Tabi index shows U.S. spot freight market shifted toward shippers in June

The U.S. spot freight market shifted back in favour of shippers in June as broker pricing power weakened and margins narrowed, according to Tabi Connect’s June 2026 Tabi Pricing Pressure Index report.

The index, which measures week-over-week pricing pressure in the U.S. spot freight market, ended June at 32 points, indicating a market that softened amid weaker demand despite periods of seasonal capacity constraints.

Awarded broker margin fell to 20.2 per cent in June from 21.2 per cent in May, although it remained above the historical average of 14.5 per cent. Spot quote volume declined 11.9 per cent compared with the previous four-week average, while the percentage of quotes converted into awarded freight dropped 10.2 per cent month over month.

“June was a month of normalization, not a retreat. While our data shows the market shifting slightly toward shippers and margin pressure intensifying, broker margins remain well above historical averages. We aren’t seeing a definitive trend take hold yet, but the widening quote-to-market spread tells the real story: brokers are fighting harder to defend their territory,” said Ricky Gonzalez, CEO and co-founder of Tabi Connect. “The margin for error is shrinking, and the brokers who continue to win in this environment will be those who maintain rigorous pricing discipline rather than racing to the bottom.”

The report also found enterprise shippers converted fewer quotes into awarded freight than regular shippers and secured lower awarded broker margins. By equipment type, awarded broker margins ranged from 19.6 per cent for van freight to 15.2 per cent for reefer freight, while flatbed quotes carried the highest premium above market rates.