"The rates have been generally high in the last fortnight due to good cargo movement and shortage of vehicles,' said a transporter.

According to him, the truck rates will remain tight until atleast a week before the finance minister Sinha presents his budget. In the last week, movement of cargo from Mumbai to other places remained good. However, the rates looked northward only some states as the good outflow and vehicles' availability remained in a higher level during the week. The rates to Jammu and Kashmir decline by Rs 8,000-1000 except for Srinagar to which truck rates increased by Rs 500 to Rs 23.500. Rates to Himachal Pradesh dropped by Rs 1,000.

The rates to Delhi hovered between Rs 13,500 and Rs 12,500 before settling at Rs 13,000. Freight rates to Haryana fell by Rs 200 except for Karnal to which rates increased by Rs 500 to Rs 13,500.

The rates to Punjabmoved in the range of Rs 300 to Rs 600. Truck rates to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh dropped in the rage of Rs 200-1000. The rates to Patna Were at Rs 19,000 a fall of Rs 500 over previous week. While rates to Lucknow and Agra remained same the rates to Kanpur decline by Rs 500 to Rs 12,3000. In the western region rates to Gujarat increased by Rs 200. Truck rates to Madha Pradesh showed a mixed trend. While rates to Satna decreased by Rs 500 to Rs 11,500 the rates to Indore went up Rs 300 to Rs 5,200. Rates to Rajasthan moved in the Rs 200-300 range while Mumbai to Maharashtra cities rates remained steady. The rates to eastern states dropped during the last week. Truck rates to Assam dropped in the Rs 500 -Rs 1,500 range.

Mumbai to Raniganj decreased by Rs 500 to Rs 20,000 while rates to Calcutta was up by Rs 500 to Rs 20,000. The rates to Orissa remained more or less the same. Rates to southern region improved except to Kerala to where truck rates remained the same. Rates to Tamil Nadu increased in the region ofRs 300-700. The rates to Chennai went up Rs 700 to Rs 12,500 while to Salem it increased by Rs 500 to Rs 12,500.