MENU
SEARCHThe number of loads on the spot truckload freight market jumped 3.6% during the week ending March 24 while truck capacity increased 1.3%, according to DAT Solutions.
Flatbed spot freight rates were up last week while reefer spot rates remained unchainged. Source: DAT Solutions
The number of loads on the spot truckload freight market jumped 3.6% during the week ending March 24 while truck capacity increased 1.3%, according to DAT Solutions.
Load-to-truck ratios increased as a result of the increased activity, representing the number of available loads for every truck on the spot market.
Flatbed ratio: 87.7, three straight weeks in the 86-to-88 range
Van ratio: 6.9, up slightly compared to the previous week
Reefer ratio: 10.5, up 3.7% from 10.1
With freight volume building ahead of the end of the first quarter, the start of the penalty phase of the ELD mandate, and Easter weekend, national average spot rates held firm. Flatbed spot rates were up 2 cents to $2.52/mile the highest rate since Summer 2014. Flatbed load volume on DAT load boards rose 5.6%, building on a 9% increase the previous week.
Van rates dropped 1 cent to $2.13/mile and reefer spot rates remained unchanged for the fourth week in a row at $2.40/mile. The number of available van loads rose 2% versus a 1% increase in the number of truck posts. Reefer load posts increased 3% while truck posts were virtually unchanged.
A new partnership brings free wireless ELD service plus load optimization and dispatch planning tools to fourth- and fifth-generation Freightliner Cascadia customers, with broader model availability planned through 2026.
Read More →
This white paper examines how advanced commercial vehicle diagnostics can significantly reduce fleet downtime as heavy duty vehicles become more complex. It shows how Autel’s CV diagnostic tools enable in-house troubleshooting, preventive maintenance, and faster repairs, helping fleets cut emissions-related downtime, reduce dealer dependence, and improve overall vehicle uptime and operating costs.
Read More →
6 intelligent dashcam tactics to improve safety and boost ROI
Read More →
The $283 million acquisition of FirstFleet makes Werner the fifth-largest dedicated carrier and pushes more than half of its revenue into contract freight.
Read More →
B2X Rewards is a new, gamified rewards program aimed at driving deeper engagement across BBM’s digital platforms, newsletters, events, and TheFleetSource.com.
Read More →
Trucking’s biggest technology shifts in 2026 have one thing in common: artificial intelligence.
Read More →
Why discipline, relationships, and focus have mattered more than size for smaller trucking fleets during the freight recession.
Read More →
Cargo theft losses hit $725 million last year. In this HDT Talks Trucking Short Take video, Scott Cornell explains how a bill moving in Congress could bring federal tracking, enforcement, and prosecutions to help address the problem.
Read More →
Cargo theft activity across North America held relatively steady in 2025 — but the financial damage did not, as ever-more-sophisticated organized criminal groups shifted their cargo theft focus to higher-value shipments.
Read More →
A new partnership between Phillips Connect and McLeod allows fleets to view trailer health, location, and cargo status inside the same McLeod workflows used for planning, dispatch, and execution.
Read More →
