Trucking freight carriers continue to enjoy a “very favorable market” as an index of business conditions eased only slightly from its record high level in May, according to transportation analyst firm FTR. Bloomington, Indiana-based FTR said its Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) for June eased to 17.1 from May’s record 20.4 reading. Even if spot rates have peaked, contract rates likely will continue to rise well into 2027,” Avery Vise, FTR’s vice president of trucking, said in a release. “To this point, the truck freight market’s strength is principally due to supply-side constraints – especially for dry van and refrigerated operations. The TCI tracks the changes representing five major conditions in the U.S. truck market: freight volumes, freight rates, fleet capacity, fuel prices, and financing costs.