C.H. Robinson Edge Report

Freight Market Update: August 2025

Insights at a Glance

Freight Market Overview

Published: Thursday, August 07, 2025 | 06:00 am CDT

Truckload shipping

We’ve released our spot market rate forecasts for 2026 and changed our 2025 outlook.

See what it means for your supply chain

LTL shipping

Carriers are strategically pricing freight where they’ve expanded their terminals and network.

Get our tips for succeeding in today’s LTL market

Ocean freight

While rates for U.S. imports and exports move in opposite directions, expect capacity cuts on multiple trade lanes.

Get ocean shipping insights for every region, including lead time recommendations

Air freight

Air carriers are cutting back on some routes, and summer travel adds capacity on others.

Read our region-by-region insights on air freight

Intermodal

West Coast volumes surge but tariff uncertainty reshapes forecasts.

Find out what to expect for intermodal peak season

Ports & drayage

Chassis and container shortages hold up freight in some areas.

Go to our full report for additional updates on Canadian port labor and the backlogs at Mexico’s largest port

Canada, Mexico & cross-border

Exports out of Mexico are growing but capacity is readily available.

Read our full insights on the cross-border market, including a new wave of nearshoring for higher-value products

Trade policy & customs

Goods from 68 countries have new U.S. tariff rates as of August 7, 2025.

Read our full insights on tariffs, including the latest on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China

Government & regulations

U.S. trade policy has already significantly realigned import patterns.

Get our take on what’s happening and what to expect

Diesel fuel

The 29-month streak of year-over-year declines may be coming to an end.

Check out the latest diesel fuel trends

Industry Insights

Retail

More precise inventory management can help offset higher costs

Read the retail update
Automotive

Trade changes spur automotive scenario planning

Read the automotive update
Energy

Restrictions on buying from prohibited countries impact wind and solar projects

Read the energy update

*This information is built on market data from public sources and C.H. Robinson’s information advantage—based on our experience, data, and scale. Use these insights to stay informed, make decisions designed to mitigate your risk, and avoid disruptions to your supply chain.

To deliver our market updates to our global audiences in the timeliest manner possible, we rely on machine translations to translate these updates from English.