Spot Truckload Rates Poised to Set Records in June
Spot truckload rates on the DAT Solutions network of load boards rose again for the week ending June 16 and are on track to achieve the highest ever monthly average for van, refrigerated, and flatbed freight.

Spot truckload rates rose again and are on track to achieve the highest ever monthly average for van, refrigerated, and flatbed freight.
Source: DAT Solutions
Spot truckload rates on the DAT Solutions network of load boards rose again for the week ending June 16 and are on track to achieve the highest ever monthly average for van, refrigerated, and flatbed freight, according to the freight matching service provider.
Despite a 6% drop in posted loads and 5.4% jump in the number of available trucks from the week before, 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 per mile, up 1 cent
Flatbed: $2.82 per mile, up 1 cent
Reefer: $2.70 per mile, up 1 cent
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 to 1.
The number of available loads increased by double-digit percentage points in key markets such as Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, and Atlanta. Looking at spot rates, most of the top-gaining van lanes were in the West, including:
Stockton, California to Seattle, up 31 cents to $3.80 per mile
Stockton to Salt Lake City, up 30 cents to $2.87 per mile
Los Angeles to Seattle, up 23 cents to $3.75 per mile
In contrast, Houston to Dallas retreated 14 cents to $2.83 per mile last week.
Flatbed load posts slipped 7% and truck posts increased 7% last week, which pushed the flatbed load-to-truck ratio down to 88.7 to 1. It was 109 to 1 the previous week.
Reefer load posts fell 9%, truck posts increased 6%, and the reefer load-to-truck ratio dipped from 14.7 to 1 to 12.6 to 1.
Last week's increase in capacity had a bigger impact on reefer markets than on dry vans, according to DAT. 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 per mile
Elizabeth, New Jersey to Boston was down 11 cents to $4.52 per mile
Chicago to Kansas City declined 16 cents to $2.56 per mile.
Related: How Trucking Fleets Are Dealing With a Hot Flatbed Sector
More Fleet Management

How Innovative Trucking Leaders Turn Change Into an Advantage
As the pace of change accelerates in trucking, the fleets that adapt best have more than the latest technology. They have cultures that embrace improvement.
Read More →
Freight Broker Bonds Just Got Harder to Get. Here's What That Means for Your Fleet.
When it gets harder for a freight broker to prove they are financially sound, the ones who cannot clear that bar get pushed out of the market. And those are exactly the brokers who used to leave motor carriers holding the bag.
Read More →
Long-Awaited Canadian Border Bridge to Open in Detroit
For trucking, the bridge opening should offer immediate improvements in efficiency and reliability, with new customs facilities, expanded inspection capacity, and direct freeway-to-freeway connections.
Read More →
Aurora Rolls Out Next Generation of Driverless Trucks for Commercial Freight
Aurora's latest autonomous trucks it's rolling out with International feature lower-cost hardware designed for a million miles as the company expands commercial driverless freight operations across the U.S. Sun Belt.
Read More →
Freight Tonnage Down, Rates up, as Lower Capacity Powers Trucking Recovery
The recovery from the freight recession continues to be driven by reduction in capacity rather than by increased demand.
Read More →
Think Your Trucking Fleet Isn't Using Much AI? Think Again
Shadow AI — the use of unauthorized artificial intelligence tools at work — is becoming increasingly common, putting sensitive company data at risk. Learn how trucking fleets can protect sensitive data while embracing AI.
Read More →
ArcBest Consolidates Brands, Cuts Workforce
The company will bring three business units under the ArcBest brand, eliminate about 2% of positions, and expects the changes to generate $40 million in annual savings.
Read More →
Trucking Fleets Faced Record Operating Costs During Third Year of Freight Recession
ATRI's annual operational cost report shows carriers trimmed fleets, delayed equipment purchases, and ran older trucks as expenses continued to outpace freight rates.
Read More →
Michelin Adds AI Assistant to MyConnectedFleet Platform
Michelin’s new generative AI tool delivers instant fleet insights, helping managers analyze fuel use, tire maintenance, vehicle status, and operational performance without manually creating reports.
Read More →
LytxOne Platform Now Features AI, Compliance, and Asset Tracking Tools
New enhancements add AI-powered insights, asset tracking, compliance automation, and configurable privacy controls to Lytx's all-in-one fleet management platform.
Read More →
