Spot truckload rates poised to set records in June
Spot truckload rates on the DAT network of load boards rose again during the week ending June 16 and are on track to achieve the highest-ever monthly average for van, refrigerated (reefer), and flatbed freight, according to DAT Solutions.
Despite a 6% drop in posted loads and 5.4% jump in the number of available trucks (capacity typically increases during the week after Roadcheck), national average rates gained for all three equipment types. The flatbed rate set a record while van and reefer rates were just shy of their all-time high:
- Van: $2.30/mile, up 1 cent
- Flatbed: $2.82/mile, up 1 cent
- Reefer: $2.70/mile, up 1 cent
VAN OVERVIEW: Van load posts fell 5% while truck posts increased 4% compared to the previous week. The van load-to-truck ratio declined 8% to 10.3 loads per truck.
The number of available loads increased by double-digit percentage points in key markets including Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, and Atlanta. Looking at spot rates, most of the top-gaining van lanes were in the West, including:
- Stockton, Calif., to Seattle, up 31 cents to $3.80/mile
- Stockton to Salt Lake City, up 30 cents to $2.87/mile
- Los Angeles to Seattle, up 23 cents to $3.75/mile
Houston to Dallas retreated 14 cents to $2.83/mile last week.
FLATBED OVERVIEW: Flatbed load posts slipped 7% and truck posts increased 7% last week, which pushed the flatbed load-to-truck ratio down to 88.7. It was 109 the previous week.
REEFER OVERVIEW: Reefer load posts fell 9%, truck posts increased 6%, and the reefer load-to-truck ratio dipped from 14.7 to 12.6 loads per truck.
Last week's increase in capacity had a bigger impact on reefer markets than on dry vans. While the national average reefer rate ticked upward, many high-traffic lanes had lower prices. Among them:
- Dallas to Houston fell 3 cents to $3.57/mile
- Elizabeth, N.J. to Boston was down 11 cents to $4.52/mile
- Chicago to Kansas City declined 16 cents to $2.56/mile
DAT Trendlines is generated using DAT RateView, which provides real-time reports on prevailing spot market and contract rates, as well as historical rate and capacity trends. RateView's comprehensive database is comprised of more than $45 billion in freight bills in over 65,000 lanes. For the latest spot market load availability and rate information, visit dat.com/trendlines and join the conversation on Twitter with @LoadBoards.