Short-Haul Freight Is Winning as Long-Haul Slips

Short-haul freight is up 35% year to date, and that shift is changing the truckload market. In this SONAR update, we break down why under-100-mile freight is growing, why long-haul volumes are slipping, and how intermodal is pulling freight out of over-the-road networks. You’ll also get the latest read on tender rejections, which are still holding above 14%, and what that says about carrier optionality heading into peak. #Truckload #Intermodal #FreightMarket

Short-haul truckload freight is outpacing every other length-of-haul segment by a wide margin in 2025, according to FreightWaves SONAR data presented Wednesday. The SONAR Local Truckload Volume Index (CSTVI) — which tracks loads moving under 100 miles — is up 35% year-to-date and 11% since September 2024, making it the most resilient slice of the truckload market over the past two years.

The divergence matters to carriers, brokers, and shippers because it signals a structural rebalancing of freight networks rather than a temporary blip. Long-haul van freight tracked by the LSTVI — loads moving more than 800 miles — is down 15% over the same two-year window and off 3% year-to-date on an all-mode basis, a gap that is widening as shippers redirect volume onto rail.

The SONAR Outbound Rail Index, which measures total outbound rail container volume, is up 6% over the past year, providing a direct counterpoint to the long-haul truckload decline. Drayage capacity has tightened noticeably as a result, a dynamic that has been flagged repeatedly in recent market updates.

“My assumption is that we’ll continue to see lengths of haul shorten as we continue to see just-in-time become more important and as more of that long-haul length of haul freight continues to shift to intermodal to take advantage of the cost savings both in contract rate as well as fuel,” said Julie Van de Kamp.

Two forces are compressing average length of haul simultaneously: the ongoing conversion of long-haul over-the-road freight to intermodal where service levels permit, and the continued shrinkage of distribution networks. Each converted load generates a short-haul drayage move at both ends, mechanically lifting the CSTVI even as overall truckload demand remains soft.

Van de Kamp cautioned that the durability of the shift depends on intermodal railroads maintaining service quality. “We’ll watch to ensure that intermodal can continue to keep service levels up to where they should be,” she said. If service falters, some volume could revert to long-haul trucking, partially unwinding the trend.

Beyond length of haul, the broader truckload market showed little week-over-week movement. The national tender rejection rate stood at 14.21% as of Wednesday, September 23. Rejections ticked up around Labor Day, dipped as post-holiday shipment volumes eased, and have since climbed back — though not to earlier summer peaks. A rejection rate above 14% still gives carriers meaningful freight selectivity heading into peak season.

• SONAR’s short-haul volume index (CSTVI) is up 35% year-to-date and 11% since September 2024, the strongest growth of any length-of-haul segment.
• Long-haul truckload volumes (800-plus miles) are down 15% over two years as shippers shift freight to intermodal, which is up 6% on the SONAR Outbound Rail Index.
• The national tender rejection rate held at 14.21% on September 23, keeping carriers in a position to selectively reject freight heading into peak season.

This Summary is generated thanks to a transcription of the interview, for the full interview please enjoy the video above.