Overall load availability fell 3.9% versus a 6.6% gain in posted capacity.
Still, flatbed season picked up as load availability added 7.7% while capacity edged down 2.4%. The flatbed load-to-truck ratio increased from 14.8 to 16.4, meaning there were 16.4 available loads for every available flatbed truck.
The national average flatbed rate rose 3 cents to a national average of $2.18 per mile, buoyed by markets like Jacksonville, FL, up 20 cents to $2.86 per mile, and Houston, up 1 cent to an average of $2.25 per mile. The average Houston-Bismarck, N.D., lane rate climbed 40 cents to $2.59 per mile ,DAT reported.
The number of refrigerated loads dropped 11% and available capacity increased 9.8%, which sent the load-to-truck ratio down from 9.6 to 7.8. The national average spot rate for reefer freight dipped 1 cent to $2.15 per mile due to a decline in the average fuel surcharge.
The national average spot rate for van loads was unchanged for the third straight week at $1.94 per mile. Van freight availability slipped 9.1% while available van capacity was up 8.3% resulting in a 2.9 van load-to-truck ratio, down from 3.5. Demand may rebound as the end of the quarter approaches.
