Spot rates weaken as dry van and flatbed prices fall below seasonal trends

FTR and DAT data show weakening dry van and flatbed spot rates despite year-over-year gains across major equipment types.
Aug. 13, 2026
2 min read
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Key takeaways

  • Dry van spot rates fell nearly 6 cents, marking their largest weekly drop since at least 2008.
  • Flatbed spot rates dropped nearly 7 cents, while loads declined almost 3% last week.
  • Reefer spot rates rose, but the gain fell short of seasonal expectations despite stronger load volumes.
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Truckload spot rates fall as dry van, flatbed, and reefer markets underperform

Spot rates are underperforming compared to what’s typical for this time of year, according to weekly reports from FTR Transportation Intelligence and DAT Freight & Analytics. 

Last week, dry van rates saw their largest drop since at least 2008. Flatbed rates also fell more than expected, with the only comparable week from 2022. Refrigerated rates did rise slightly but not as much as seasonally expected. Overall, total spot rates are at their lowest since last April.

FTR
total spot rates chart

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

Dry van rates and volumes

According to FTR: Spot rates dropped almost 6 cents last week. Year over year, rates are up almost 40%. Dry van loads dropped almost 1%. 

According to DAT: National linehaul spot rates dropped 4 cents last week, averaging $2.28 per mile.

Refrigerated rates and volumes

According to FTR: Spot rates rose almost 3 cents last week. Rates were just over 38% higher than last year. Refrigerated loads rose just over 4%.

According to DAT: National linehaul spot rates rose 5 cents last week, averaging $2.65 per mile. 

Flatbed rates and volumes

According to FTR: Spot rates dropped almost 7 cents last week. Year over year, rates were up about 44%. Flatbed loads dropped almost 3%. 

According to DAT: National linehaul spot rates dropped 4 cents last week, averaging $2.79 per mile.

About the Author

Jenna Hume

Jenna Hume

Digital Editor

Digital Content Specialist Jenna Hume joined FleetOwner in November 2023 and previously worked as a writer in the gaming industry. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from Truman State University and a master of Fine Arts degree in writing from Lindenwood University. She is currently based in Missouri. 

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