SoCal Drayage Rates Tick Up 4-6% as Fuel Surcharges Reset

• Rate change: +4-6% month over month
• Ontario corridor, 40ft dry: $425-$475 per move, up from $405-$450
• Cause: quarterly fuel surcharge index reset effective June 1
• Secondary factor: modest base rate adjustments from asset-based providers responding to driver availability constraints
• Expected duration: through Q3 absent a diesel price reversal

Drayage pricing data calibrated against independent field data shows the increase is attributed primarily to the quarterly fuel surcharge index reset, with industry trade reporting confirming several asset-based drayage providers also applied modest base rate adjustments tied to driver availability.

Why did drayage rates rise 4-6% this month?

The primary driver is a quarterly fuel surcharge index reset effective June 1, which adjusts per-move pricing based on diesel price movements over the prior quarter. Several asset-based drayage providers layered in modest base rate adjustments on top of the surcharge reset, citing driver availability constraints noted earlier this month.

How long are the new rate levels expected to hold?

Shippers should expect the new rate levels to hold through Q3 absent a diesel price reversal. Fuel surcharge indices typically reset on a quarterly cycle, so the next adjustment point would not occur until the following quarterly reset unless diesel prices move sharply before then.

What Shippers Should Do

• Request updated rate confirmations from drayage providers before finalizing June and July routing guides.
• Treat the $425-$475 Ontario corridor range as the current baseline for budgeting, not the prior $405-$450 range.
• High-volume lanes may have leverage to negotiate volume-based discounts offsetting part of the fuel adjustment.
• Re-check rates at the next quarterly fuel surcharge reset rather than assuming current levels are permanent.