Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025:
- Used-truck prices: Update with August numbers from the Price Digests by Fusable Class 8 conventional sleeper indices.
- Spot market rates aren't where owner-operators would like them to be, but trucking demand improvement shows on these two boards.
- An El Paso truck repair shop owner is in hot water with the law. Here's what police say happened.
Used-truck pricing holds steady
This year was "supposed to be the year of freight’s bounce back. The year of the pre-buy" of new trucks as fleets large and small anticipated the next emissions round from the Environmental Protection Agency. That's according to Overdrive sister publication Trucks, Parts, Service Editor Lucas Deal, writing last week to lead off an update for TPS readers that charted and forecast a measure of stability in used-truck inventories.
Year 2025 hasn't turned out to be much of a bounce back so far, with tariffs and more delivering general economic uncertainty, freight volumes and rates ticking along at less-than-desirable levels. Positive signals in spot markets, though, muddy the waters of that picture in recent weeks. Yet it's certain a measure of continued belt-tightening with reduced capital expenditures across businesses has been something of a rule.
The silver lining for used-truck markets? Relative pricing stability, particularly since early-year run-ups for late-model equipment.
The August update to the Price Digests by Fusable index tracking conventional sleeper average pricing bears that out, with a slight rise in prices fetched for two-year-olds, with five- and 10-year-olds largely flat.
Deal wrote that, from the vantage of used dealers, "replacement demand has been the driver of purchases across the spectrum," limiting any big price run-up. "It’s created a marketplace where the best trucks are snatched up quickly, and at a premium, but less-enticing units must be moved tactically to be profitable" for dealers.
Barring any sudden freight shift, experts think that’s likely to continue as the year concludes.
“Had there been a pre-buy, it would have created a pull ahead in new truck and trade-in activity and an oversupply of used trucks, and the last thing the [used truck] industry needs now is more trades,” says Chris Visser, director of specialty markets at J.D. Power. If they aren’t coming, Visser says the market is positioned to manage replacement demand.
Late-model, low-mileage trucks have been in the highest demand in the retail sector all year, and the overall increase in price (seen for those two-year-olds in the Price Digests by Fusable chart above) and generally minimal depreciation they’ve experienced bear that out. Without a big pre-buy, used dealers aren't worrying about a large influx of used units overwhelming supply -- bad news for owner-operators and fleets looking for retail deals.
Steve Tam of ACT Research noted a healthy portion of owner-operator shoppers looking for value in older, low-priced equipment on the auction circuit, where dealers might go to sell when equipment simply needs to be moved quick, for cash. Don't look for a big influx of supply there without a big change in new-truck demand driven by improved freight dynamics. (You can read Lucas Deal's full used-truck market report in TPS via this link.)
[Related: 'Very good step in the right direction' in Q2 for freight: Report]
About those freight dynamics: Spot market's outperforming 2024, at least
Speaking of freight, a single week doesn't make a trend, no doubt, but both DAT and Truckstop.com/FTR this week reported marked improvements in load-to-truck ratios on the spot market, with load-post volumes up and truck posts down. Higher load-to-truck generally signals demand improvement, and potential rates gains could be following this week, sorely needed after weeks of seasonal sliding across equipment types, generally speaking. The rates slide in fact continued overall last week.
DAT reported load post volumes rose 10% last week. Truckstop.com/FTR showed a 22% increase after the short Labor Day week followed by another 1% boost in volume last week, with volumes 33% above the same week in 2024.
Another positive, even amid average rates' sliding through summer, is that for almost two months now the average is back to trend above 2024 rates, though not by a huge amount that's certain. Catch more from this snapshot from Truckstop.com and FTR Transportation Intelligence analysts via this link to a revamped weekly report, including a brand-new dashboard for regional inbound/outbound looks at rates by equipment type. Truckstop.com / FTR
Both Truckstop.com and DAT reported their biggest load-post-volume increases for platform freight.
DAT iQ analyst Dean Croke pointed to general spot market strength compared to last year. National average flatbed rates are 11 cents/mile higher than the same week in 2024, with volumes up 25% on DAT One in just the past month. Dry van volumes have risen more modestly there recently but sit at a whopping 40% higher year over year on DAT One. Reefer load posts, too, are at 40%-plus higher levels than in 2024.
[Related: $2.30, $3, $10/mile: Which load would you choose? Profit analysis might surprise you]
Truck repair shop owner arrested for exploiting truck driver
The owner of an El Paso, Texas, truck and trailer repair shop has been arrested and charged for “deceptive business practices” and theft of property for allegedly holding a truck and trailer hostage and overcharging a truck driver for services.
According to a Facebook post from the El Paso County Sheriff, deputies were dispatched to the business regarding a civil dispute. Upon arrival, deputies made contact with the offender, identified as 29-year-old Johnny Justin Flores, and the victim, a truck driver traveling through El Paso County.
The investigation found that the truck driver had mechanical issues and hired Flores for repair services valued at approximately $1,200. Online records indicate Flores is the owner of J&J Truck & Trailer Repair in El Paso.
At 5:14 p.m., the truck driver received an invoice and was pressured to pay by 5:30 p.m. The driver submitted full payment on time, but Flores allegedly refused to release the vehicle, falsely claiming the payment was late and demanding nearly triple the original amount.
Detectives responded and obtained a search warrant. The truck was recovered, and two arrest warrants were issued for Flores.
He was charged with Deceptive Business Practices, with a bond of $5,000, and Theft of Property less than $150,000, with a bond of $10,000. Flores was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility, and the semi-truck was returned to its rightful owner.
[Related: Save money, and stay out of inspectors' crosshairs, with smart maintenance]
