This page collects the trends from our monthly news recaps in one place. Each figure carries its date and source. Freight numbers change quickly, so treat anything more than a quarter old as history, not a current quote.
1. Factoring grew while carriers waited to be paid
Factoring volume kept growing through the freight downturn. In the Secured Finance Network's survey, factoring volume rose 16.6% from the second half of 2024 to the second half of 2025 among firms that reported in both periods. That survey covers all industries, not only trucking, so read it as a direction rather than a freight-specific number.
The growth reflects stress more than health. When brokers and shippers pay more slowly and margins are thin, more carriers sell their invoices instead of waiting. That is also why non-recourse terms drew more interest in early 2026, as broker payment delays and broker failures made credit risk harder to absorb.
2. Theft and fraud became the defining risk
Different trackers count different things, so match each figure to its source and year:
| Year | Source | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Verisk CargoNet | 3,625 reported incidents in the US and Canada, up 27% from 2023; average value per theft $202,364 |
| 2024 | Truckstop freight fraud report | More than $455 million in reported losses from theft, double brokering and impersonation; 65,000 thefts recorded, up 40% from 2023 |
| 2025 | Verisk CargoNet | Estimated losses of nearly $725 million, up 60%; average value per theft $273,990; confirmed cargo theft incidents up 18% to 2,646 |
The widely repeated "$455 million" figure describes 2024, not 2025. CargoNet's 2025 loss estimate is far higher, while the number of thefts grew much less. Thieves were going after fewer, more valuable loads. Theft also spread geographically. In 2025, CargoNet recorded a drop of 11% in Los Angeles County alongside increases of 82% in Kern County and 44% in San Joaquin County.
In April 2026, CBS News' 60 Minutes broadcast an eight-month investigation into chameleon carriers. These are trucking operations that drop a bad record by reappearing under a new company name and DOT number.
For carriers: take your factor's broker credit checks seriously, and check them before you accept a load. If a factor won't approve a broker, that is useful information.
3. Carrier and freight-company failures kept coming
Companies of every size failed:
- Dolche Truckload, an Illinois carrier, filed for Chapter 11 under the small-business Subchapter V on 15 June 2025.
- Montgomery Transport, a Birmingham, Alabama flatbed carrier, moved to Chapter 7 liquidation in October 2025. About 1,000 employees lost their jobs, including about 600 drivers.
- Zuum, an Irvine, California freight-technology company, filed for Chapter 11 in November 2025.
Factoring companies can fail too, as our May 2025 recap covered. Remember that when you choose who holds your receivables.
4. Fuel outran the rate recovery
Spot rates did recover. DAT's national averages for van freight:
| Month | Van spot (per mile) | Van contract (per mile) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2025 | $2.09 | $2.46 | Contract well above spot |
| February 2026 | $2.41 | $2.52 | Seventh straight monthly spot gain; narrowest spot-contract gap since March 2022 |
| March 2026 | $2.52 | $2.72 | Highest rates in over two years, driven mainly by fuel |
| June 2026 | $3.00 | $2.89 | Spot above contract for the first time since February 2022 |
Diesel rose faster. The EIA weekly national average was $3.711 a gallon on 16 February 2026. It reached $4.859 on 9 March, a jump of about 96 cents in one week after war involving Iran disrupted Middle East oil supply. It peaked at $5.643 on 6 April. That was 55% above the same week of 2025 ($3.639). The EIA notes that flows through the Strait of Hormuz equal about one-fifth of global oil consumption, which is why the conflict hit prices so hard. Diesel eased in June and early July, then was back at $5.313 by 27 July.
DAT's fuel surcharge data shows what that did to carriers. The average van fuel surcharge rose from 41 cents a mile in February 2026 to 61 cents in March. DAT said it had averaged about 40 cents through most of 2025, so March was about 50% above that baseline. Much of the higher rate in early 2026 went straight to fuel. When the margin left after fuel shrinks like that, the cost of factoring stops being a rounding error.
5. The FMCSA changed the compliance rules
A steady run of compliance changes landed over the period:
- English proficiency: from 25 June 2025, roadside inspectors began placing drivers out of service if they could not communicate in English sufficiently or understand road signs.
- ELD revocations: FMCSA removed 67 noncompliant ELDs from its registered list between January 2025 and May 2026. Carriers get 60 days to replace a revoked device.
- Non-domiciled CDLs: a final rule limiting eligibility to specific employment-based visa holders took effect 16 March 2026. It survived a stay request at the D.C. Circuit in May 2026 while the challenge continued.
- Motus: FMCSA's new registration system opened to carriers and brokers on 14 May 2026. To claim a USDOT number, the company official must use the same Login.gov email as on the old portal.
- MC numbers: FMCSA has proposed making the USDOT number the only identifier, but eliminating MC numbers was not part of the Motus launch and still needs formal rulemaking.
- Broker liability: on 14 May 2026 the Supreme Court unanimously held, in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, that negligent-selection claims against brokers are not preempted. Expect stricter carrier vetting.
- Deregulatory cleanup: final rules that took effect 22 July 2026 removed the in-cab ELD manual requirement and driver self-reporting of violations to the licensing state.
What this means when you pick a factor
Across those five trends, the same three questions decide most outcomes.
What is the real cost, not the advertised rate? On a thin lane, the difference between a good factoring deal and a bad one can equal your profit on the load. What freight factoring actually costs and hidden factoring fees break down every charge on top of the headline rate.
What is actually covered? Non-recourse generally covers a broker's insolvency, not disputes, short pays or paperwork problems. Recourse vs non-recourse factoring covers the exclusions.
How hard is it to leave? Factors fail and terms change. Learn the buyout, UCC and notice mechanics before you sign; it costs less than learning them later. See how to switch factoring companies, or compare factoring companies.
The month-by-month archive
Freight factoring news from 2026
- July 2026: spot beats contract, diesel climbs, rules shift
- June 2026: spot rates climb, fraud fight escalates
- May 2026: Motus goes live
- April 2026: diesel past $5, chameleon carriers
- March 2026: the Supreme Court tariff ruling
- February 2026: non-recourse demand rises
Freight factoring news from 2025
- December 2025: the year in review
- November 2025: carrier bankruptcies, English proficiency
- October 2025: registration changes
- August 2025: ELDs and safety rules
- June 2025: volumes turn positive
- May 2025: factoring bankruptcies and layoffs
Frequently asked questions
Is the freight factoring market growing?
Yes. The Secured Finance Network's survey found factoring volume up 16.6% in the second half of 2025 compared with the second half of 2024, among firms that reported in both periods. Slow payment and thin margins are a large part of why carriers factor more.
How much did cargo theft and freight fraud cost in 2024 and 2025?
For 2024, Truckstop reported more than $455 million in losses from theft, double brokering and impersonation. CargoNet counted 3,625 theft incidents that year. For 2025, CargoNet estimated cargo theft losses at nearly $725 million, up 60%, with the average theft worth $273,990.
What is a chameleon carrier?
A chameleon carrier is a trucking operation that shuts down and reappears under a new name and DOT number to escape a poor safety record, debts or enforcement. CBS News' 60 Minutes investigated the practice in April 2026.
What is Motus?
Motus is FMCSA's new registration system. It opened to motor carriers, brokers and freight forwarders on 14 May 2026, replacing the Unified Registration System. The company official must use the same Login.gov email as on the old FMCSA Portal to claim the USDOT number.
Have MC numbers been eliminated?
Not yet. FMCSA has proposed making the USDOT number the sole identifier, but that change was left out of the Motus launch and needs formal rulemaking first.
Why did non-recourse factoring get more attention in 2026?
Broker payment delays and broker failures made credit risk harder for small carriers to carry, so more of them looked at moving it to the factor. Non-recourse generally covers only defined credit events such as a broker's insolvency, not disputes or short pays.