Introduction
In today's fast-paced logistics environment, supply chain collaboration is more critical than ever. Companies face numerous challenges, including fluctuating fuel prices, unpredictable freight rates, port congestion, and natural disruptions. These factors can significantly impact operational efficiency and profitability. As logistics operators, freight forwarders, and supply chain teams strive to optimize their processes, the need for real-time information sharing among partners becomes paramount.
However, many organizations struggle with scattered integrations and expensive paid feeds that provide fragmented data. This often leads to inefficiencies, increased costs, and missed opportunities. To address these challenges, FreightPulse offers a comprehensive REST API that consolidates real-time logistics intelligence into a single, easy-to-use platform. By leveraging FreightPulse, businesses can enhance collaboration, streamline operations, and make informed decisions based on accurate data.
Why FreightPulse
FreightPulse stands out in the logistics data landscape for several reasons:
- Unified Data Source: Instead of stitching together multiple integrations for EIA fuel data, live freight quotes, port congestion, and carrier verification, FreightPulse provides all this information through a single API. This eliminates the complexity and cost associated with managing multiple data feeds.
- Real-Time Insights: With FreightPulse, users can access live US full-truckload (FTL) freight rate quotes alongside historical diesel and gasoline price series in the same JSON schema. This allows logistics operators to make data-driven decisions quickly and efficiently.
- Comprehensive Carrier Lookups: The API includes FMCSA SAFER lookups for US trucking carriers and FMC NVOCC/OTI ocean carrier lookups. This feature enables users to verify carrier information seamlessly, ensuring compliance and safety in their operations.
- Natural Disruption Alerts: FreightPulse offers a natural-disruption feed that consolidates alerts from GDACS, USGS, and NOAA/NWS. Users can filter disruptions by port radius, allowing them to proactively manage risks associated with severe weather events and other natural hazards.
Quick Start
Getting started with FreightPulse is straightforward. The base URL for the API is:
https://freightpulsehq.com/api/v1
To make your first request, you will need to include the X-API-Key header in your cURL command. Here’s an example of how to retrieve national diesel and gasoline prices:
curl -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://freightpulsehq.com/api/v1/fuel-prices"
The expected JSON response will look like this:
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"timestamp": "2026-07-30T12:00:00Z",
"source": "EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration)",
"currency": "USD",
"unit": "gallon",
"data": {
"diesel": {
"national_average": 3.847,
"change_week": -0.023,
"change_percent": -0.6,
"regions": {
"east_coast": 3.912,
"midwest": 3.756,
"gulf_coast": 3.623,
"rocky_mountain": 3.891,
"west_coast": 4.456,
"california": 4.892
},
"historical": {
"30d_avg": 3.82,
"90d_avg": 3.75,
"yoy_change_percent": -8.2
}
},
"gasoline": {
"national_average": 3.156,
"historical": {
"30d_avg": 3.1,
"90d_avg": 3.05,
"yoy_change_percent": 1.1
}
}
}
}
}
In this response, the key fields include:
- timestamp: The date and time when the data was retrieved.
- source: The source of the data, in this case, the EIA.
- currency: The currency in which the prices are quoted.
- data: Contains detailed information about diesel and gasoline prices, including national averages and regional breakdowns.
Core Endpoints
1. GET /fuel-prices
This endpoint provides national diesel and gasoline prices, along with a breakdown by PADD regions and historical averages.
Key Parameters: None required.
curl -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://freightpulsehq.com/api/v1/fuel-prices"
Sample JSON Response:
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"timestamp": "2026-07-30T12:00:00Z",
"source": "EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration)",
"currency": "USD",
"unit": "gallon",
"data": {
"diesel": {
"national_average": 3.847,
"change_week": -0.023,
"change_percent": -0.6,
"regions": {
"east_coast": 3.912,
"midwest": 3.756,
"gulf_coast": 3.623,
"rocky_mountain": 3.891,
"west_coast": 4.456,
"california": 4.892
},
"historical": {
"30d_avg": 3.82,
"90d_avg": 3.75,
"yoy_change_percent": -8.2
}
},
"gasoline": {
"national_average": 3.156,
"historical": {
"30d_avg": 3.1,
"90d_avg": 3.05,
"yoy_change_percent": 1.1
}
}
}
}
}
Field Explanations:
- national_average: The average price of diesel or gasoline across the United States.
- change_week: The change in price over the past week.
- regions: A breakdown of prices by region, allowing users to see regional variations.
- historical: Historical averages that provide context for current prices.
2. GET /freight-rates
This endpoint provides live FTL truckload quotes for US lanes, allowing users to obtain real-time pricing information.
Key Parameters: mode (trucking, ocean, air), origin_zip, destination_zip (required for trucking).
curl -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://freightpulsehq.com/api/v1/freight-rates?mode=trucking&origin_zip=10001&destination_zip=90210"
Sample JSON Response:
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"mode": "trucking",
"service": "FTL (53' dry van)",
"source": "Warp",
"price_usd": 7207.92,
"transit_days": 4,
"pickup_date": "2026-08-24",
"delivery_date": "2026-08-28"
}
}
Field Explanations:
- mode: The mode of transportation (e.g., trucking).
- service: The type of service provided (e.g., FTL).
- price_usd: The quoted price for the shipment.
- transit_days: The estimated number of days for transit.
- pickup_date: The date when the shipment will be picked up.
- delivery_date: The expected delivery date.
3. GET /port-congestion
This endpoint provides port activity data from IMF PortWatch, allowing users to assess congestion levels at major ports.
Key Parameters: port (name or LOCODE), country (name or ISO3), region (continent).
curl -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://freightpulsehq.com/api/v1/port-congestion?port=USLAX"
Sample JSON Response:
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"results": [
{
"port": "Los Angeles-Long Beach",
"locode": "US LAX",
"country": "United States",
"congestion": "moderate",
"as_of": "2026-08-14",
"metrics": {
"recent_avg_portcalls_per_day": 8.7,
"baseline_avg_portcalls_per_day": 10.2,
"ratio_vs_baseline": 0.85
}
}
]
}
}
Field Explanations:
- port: The name of the port being queried.
- congestion: The current congestion level (low, moderate, high).
- as_of: The date when the data was last updated.
- metrics: Contains metrics related to port activity, including recent and baseline averages.
Real-World Use Cases
1. Fuel-Surcharge Calculator
Logistics companies can build a fuel-surcharge calculator that uses the /fuel-prices endpoint to retrieve current diesel prices. By integrating this data into their pricing models, they can adjust surcharges based on real-time fuel costs, ensuring they remain competitive while covering operational expenses.
2. Port-Congestion Dashboard
Freight forwarders can create a port-congestion dashboard using the /port-congestion endpoint. This dashboard can display real-time congestion levels at major ports, allowing users to make informed decisions about routing and scheduling shipments to avoid delays.
3. Carrier Vetting Tool
3PL providers can develop a carrier vetting tool that utilizes the /carriers endpoint to verify the safety ratings and status of trucking carriers. This tool can help ensure compliance and safety in their operations, reducing the risk of partnering with unreliable carriers.
FAQ
How often do FreightPulse fuel prices update?
Fuel prices are updated weekly, providing users with the most current information available. This allows logistics operators to make timely decisions based on the latest market conditions.
Can I look up ocean carriers as well as trucking carriers?
Yes, the FreightPulse API allows users to look up both ocean carriers and trucking carriers. This comprehensive approach ensures that logistics teams can verify carrier information across different modes of transportation.
Does the port congestion data reflect real-time vessel wait times?
No, the port congestion data is based on a 7-day average and is not real-time. It provides a lagged approximation of port activity, allowing users to assess congestion levels over time rather than immediate vessel wait times.
Conclusion
In an increasingly complex logistics landscape, the ability to share real-time information among supply chain partners is essential for success. FreightPulse offers a powerful solution that consolidates critical logistics data into a single API, enabling businesses to enhance collaboration, streamline operations, and make informed decisions.
By leveraging FreightPulse, logistics operators can access live fuel prices, freight rates, port congestion data, carrier lookups, and natural disruption alerts—all from one source. This not only saves time and resources but also empowers teams to respond proactively to changing market conditions.
Ready to transform your supply chain operations? Try FreightPulse for free and discover how our API can help you achieve greater efficiency and collaboration in your logistics processes.