Spot market rates show minimal changes as dry van, refrigerated, and flatbed volumes fluctuate

Spot market rate change was mixed but still minimal last week, according to reports from FTR Transportation Intelligence and DAT Freight & Analytics.

Total broker-posted spot rates barely moved again this week, FTR reported: “Historically, spot rates for the current week (week 43) usually decline for dry van and refrigerated but move higher for flatbed.” Rates were roughly 0.3% higher compared to last year.

Here is how rates and volumes changed across the three major spot market equipment types:

Dry van rates and volumes

FTR: Spot rates rose 0.7 cents after increasing 2 cents last week. Year over year, rates are down 3%. Dry van loads dropped 0.4% week over week and were down more than 7% compared to last year.

DAT: National linehaul spot rates increased by $0.02 per mile last week, averaging $1.72 per mile. This rate is 4% higher than last year.

Refrigerated rates and volumes

FTR: Spot rates increased half a cent last week. Rates were barely 1% higher than last year. Refrigerated loads dropped 1.24% last week, with volumes down 15% compared to last year.

DAT: The national seven-day rolling average for spot rates increased $0.02 per mile week over week, reaching $2.10. This rate is 6% higher than last year.

Flatbed rates and volumes

FTR: Spot rates rose just under half a cent last week. Year over year, rates are up 1.2%. Flatbed loads dropped 11.7%, the largest drop in 16 weeks, but are up almost 3.6% compared to last year.

DAT: National linehaul spot rates were flat last week for the second week in a row, averaging $2.07 per mile. This rate is 6% higher than last year.