Spot Truckload Freight Volume and Capacity Fall

Spot truckload freight volume and available capacity both fell during the week ending May 21, reported DAT Solutions.

However, load-to-truck ratios increased and diesel prices have been rising sharply—an indication that spot rates may pick up soon.

The number of spot market load posts fell 4%, driven by a 6% drop in flatbed load volume. Fewer truck posts compared to the previous week helped boost load-to-truck ratios across all three equipment types: the van ratio gained 1%, to 1.7 loads per truck; the reefer ratio increased 18% to 3.3; and the flatbed ratio was up 5% to 15.4. Load-to-truck ratios measure the number of loads posted for each available truck on the DAT network.

National average spot TL rates held firm last week. The van rate was down 1 cent to $1.53/mile, the reefer rate was down a penny to $1.87/mile, and the flatbed rate was unchanged at $1.91/mile for the third week in a row.

Reefer Trends

Spot reefer rates rose on more than half of the highest-volume lanes. The high-dollar market in each region:

– West: Los Angeles, $2.41/mile, unchanged
– Midwest: Grand Rapids, Mich., $2.39/mile, up 2 cents
– South Central: McAllen, Texas, $1.88/mile, down 1 cent
– Southeast: Miami, $2.06/mile, unchanged
– Northeast: Philadelphia, $2.16/mile, down 9 cents

Atlanta and Lakeland, Fla., are still No. 1 and 2 for reefer load posts on DAT load boards, though volumes slipped a bit in Central Florida.

Category: General Update