BEAVERTON, Ore. — Broker-posted spot rates in the Truckstop.com system were essentially stable for all principal equipment types during the week ended Oct. 16, moving in a basically seasonal fashion as had been the case in the previous week.
“Spot rates for both dry van and refrigerated van equipment declined slightly while flatbed spot rates technically increased but only by a minuscule amount,” FTR said. “During the current week, dry van and flatbed rates usually decrease while refrigerated rates usually rise.”
Total Spot Loads
Total load activity declined 1.2% week over week after falling nearly 12% during the previous week. Volume was up just under 2% versus the same 2025 week. Truck postings decreased 1.8%, and the Market Demand Index – the ratio of loads to trucks – ticked up marginally.
Total Spot Rates
The total market broker-posted rate eased three tenths of a cent after declining just a tenth of a cent in the prior week. Total rates were nearly 42% higher than in the same week last year.
Based on diesel prices through the week ended Oct. 12, total rates excluding fuel charges were flat week over week and up just under 36% versus the same week last year. Although carriers operating in the spot market typically don’t receive surcharges, the calculation serves as a proxy for the portion of the rate needed for fuel cost recovery.
Dry Van Spot Rates
Dry van spot rates declined a little less than 1 cent after rising less than half a cent in the previous week. Rates were close to 47% higher than during the same 2025 week. Dry van spot rates rose sharply for loads originating on the West Coast but fell sharply for loads originating in the Southeast. Rates were down modestly elsewhere except for the Mountain Central region.
Dry van loads increased 1.1% week over week after dropping nearly 15% in the prior week. Volume was 24% higher than during the same 2025 week. Load postings rose in most regions, although they were basically flat in the Midwest and down in the Southeast and South Central regions.
Refrigerated Spot Rates
Refrigerated spot rates decreased 1.5 cents after moving up 1.2 cents during the prior week. Rates were about 44% higher than in the same 2025 week. Refrigerated spot rates fell sharply for loads originating in the Southeast and were down modestly on the West Coast but were up slightly in all other regions.
Refrigerated loads increased 3.0% after falling about 12% during the previous week. Volume was 1.4% below that during the same week last year. Load postings rose strongly in the Mountain Central region and on the West Coast and modestly in the South Central region. Volume was down in the Southeast and Midwest and flat in the Northeast.
Flatbed Spot Rates
Flatbed spot rates ticked up two tenths of a cent after declining by seven tenths of a cent during the previous week. Rates were 43% higher than during the same 2025 week.
Flatbed rates were essentially flat for loads originating in the Midwest and were down in the Southeast and West Coast but up elsewhere.
Flatbed loads decreased 3.8% after falling close to 11% in the prior week. Volume was about 8% below that during the same week last year. Loads increased in the Mountain Central region and – slightly – on the West Coast but were down elsewhere.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe.
