On an average, truck rates from Mumbai to almost all the states in the country fell by around five per cent during the last week.

Towards the north, the maximum fall in freight rates was for loads to Punjab. The Mumbai to Amritsar truck rates, in the last week, decreased by seven per cent from Rs 15,400 to Rs 14,200. The rates from Mumbai to Bihar remained more or less stable.

Rates from Mumbai to Delhi fell marginally by 1.5 per cent from Rs 13,000 to Rs 12,800. "The movement of cargo will slow down in the next week and this will bring down freight rates to northern India by around Rs 500", said AK Singh of Delhi Assam Roadway Corporation.

For trucks bound for western India, rates fell by five per cent except to Gujarat, which firmed up by four per cent. According to transporters, a good movement of cargo from Mumbai to Gujarat accelerated the rates.

Towards east, the truckfreight rates from Mumbai to Guwahati (in Assam) fell by Rs 500. The maximum fall of 5.7-per cent to Assam was on the Mumbai to Tejpur and Mumbai to Tinsukhia routes.

For West Bengal, the Mumbai to Calcutta rates decreased by six per cent to Rs 15,500. And for Orissa, the freight rates from Mumbai to Cuttack decreased by 500 to Rs 12,500.

Towards south, the maximum fall in freight rates was on the Mumbai to Vizag route. The rates on this route fell by 15 per cent from Rs 10,000 to Rs 8,500. The truck rates from Mumbai to Tamil Nadu remained the same.

A relatively good movement of cargo from Mumbai to Kerala and Karnataka resulted in firming up the truck rates by 1.5 per cent on some routes. While, the Mumbai to Bangalore freight rates dipped by 1.4 per cent, the Mumbai to Mysore and Mumbai to Hubli rates went up by 1.4 per cent.