BEAVERTON, Ore. — At 3.0 million, load posts on DAT One were 10% lower than the previous week, but still the second-highest weekly total this year.
According to DAT Freight & Analytics, the number of truck posts rose 3% to 256,617 on greater dry van availability. The combination of winter weather across much of the country and the repositioning of groceries and retail goods for the holidays increased demand for trucks and pushed spot rates higher.
Broker-to Carrier 7-Day Average Spot Rates
▲ Dry van: $2.26 per mile, up 8 cents week over week
▲ Refrigerated: $2.57 per mile, up 2 cents
▲ Flatbed: $2.44 per mile, up 2 cents
“Spot rates for Week 50 were the highest outside of the pandemic years (2020-2021) across all three major equipment types, highlighting how quickly short-term shocks can strain an already fragile capacity environment,” said Dean Croke, Industry Analytics, DAT Freight & Analytics.
Dry Van
▼ Van loads: 1.5 million, down 9% week over week
▲ Van equipment: 180,967, up 5%
▲ Linehaul rate: $1.89 per mile, up 8 cents
“Dry van spot rates surged as winter storms made travel difficult and pushed freight to brokers and the DAT One load board,” Croke said. “The national average weekly van spot rate has increased by 13% over the past month, climbing about 7 cents per mile each of the last three weeks.”
Reefer
▼ Reefer loads: 686,774, down 16% week over week
▼ Reefer equipment: 46,673, down 1%
▲ Linehaul rate: $2.21 per mile, up 3 cents
Flatbed
▼ Flatbed loads: 772,879, down 7% week over week
▼ Flatbed equipment: 28,977, down 2%
▲ Linehaul rate: $2.07 per mile, up 2 cents
“Looking ahead, DAT Ratecast predicts the national average weekly van spot rate to increase by another 20 cents per mile by New Year’s,” Croke said. This would represent a 25% rise in spot rates from early November through year-end, assuming no severe weather and a typical late-December capacity crunch as carriers take time off. The question is whether recent rate increases indicate a lasting shift or a temporary ‘sugar rush’ caused by weather and the calendar. For now, the signs point to the latter. Carrier exits, bankruptcies, and stricter roadside enforcement are shrinking capacity at the edges, but not enough yet to create sustained, demand-driven pricing power for carriers.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
