William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Apr 13, 2012 3:55PM EDT
Truckload pricing was 7.2 percent higher in March than a year ago, though down slightly from recent months, according to the Cass Truckload Linehaul Index.
At 108.2 for March, the index dropped 0.8 percent from February and is down 1.1 percent from January, when it peaked at 109.4, Cass Information Systems said.
The index, based on linehaul costs excluding fuel costs and accessorials, slipped below 100 in August 2009 and rose above that mark in December 2010.
The truckload pricing index rose has been rising year-over-year since September 2010, hitting its highest annualized increase, 10.1 percent, in August 2011.
In January, the index was up 8 percent from a year ago, and in February, 8.2 percent.
High truckload rates and tight over-the-road capacity are pushing intermodal prices up as well, the freight payment and supply chain services company said.
Intermodal linehaul costs rose in March from February, and were just 0.1 percent lower than a year ago, according to the Cass Intermodal Linehaul Index.
That index shows intermodal linehaul rates rising since January, climbing at the highest sequential rate in a year between February and March, Cass said.
Contact William B. Cassidy at wcassidy@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter at @wbcassidy_joc.