Federal Excise Tax Adds $15,000–$30,000 to New Truck Price, ATA Says
Industry group renews push to repeal 12% federal excise tax on new Class 8 tractors, citing upfront cost barrier that keeps older trucks on the road.
Tess Crawford
Markets, Rates, Fuel & Carrier Business
Tess Crawford tracks the money flowing through trucking, spot and contract rates, diesel and crude markets, fuel surcharges, lane capacity, freight demand, LTL tonnage and yield, plus the carrier-business side: bankruptcies, M&A, layoffs, and insurance pricing. She writes for the dispatcher checking the load board between calls and the small-fleet owner reading the P&L over coffee.
Brent Crude Hits $107.72: Up 3.4% on Iran War Stall
International oil benchmark climbs as market prices in longer conflict: diesel and fuel surcharges track crude moves within days.
BMO Sells Truck Financing Units to Stonepeak in Undisclosed Deal
Infrastructure investor Stonepeak acquires BMO's commercial truck financing businesses for undisclosed cash plus earnout tied to performance targets.
Spot Rates Jump 4¢ Dry Van, 10¢ Reefer as All Three Segments Climb
Dry van spot rates rose 4¢ last week to $2.00/mile, reefer climbed 10¢, and flatbed added 8¢: all three segments now running 25–38% above year-ago levels.
Gas Tax Suspension Floated as Pump Price Hits $4.52
Trump administration considers temporary federal gas tax waiver after Iran conflict pushes diesel and gasoline to multi-year highs.
Hormuz Closure Drains 100M Barrels a Week, Stockpiles Running Low
Saudi Aramco CEO warns storage is being drawn down to cover the shortfall as the strait stays shut.
Brent Crude Jumps 3.5% to $104.88 as Iran Talks Collapse
Oil climbs on diplomatic breakdown, diesel costs stay elevated as Hormuz remains shut and crude tops $100 for the eighth straight session.
Hormuz Shut Since May 5, No Tankers Through, Diesel Still Climbing
Iran halted all transits through the Strait of Hormuz three days ago and imposed new shipowner reporting rules. Crude and diesel prices remain elevated despite…
Diesel Hit Record Seasonal Levels Mid-April as War Costs Squeeze Margins
Box manufacturers struggle to pass transportation cost spikes downstream, a signal that freight buyers are pushing back on fuel surcharges even as diesel…
Brent Crude Back Over $100 as Hormuz Closure Drags Into Second Week
Brent rose 1.8% to $101.80/bbl May 8 after a volatile morning: diesel costs remain elevated as the strait stays shut.
Brent Crude Falls 3.8% to $97.38 on Iran-US Peace Talks
International oil benchmark drops nearly four percent as diplomatic signals ease war premium: diesel and gasoline prices expected to follow within days.
Contract Rates Up 8% Since Fall as Capacity Stays Tight Through Mid-Year
Long-term contract rates climbed roughly 8% from last fall, with spot and contract pricing both rising as tender rejection rates stay elevated and shippers…