Marketplace · Thursday, September 10, 2026
The trucking industry is experiencing increased costs due to higher diesel prices and a reduction in available drivers, partly attributed to stricter English proficiency requirements for drivers. This has led to higher freight rates, with some companies delaying shipments in hopes of rate decreases. However, passing these increased costs onto consumers is challenging.
“The price the trucking companies receive, which is what the PPI is picking up, that is going to rise. It really is almost a linear function of how those diesel prices are changing.”
“The Trump administration has been cracking down on drivers who aren't proficient in English. As a result, there are fewer trucks on the road.”
“But so far, they haven't. The calculation they're doing is, well, we would rather pay a little bit more and maybe we can pass some of that extra cost down to consumers, then to be out of stock and miss out on the sales altogether.”