05/07/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/1a599vsrBm/?mibextid=wwXIfr
This is one owner-operators need to pay attention to - and respond to.
CSX says more shippers are shifting freight from trucks to rail as fuel and trucking costs rise. That is what happens when truckload pricing starts pushing past what the market will tolerate.
This is not about trucking disappearing.
It is about pricing discipline and positioning.
When rates climb, some freight does not just pay more, it leaves the truckload market entirely.
So what can be done about it?
• Lock in direct relationships where service matters more than price
• Focus on lanes where transit time beats rail
• Control fuel and operating costs as much as possible
• Stay competitive on consistency, not just rate
Carriers who understand where they win will keep freight.
Carriers who rely only on rising rates will start losing it.
POLL:
Are you seeing freight shift toward rail in your lanes?
