Drayage Rate Index, July 2026 Report

What This Means for Industrial

Drayage is the connective tissue between port throughput and warehouse demand. When rates spike, it signals congestion at the terminals, chassis shortages, or fuel pressure, all of which ripple into industrial real estate decisions. Importers facing higher drayage costs tend to pull distribution closer to the ports or seek inland sites with rail access to bypass trucking entirely.

The CA diesel spike from $4.87/gal in February to $7.42/gal in April 2026 drove fuel surcharges from the low end of the range toward the high end, pushing all-in costs from roughly $600 to $850 per move. Diesel has since moderated to $6.67/gal in June, a 10% retreat from the April peak but still 37% above February. All-in costs have eased back toward $750 per move as fuel surcharges settle toward the middle of the 22-30% range. At 5,000 containers per year, the residual fuel premium still represents roughly $750K in additional landed cost annually compared to pre-spike levels.

C.H. Robinson’s July 2026 Edge Report characterizes the port and drayage market as stable with localized friction rather than widespread disruption. Most U.S. inland networks are operating without major interruption, though corridor-specific disruptions like the I-65 closure through Louisville and European port congestion at Antwerp and Rotterdam require closer planning. For industrial tenants, the diesel moderation is welcome but the structural cost floor from CARB zero-emission mandates and chassis availability constraints means proximity to the San Pedro Bay complex remains a premium worth pricing into lease decisions.