Freight Trends from DAT One and DAT iQ

Spot market data for July 7-13, 2024 (Week 28)

Load posts on DAT One rebounded by 66% last week

The number of loads posted on DAT One increased by almost 66% to 2.13 million last week, recovering (and then some) from a 48% drop during the July 4 holiday week. The number of loads was 6% higher year over year. Truck posts also bounced higher, up 19% week over week to 327,847.

Dry Vans
▲  Van loads: 1.01 million, up 62.2% week over week
▲  Van equipment: 215,244, up 19.1%
▲  Load-to-truck ratio: 4.7, up from 3.6
▼  Linehaul rate: $1.67 net fuel, down 3 cents week over week 

Reefers
▲  Reefer loads: 475,682, up 44.4% week over week
▲  Reefer equipment: 67,489, up 16.2%
▲  Load-to-truck ratio: 7.1, up from 5.8
▼  Linehaul rate: $2.00 net fuel, down 4 cents

Flatbeds
▲  Flatbed loads: 639,646, up 94.6% week over week
▲  Flatbed equipment: 45,114, up 22.5%
▲  Load-to-truck ratio: 14.2, up from 9.1
—  Linehaul rate: $2.05 net fuel, unchanged

Market Notes from Dean Croke, DAT Principal Analyst:

• Dry van load post volume surged last week as retail goods moved for back-to-school shopping and Amazon Prime Days. Last week’s volumes were 7% higher than last year and almost identical to levels seen during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
• The average linehaul rate on DAT’s Top 50 van lanes, based on the volume of loads moved, was $2.08 a mile, down 4 cents week over week and 41 cents higher than the national average.
• Dry van equipment posts were up 19% week over week but the lowest Week 28 total since 2017.
• Excess capacity in the spot market was evident as the average dry van and reefer linehaul rates dropped last week. The flatbed rate was unchanged.
• Flatbed load post volumes returned to within 2% year over year but were still 38% lower than the Week 28 eight-year average, excluding years impacted by the pandemic. Flatbed equipment posts were up 23% week over week but 24% lower than last year.

Category: Connected Fleet News, Driver Stuff, Equipment, Featured, General Update, Management, News, Vehicles