Holiday Freight Demand Pushes Rates Higher

The holiday shipping season is heating up!

A new Logistics Managers' Index report released on November 3, 2026, shows that companies are building up inventories while available freight transportation capacity continues to shrink.

The October Logistics Managers' Index reached 70.7, its second-highest reading in four years.

Retailers increased their inventories ahead of holiday shopping.

At the same time, the Transportation Capacity Index fell below the 50-point mark, reaching 38.0. That means available transportation capacity is shrinking.

Transportation Prices reached 88.0, showing that freight prices are rising rapidly.

Companies are also using more of their available transportation equipment.

The report says newer truckload contracts are averaging 13.11% higher than the contracts they replace, based on SONAR data.

!What This Means for CDL Drivers

More holiday freight and fewer available trucks could help owner-operators negotiate better rates.

But diesel prices and other operating costs are also high.

Higher freight rates do not automatically mean higher take-home pay for company drivers.