Spot Load Availability Up, Rates Down

Van and reefer load availability increased for the third consecutive week but so did the availability of equipment, contributing to lower national average spot market rates for van, refrigerated, and flatbed loads.

According to DAT Solutions, which reported the results, the total number of loads posted rose 2.5% during the week, nearly matching the increase in the number of equipment posts (2.6%).

A balance of available loads and capacity generally means little movement on rates. Indeed, the national average van rate dropped 2 cents to $1.77 per mile as the van load-to-truck ratio fell 1.2% to 1.8, meaning there were 1.6 available van loads for every truck posted on the DAT network.

Key markets including Los Angeles (down 5 cents to $2.02 per mile), Chicago (down 3 cents to $1.96), Dallas (off 3 cents to $1.70), and Atlanta (down 5 cents to $1.79) all saw declines in average outbound van rates.

In the reefer market, the national average spot truckload rate dipped 1 cent to $2.04 per mile. Load volume increased 2.0% but lagged behind a 4.5% jump in equipment availability, which helped send the reefer load-to-truck ratio down 2.4% to 4.5 loads per truck.

Flatbed load availability recovered 3.7% last week and capacity declined 1.0%, pushing the flatbed load-to-truck ratio up 4.8% to 12.8 loads per truck. The national average rate for flatbeds dropped 8 cents to $2.07 per mile compared to the previous week, including a 1-cent drop in the fuel surcharge.

Category: Featured, General Update