rates,” she said.A bright spot for shippers has been Southern California, where tender rejections remain below the national average but have been tightening — a pattern that Van de Kamp said typically precedes peak-season freight activity. Overall, she summed up the Oct. 20 market snapshot this way: freight volumes slipped, but carriers have maintained the leverage to be selective about what loads they accept, keeping rejection rates firm across modes.Reefer tender rejections hit 21.44% nationally on Oct. 20, near a year-to-date high of 22.13% reached on Sept. 17.Refrigerated spot rates are up 28% year-to-date while contract rates have risen 9%, with diesel costs adding extra pressure on the temperature-controlled sector.Fall harvest volumes in the Pacific Northwest and Midwest protein shipments are the primary drivers of tight reefer capacity, with winter freeze-protection demand expected to sustain pressure.This Summary is generated thanks to a transcription of the interview, for the full interview please enjoy the video above. The post Reefer Truckload Rejections Soar: 1 in 5 Loads Rejected Nationally appeared first on FreightWaves.

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The freight market is seeing fluctuating volumes and steady tender rejections, with a particular spotlight on the refrigerated sector. Learn why 1 in 5 reefer loads are being rejected nationally, and how rising diesel costs and fall harvests are impacting spot and contract rates. Discover which regions are driving these trends and what to expect as winter approaches.

Refrigerated truckload tender rejections are running at 21.44% nationally as of Oct. 20, meaning roughly 1 in 5 reefer loads is being turned down by carriers, according to FreightWaves SONAR data. That figure has held near the 21% range after peaking at 22.13% on Sept. 17 and briefly dipping to a low of 20.89% on Sept. 24 — signaling persistently tight capacity in the temperature-controlled segment even as broader freight demand softens.

The overall truckload market has been similarly resilient on the capacity side. The SONAR Truckload Rejection Index (STRI) has hovered between 13% and 14% since August, sitting at 13.9% as of Oct. 20, while the SONAR Truckload Volume Index (STVI) slipped about 2% week over week to approximately 11,000 on the index — a sign of muted demand that has yet to translate into meaningful rate relief for shippers.

Geography is a key factor behind the elevated reefer rejection numbers. SONAR’s tender rejection maps show the tightest conditions concentrated in the Pacific Northwest and across parts of the Midwest, regions where refrigerated volumes have also climbed. Julie Van de Kamp attributed the pressure to fall harvest commodities — apples, potatoes, and onions moving out of the Pacific Northwest, and poultry and other protein products shipping from South Dakota, Iowa, and nearby states ahead of Thanksgiving demand.

“I think that’s primarily being driven by harvest for fall — think apples, potatoes, onions in the PNW, things being harvested and stored there, as well as protein meat products in the Midwest like poultry, early Thanksgiving, getting ready for that and those sorts of refrigerated commodities shipping out of there,” said Julie Van de Kamp.

On rates, the reefer segment has outpaced the broader market in 2024. Refrigerated spot rates are up approximately 28% year-to-date, while reefer contract rates have risen about 9% year-to-date, according to SONAR data Van de Kamp cited. She noted that diesel costs make the economics of refrigerated freight especially sensitive, since reefer units must keep trailers running continuously — a cost burden that doesn’t ease when the trailer is empty or parked.

Van de Kamp also flagged the coming winter as a factor that could sustain or push rates higher. Reefer equipment is not only used to keep cargo cold in warm months but also to protect temperature-sensitive freight from freezing once ambient temperatures drop below 32 degrees — demand that extends well into the first quarter. “I expect to see refrigerated rates continue to rise even more than van rates,” she said.

A bright spot for shippers has been Southern California, where tender rejections remain below the national average but have been tightening — a pattern that Van de Kamp said typically precedes peak-season freight activity. Overall, she summed up the Oct. 20 market snapshot this way: freight volumes slipped, but carriers have maintained the leverage to be selective about what loads they accept, keeping rejection rates firm across modes.

  • Reefer tender rejections hit 21.44% nationally on Oct. 20, near a year-to-date high of 22.13% reached on Sept. 17.
  • Refrigerated spot rates are up 28% year-to-date while contract rates have risen 9%, with diesel costs adding extra pressure on the temperature-controlled sector.
  • Fall harvest volumes in the Pacific Northwest and Midwest protein shipments are the primary drivers of tight reefer capacity, with winter freeze-protection demand expected to sustain pressure.

This Summary is generated thanks to a transcription of the interview, for the full interview please enjoy the video above.

The post Reefer Truckload Rejections Soar: 1 in 5 Loads Rejected Nationally appeared first on FreightWaves.

Source: FreightWaves

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Partner of Choice: Why the Best Shipper-Carrier Relationships Now Go Beyond Shipper of Choice

With tender rejections running about 2.5 times last year and contract rates reset roughly 18% higher, SONAR’s latest sitrep explains what shippers should expect a higher-priced carrier relationship to deliver. Partner of choice is a shipper-carrier relationship in which both sides invest in each other’s networks, not just transact on loads. Shipper of choice earns preference for the freight. Partner of choice earns investment in the relationship: drivers, equipment, surge capacity, network ideas and pricing flexibility. That distinction is the focus of SONAR’s new sitrep, Partner of Choice. It builds on SONAR’s June 2026 Shipper of Choice report and arrives as carriers decide which customers justify long-term commitments ahead of the 2027 bid season. window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { var gptSlot = googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/FW-Responsive-Main_Content-Slot1', [[300, 100], [320, 50], [728, 90], [468, 60]], 'div-gpt-ad-1709668545404-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner1).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); setInterval(function() { if (!document.hidden) { googletag.pubads().refresh([gptSlot]); } }, 60000); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1709668545404-0'); }); Key takeaways Shipper of choice is still the foundation. Efficient facilities, short dwell, predictable tenders and fair payment remain the price of entry. No carrier invests in a customer whose dock consumes driver hours. Partner of choice is a strategic decision, not an operational one. Shipper of choice is decided load by load on the dispatch board. Partner of choice is decided in carrier planning meetings where drivers, trailers and dedicated fleets are allocated. Five attributes define a partner: transparency, commitment, network fit, mutual problem solving and shared value. Network fit is an underused lever. Shippers with outbound freight in inbound-heavy markets hold structural value to carriers, and can trade it for priority on harder lanes. Partnership runs both ways. Carriers that ask for long-term commitments owe shippers capacity, early warnings, market insight and fair pricing across the cycle. Why it matters now: the market data The 2026 truckload market is being shaped by capacity rather than a demand surge, according to SONAR data. VCRPM1 values are as of September 30 of each year, the latest published reading. Tightness is not evenly spread. Reefer rejections averaged 21.47% and flatbed 19.01% in the week of Oct. 6–12, versus 11.05% for van. Origin markets such as Quincy, Illinois (48.38%) and Cedar Rapids, Iowa (38.46%) are far tighter than inbound-heavy markets like Lakeland, Florida (3.25%) and Phoenix (3.55%). The progression: transactional to partner of choice The sitrep frames partnership as a maturity curve: Transactional (execution): “What is the rate on this lane?” Carriers accept freight when convenient and price for churn. Shipper of choice (preference): “Do we want to haul this freight?” Carriers protect the freight in tight markets. Partner of choice (strategic investment): “Do we want to build our network around this customer?” Carriers commit assets, bring ideas unprompted and flag issues early. The decisive shift, the report argues, is when the carrier stops simply servicing the shipper’s network and starts helping shape it. What’s inside the full sitrep A six-pillar bridge from the June Shipper of Choice framework to partner-of-choice capabilities Why partnership pushes in 2018 and 2020–2022 faded, and what may be different this cycle Lane-level network-fit examples using SONAR’s Headhaul Index (HAUL), Lane Score and contract rates Where partnerships break down, with early warning signs and corrective actions A six-question, 1–5 self-assessment shippers can score with their carriers Five practical actions to take before the 2027 bid season The window, the report concludes, is now. Contract repricing is largely done, but partner-of-choice positions are still being set. Subscribe to SONAR to read the full Partner of Choice sitrep or access all sitreps via FreightWaves Market Monitor. window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { var gptSlot = googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/fw-responsive-main_content-slot3', [[728, 90], [468, 60], [320, 50], [300, 100]], 'div-gpt-ad-1665767553440-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner1).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); setInterval(function() { if (!document.hidden) { googletag.pubads().refresh([gptSlot]); } }, 60000); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1665767553440-0'); }); Frequently asked questions What is a partner of choice in freight? A partner of choice is a shipper whose carriers invest in the relationship, committing drivers, equipment, surge capacity, network ideas and pricing flexibility. It goes beyond shipper of choice, which only earns preference for the freight. What is the difference between shipper of choice and partner of choice? Shipper of choice is an operational question decided load by load: do we want to haul this freight? Partner of choice is a strategic question decided in carrier planning: do we want to build our network around this customer? What are the five attributes of a partner-of-choice relationship? SONAR’s sitrep identifies five: transparency, commitment, network fit, mutual problem solving and shared value. Why does partner of choice matter in 2026? Tender rejections (STRI) averaged 13.78% in the week of Oct. 6–12, 2026, about 2.5 times the 5.48% a year earlier, and van contract rates (VCRPM1) are up 18.2% year over year. Carriers are deciding which customers justify long-term investment ahead of the 2027 bid season. window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { var gptSlot = googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/fw-responsive-main_content-slot4', [[300, 100], [320, 50], [728, 90], [468, 60]], 'div-gpt-ad-1709668086344-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner1).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); setInterval(function() { if (!document.hidden) { googletag.pubads().refresh([gptSlot]); } }, 60000); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1709668086344-0'); }); How can shippers use network fit to win carrier priority? Shippers with outbound freight in inbound-heavy markets, such as Lakeland, Florida or Phoenix, help carriers reposition trucks. They can commit consistent volume on those easier lanes in exchange for priority on harder ones. The post Partner of Choice: Why the Best Shipper-Carrier Relationships Now Go Beyond Shipper of Choice appeared first on FreightWaves.

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Transportation

Bot Auto’s Secret to an Affordable Future

#fwtv_pknMeUMWKI .fwtv-panel{border:1px solid #d0d0d0;padding:18px;border-radius:6px;line-height:1.6}#fwtv_pknMeUMWKI .fwtv-panel p{margin:0 0 12px}#fwtv_pknMeUMWKI .fwtv-note{font-style:italic;color:#666;margin-top:16px;padding-top:12px;border-top:1px solid #e0e0e0}Bot Auto’s President & COO, Brett Suma, explains how their unique foundational model and advanced software, developed by an AI-first team, slashed the cost of autonomous driving systems to just $50,000 per truck. This capital-efficient approach allows them to offer highly reliable, redundant, and safe autonomous trucking, challenging industry norms and driving unprecedented growth.Bot Auto has driven the cost of its autonomous driving system down to $50,000 per truck — compared to what Summa described as an industry norm of roughly $150,000 — by pairing advanced AI-first software with Lenovo’s AD1 compute unit and NVIDIA Hyperion hardware. The company plans to begin upfitting trucks with the Gen 2 stack in the first quarter of 2027, a timeline Suma says was deliberately held until the compute platform could scale without forcing the company to raise dilutive capital. The cost discipline appears to be paying off. Bot Auto completed what it describes as America’s first fully humanless commercial load in April, now moves about 350 loads per month, and grew revenue 270% between May and August, according to figures cited during the interview. “If you’re buying a $200,000 truck and then you’re putting a $150,000 compute stack on it, the question is, where is that capital coming from?” said Suma, who serves as President and Chief Operating Officer. “At Bot, we are not going to raise capital to buy depreciating assets such as Class A trucks.” “Instead of doing that, we decided that we would do more with less. And I think that’s what you’re seeing.” — Brett Suma, President and COO, Bot Auto Suma said the lower hardware cost stems primarily from the company’s software foundation. Bot Auto, founded in 2023, built its stack around AI from the outset rather than adapting earlier robotics-era systems. That approach, he argued, allows the company to run a streamlined, automotive-grade, mass-produced compute unit rather than the heavier and more expensive Gen 1 hardware used by earlier autonomous trucking programs. The Lenovo AD1 is rated for -40 to 85 degrees Celsius and built to Class 8 shock and vibration standards, reducing thermal management demands compared to prior-generation systems. On safety, Suma said Bot Auto runs 100 million miles of simulation per day, using scenarios the trucks would never encounter in real-world operations to pre-train the system. The physical platform includes redundant steering: if the primary system fails, a secondary takes over; if that fails, an emergency pullover capability activates. “We have to build the world’s safest driver,” Suma said, adding that the company believes it has done so through its foundation model and world model architecture. Suma, who spent 20 years at Knight Transportation before co-founding and scaling brokerage Loadsmith and then Trailerhawk, said his operating philosophy at Bot Auto reflects lessons from that background. The company avoids trade show appearances and ride-along demos with its autonomous trucks, preferring to keep assets loaded and revenue-generating. A recent customer demo consisted of visitors viewing a truck at the yard before it departed — uncrewed — to deliver a live load. “Our trucks, limited in fleet and heavy in customer commitments,” he said, means every asset must work. Suma said Bot Auto will grow “at the pace that the market gives us” — a principle he attributed directly to Kevin Knight — and has contracted a nationwide upfitter capable of handling a significant number of tractors per month once Gen 2 deployment begins. With partners David Stem and Jessica Cain, both described as truckers by background, Suma framed Bot Auto’s edge not as a technology story alone, but as world-class autonomous technology deployed inside a company that thinks and operates like a carrier.Bot Auto’s Gen 2 autonomous driving stack costs $50,000 per truck, roughly one-third of the ~$150,000 industry norm, enabled by AI-native software paired with Lenovo AD1 and NVIDIA Hyperion hardware.The company moved about 350 loads per month and grew revenue 270% between May and August after completing what it calls America’s first fully humanless commercial load in April.Bot Auto plans to begin upfitting trucks with the Gen 2 compute stack in Q1 2027, deliberately waiting to avoid raising capital for assets that would have cost $350,000 per truck under the old stack.This Summary is generated thanks to a transcription of the interview, for the full interview please enjoy the video above. The post Bot Auto’s Secret to an Affordable Future appeared first on FreightWaves.

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Transportation

Diesel Prices: Up, Down, or Stuck?

#fwtv_YiYFOXLx9rA .fwtv-panel{border:1px solid #d0d0d0;padding:18px;border-radius:6px;line-height:1.6}#fwtv_YiYFOXLx9rA .fwtv-panel p{margin:0 0 12px}#fwtv_YiYFOXLx9rA .fwtv-note{font-style:italic;color:#666;margin-top:16px;padding-top:12px;border-top:1px solid #e0e0e0}FreightWaves editor-at-large John Kingston breaks down the latest diesel price trends and the bombshell $700M nuclear verdict against CH Robinson. Discover what this ruling means for freight brokers and the entire trucking industry, plus insights into fuel price outlook for the coming winter.A Dallas County judge has affirmed 100% of the roughly $603 million nuclear verdict against C.H. Robinson in the Lippe v. Lupus Superior case, and tacked on approximately $100 million in accrued interest, bringing the total judgment to around $700 million — a figure that continues to grow daily at a rate above 6%, according to FreightWaves editor-at-large John Kingston. The case stems from a fatal accident in which a Lupus Superior driver — hauling a beverage load brokered by C.H. Robinson — was killed along with two other people. The jury verdict in Dallas County found C.H. Robinson liable, with the judge’s ruling going further by treating the driver as effectively an employee of the broker. That holding is what Kingston says makes the case far more consequential than a single large verdict. “If you get a network of findings between this and the Penske case, that the broker at the top of the chain that started that cargo from going down is now liable for what happens 2, 3 levels below that broker, the impact of that is just going to be massive,” Kingston said. C.H. Robinson faces a difficult strategic decision: settle and absorb a massive payout, or pursue appeals while interest compounds. Kingston noted the company holds roughly $150 million in cash and carries an investment-grade credit rating it is unlikely to put at risk. The broker has already announced plans to raise new debt to fund its pending acquisition of RXO — a deal announced roughly two to three weeks ago. Kingston said he believes C.H. Robinson gamed out the Lippe verdict scenario before proceeding with the RXO deal. The company reports earnings on October 28, with a conference call at 5 p.m., and Kingston said that call will be the most closely watched of the season. On diesel, the Department of Energy’s weekly benchmark — the basis for most fuel surcharges — rose 9.7 cents this week to $6.276 per gallon, reversing three consecutive weeks of declines. The record high of roughly $6.52 was set about three weeks ago. Kingston described the current price environment as “stuck,” with Brent crude above $100 but well short of the $150 worst-case scenarios floated earlier this year. He said low distillate inventories and approaching winter heating-oil demand leave little room for prices to fall. “I don’t really see a case for a decrease. I see a case going into winter for an increase,” Kingston said, adding that a mild El Niño winter in the Northeast — the largest U.S. heating oil market — could limit some upside pressure on distillate supplies. Kingston also highlighted the American Transportation Research Institute’s annual survey, in which fuel prices ranked as the No. 1 concern overall and the top issue for drivers in 2023 — the first time fuel has appeared on the ATRI list in at least two years. ATRI has conducted the survey for 22 years, and Kingston noted that fuel prices either don’t appear on the list or land at No. 1 — there is no middle ground. Truck parking ranked No. 2 among drivers but did not appear on carriers’ list at all, illustrating a persistent disconnect between the two groups.Dallas County judge affirmed the full ~$603M verdict against C.H. Robinson plus ~$100M in interest, bringing total liability to ~$700M and growing at 6%-plus dailyDOE diesel benchmark rose 9.7 cents to $6.276/gallon, reversing three weeks of declines, but remains below the ~$6.52 record set three weeks agoATRI’s 22-year survey shows fuel prices ranked No. 1 concern for trucking in 2023 — the metric either tops the list or doesn’t appear at all, with no middle groundThis Summary is generated thanks to a transcription of the interview, for the full interview please enjoy the video above. The post Diesel Prices: Up, Down, or Stuck? appeared first on FreightWaves.

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