Trucking capacity tightened and transport costs rose for a fourth month in five, just as retailers reported stronger fall demand
The Wall Street Journal's Logistics Report of September 2, 2026 reported that federal enforcement against immigrant truck drivers, including the closure of nearly 300 driving schools, has tightened trucking capacity nationwide and pushed pricing up after a long slump in demand. Separately, its number of the day put the August Logistics Managers' Index transportation cost reading up 3.1 percentage points from July, the fourth expansion in five months. The same edition reported retailers entering the fall season with stronger sales, citing Dollar General's fifth consecutive quarter of higher traffic, Best Buy's electronics demand and Target's higher sales and profit, while July government retail sales softened and August consumer confidence slipped. Descartes bought warehouse management software provider Extensiv for $120 million.
- 3.1 pts LMI Transport Cost Rise, August
- 4 of 5 Months The Index Expanded
- $120m Descartes Purchase Of Extensiv
Demand up and capacity down is the peak season setup nobody plans for. Buyers forecasting on last year's capacity assumptions are in the wrong quarter, because the transport cost line was rising before the fall volume arrived. Four expansions in five months is a run rather than a spike, and with fuel and driver supply both moving at once a buyer cannot negotiate it away one contract at a time, so a total cost view across inventory, warehousing and transport is the language buyers now need. The warehouse software market is consolidating while the buyers of it are busiest, so integration is the question to bring to any platform conversation.