BEAVERTON, Ore. — Even though the spot market is extraordinarily strong, broker-posted spot rates in the Truckstop.com system continued to move in a seasonal pattern during the week ending June 26.
“As expected, dry van and refrigerated van spot rates rose week over week while flatbed spot rates declined slightly,” FTR said. “Stronger dry van and refrigerated spot rates are virtually certain this week as the week heading into the July 4th holiday is one the most reliably strong weeks of the year for van spot rates.”
Total Spot Loads
Total load activity increased 4.1% week over week after declining nearly 8% during the previous week. Volume was about 33% higher than during the same 2025 week for the softest comparison in 12 weeks. Truck postings fell 5.5%, and the Market Demand Index – the ratio of loads to trucks – rose but was still lower than the index for the five weeks prior to the week ended June 19.
Total Spot Rates
The total market broker-posted rate declined just over 1 cent per mile and was down for a second straight week for the first time since the first two weeks of the year. However, the recent plunge in diesel prices results in a 1.6-cent increase in rates excluding a calculated fuel surcharge. Although carriers operating in the spot market typically do not receive surcharges, the calculation is a proxy for the portion of the rate needed to offset higher fuel costs.
All-in broker-posted rates were just under 50% higher than in the same week last year while rates excluding a calculated surcharge were just over 54% higher.
Dry Van Spot Rates
Dry van spot rates increased 5.3 cents all in while rates excluding a calculated fuel surcharge rose 8 cents. All-in rates were about 52% higher than during the same 2025 week while fuel-adjusted rates were just under 59% higher. Dry van rates rose week over week in all regions, but the gains were largest for loads originating in the Southeast and Mountain Central regions.
Dry van loads increased 10.5%. Volume was 33.5% higher than in the same 2025 week. Volume rose week over week in all regions, but the increases were especially strong for loads originating in the Midwest and Northeast.
Refrigerated Spot Rates
Refrigerated spot rates rose 8.3 cents all in for the first increase in five weeks, and rates excluding a calculated fuel surcharge increased 11 cents. Broker-posted rates were close to 41% higher than during the same week last year while fuel-adjusted rates were a little more than 43% higher. Spot rate changes varied greatly by region. Rates rose very sharply for loads originating in the Southeast but were unchanged in the Northeast and declined slightly in the Midwest.
Refrigerated loads jumped 16.9% for the largest increase since International Roadcheck week in mid-May. However, volume was down more than 7% versus the same 2025 week for the first negative prior-year comparison in eight weeks. Load postings rose in all regions, but the gains were especially notable for loads originating in the Southeast, Midwest, and South Central regions.
Flatbed Spot Rates
Flatbed spot rates declined by just under a penny all in after easing by a little more than a cent in the previous week. However, rates excluding a calculated fuel surcharge increased 1.8 cents. All-in flatbed spot rates were nearly 52% higher than in the same 2025 week while fuel-adjusted rates were up close to 57%. Although spot rates declined overall, they were down week over week only for loads originating in the Southeast region, which accounts for the most flatbed volume. All other regions posted small increases.
Flatbed loads dipped 0.7%. Volume was about 45% higher than in the same week last year for the softest comparison in 12 weeks. Load postings were mixed by region, but the principal weakness was for loads originating in the Southeast.
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.
