BEAVERTON, Ore.— According to DAT Freight & Analytics, spot truckload rates rose in June despite declines in the number of loads moved.
“The month ended strong for dry van freight, with nearly 25% more volume moving during the final week of June compared to last year,” said DAT chief of analytics Ken Adamo. “While demand for trucking services entered July on a high note, we expect freight activity to ease during the summer. This remains a challenging market for freight carriers and brokers.”
The DAT Truckload Volume Index (TVI), an indicator of loads moved during a given month, retreated from all-time highs for van and refrigerated (“reefer”) loads in May:
- Van TVI: 266, down 9% month over month
- Reefer TVI: 199, down 11%
- Flatbed TVI: 279, down 7%
According to DAT, year over year, the van and flatbed TVI dipped 3% and 5%, respectively. The reefer TVI was up 7% compared to June 2023.
Spot rates rose for all three equipment types and the national average spot truckload rates increased for the third consecutive month in June:
- Spot van: $2.07 per mile, up 6 cents
- Spot reefer: $2.45 a mile, up 4 cents
- Spot flatbed: $2.53 a mile, up 1 cent
“The average van linehaul rate was $1.64 a mile, up 6 cents compared to May,” DAT said in a press release. “The reefer rate gained 5 cents to $1.99 and the flatbed rate increased 1 cent to $2.02. Linehaul rates subtract an amount equal to an average fuel surcharge.”
National average rates for contracted van and reefer freight ticked higher:
Contract van rate: $2.44 per mile, up 1 cent
Contract reefer rate: $2.81 a mile, up 2 cents
Contract flatbed rate: $3.14 a mile, down 2 cents
The national average van and reefer load-to-truck ratios increased for the fourth straight month in June, reflecting a combination of higher demand and fewer trucks in the marketplace:
- Van ratio: 4.7, up from 4.4 in May, meaning there were 4.7 loads for every van truck on the DAT One marketplace
- Reefer ratio: 7.0, up from 6.3
- Flatbed ratio: 14.6, down from 18.0
DAT added that ratios were higher year over year. In June 2023, the average van ratio was 3.5, the reefer ratio was 5.5, and the flatbed ratio was 13.3. Load-to-truck ratios reflect truckload supply and demand on the DAT One marketplace and indicate the pricing environment for spot truckload freight.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
