Trucking news and briefs for Friday, Aug. 14, 2026:
Trucking conditions remained strong in June
Trucking market conditions in June weren’t quite as strong as in May, but FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index still reflected a very favorable market for carriers.
The firm’s TCI for June fell from 20.4 in May to 17.1 in June due to a slightly less robust freight rate growth that was partially offset by lower diesel prices in June to produce overall market conditions that were not quite as positive as those in May. However, the outlook for carriers is a bit stronger than it was in the prior forecast.
“We expect the market to be favorable for carriers throughout our two-year forecast horizon, but the recovery appears to be stabilizing,” said Avery Vise, FTR’s vice president of trucking. “For example, spot rates in July softened as seasonally expected even though fuel prices rose sharply – quite a different dynamic than what occurred in March. Even if spot rates have peaked, contract rates likely will continue to rise well into 2027.
Vise added that the market’s strength is largely due to supply-side constraints, particularly with dry van and refrigerated fleets.
“An encouraging signal is the ongoing recovery in manufacturing demand, and consumer spending has been solid,” he said. “Data center construction clearly has boosted flatbed especially. Concerns include slowing U.S. job growth, a persistently weak housing sector, and stubborn price inflation for both consumers and businesses. Although freight demand still doesn’t look that strong, we see little sign that trucking capacity will rise substantially in the near term.”
I-70 WB shut down in Indiana
All lanes of I-70 Westbound are closed in eastern Indiana after flooding washed out a portion of the interstate.
The closure is at milemarker 146, just east of the Centerville Road exit in Wayne County.
INDOT said Thursday morning that "crews have been working around the clock" to fix the washed-out section of the interstate, noting that the damaged pavement has been removed and is now being filled in with stone.
Westbound travelers should detour onto U.S. 27 Southbound to U.S. 40 WB to State Road 1 NB and back to I-70 westbound.
A timetable for repairs is currently unavailable. More information on repairs will be available when the water recedes and crews can assess the extent of the damage.
New York blitz sidelines 126 trucks
New York State Police put 126 commercial motor vehicles out of service for safety-related violations during a recent weeklong enforcement initiative.
New York State Police Troop T participated in the “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right” campaign at the end of July along the New York State Thruway. The initiative’s goal is to reduce bridge and overpass strikes involving commercial vehicles through education and targeted enforcement.
During the initiative, Troop T’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit conducted details throughout the state, with 348 commercial vehicle inspections. Of those, 126 vehicles were immediately taken out of service for safety-related violations.
A total of 966 violations were issued, including five for over-height vehicles, with 189 uniform traffic tickets for speeding, lack of seatbelt/restraints, cell phone use, registration and license issues, and other violations.
Over the last five years, more than 375 bridge strikes were recorded on the Thruway system, and just this week, bridge hits on the Thruway due to over-height commercial vehicles in the downstate area and Western New York underscore the importance of drivers knowing their vehicle height and planning routes that avoid low-clearance structures, NYSP said.
The maximum legal vehicle height on the Thruway is 13'6". If a vehicle is taller, a permit is required. Visit the Thruway website for more information regarding permits.
