C.H. Robinson Edge Report

Freight Market Update: August 2026

Insights at a glance

Supply chain challenges create new opportunities

Published: Thursday, August 06, 2026 | 09:00 AM CDT

North America truckload delivery

Truckload capacity continues to tighten as hurricane season approaches, leaving less room to absorb disruptions. Weather, higher operating costs and evolving market conditions are increasing the likelihood that localised events will have broader impacts on freight networks. 

See how tightening capacity, hurricane season and regional market conditions could affect truckload costs and service

North America LTL delivery

LTL pricing continues to accelerate as higher diesel costs combine with tightening capacity. Unlike previous fuel-driven increases, today's market is also seeing stronger base-rate pressure.

See how rising fuel costs, tightening capacity and carrier pricing are shaping today's LTL market

Ocean Freight

Ocean freight is entering August with softer demand and improving space on some trade lanes, but not all markets are moving in the same direction. Service changes, limited allocations and external disruptions continue to shape routing options and booking conditions.

See where flexibility is returning—and where constraints remain

Air Freight

Air freight markets remain balanced overall, but conditions vary by region and origin. AI-related demand is reshaping select Asia export markets, while Europe softens, Australia faces capacity constraints, Oceania stays active and South America demand remains resilient. 

Explore the regional trends, demand shifts and capacity pressures shaping air freight markets this month

Intermodal

Intermodal demand strengthens as rising truckload costs and tightening capacity shift more freight to rail.

Get our strategies for off-cycle bids

Ports & drayage

As capacity pressures ease, performance differences between gateways, inland networks and carrier services are becoming more apparent. Routing decisions, equipment availability and transportation connections are increasingly determining how reliably freight moves through the supply chain. 

See which routing and gateway decisions could affect performance

Canada, Mexico & cross-border

Mexico exports are up double digits as visa crackdowns and border scrutiny strain trucking capacity. Access to the country’s busiest ocean port gets more difficult.

Find out more about cross-border conditions, including impacts of a new U.S.-Canada bridge, currency fluctuations and pending tariffs

Trade policy & customs

New Section 301 tariffs apply to goods from 60 countries, retaliatory tariffs are proposed for Canadian and European imports and USMCA negotiations continue. 

See what risks you may need to manage in the months ahead

Government & regulations

Carrier vetting standards are in the spotlight and the new federal carrier registration system has a bumpy start.

Find out what could affect your transportation strategy

Diesel fuel

While regional trends vary, higher year-over-year fuel costs continue to put pressure on transportation pricing.

Understand what's driving diesel price volatility

Industry Insights

Retail

How retail is responding to shifting market forces

Read the retail update
Automotive

Technology bans reshape automotive supply chains

Read the automotive update
Energy

Critical-mineral demand outstrips domestic supply, while nuclear makes a comeback

Read the energy update
Healthcare

Healthcare logistics adapts to AI and access challenges

Read the healthcare update

*This information is compiled from a number of sources—including market data from public sources and data from C.H. Robinson—that to the best of our knowledge are accurate and correct. It is always the intent of our company to present accurate information. C.H. Robinson accepts no liability or responsibility for the information published herein. 

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