Truckload Spot Rates and Volume Pop

Truckload rates on the spot market rose sharply for all three equipment types during the first week of May, reported DAT Solutions.

Driven by demand for refrigerated and dry vans, the number of loads posted on DAT boards was up 5.1% compared to the previous week.

The national average spot reefer rate was up 11 cents to a national average of $1.90 per mile, as the number of posted reefer loads increased 11%. Reefer truck capacity gained 5%, pushing the load-to-truck ratio up 6% to 3.4 loads per truck. That means there were 3.4 available loads for every reefer posted on the DAT network.

Outbound reefer freight volumes and rates surged in Florida, with Lakeland up 29 cents to an average of $1.91 a mile and Miami adding 23 cents to an average of $2.32 a mile. Miami-to-Baltimore jumped 41 cents to an average of $2.62 a mile.

Van load posts rose 11% and the number of available trucks was virtually unchanged. That pushed the van load-to-truck ratio up 11% to 1.8 loads per truck. The national average spot market rate for vans added 7 cents to $1.57 per mile, including a 2-cent rise in the average fuel surcharge.

Hot Van Markets By Region:

– South Central: Houston, $1.49/mile, up 5 cents
– Southeast: Charlotte, $1.77/mile, up 2 cents
– West: Los Angeles, $1.89/mile, up 3 cents
– Northeast: Allentown, Pa., $1.76/mile, up 4 cents
– Midwest: Chicago, $1.73/mile, up 1 cent

Flats Hold Steady: Flatbed load volume was unchanged while capacity increased 12% from the previous week. That led to a 11% decline in the load-to-truck ratio, from 21.1 to 18.8 loads per truck. The national average flatbed rate added 1 cent to $1.91 a mile.

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