Spot market freight rates have improved across the board, according to new weekly figures from the freight matching service provider DAT Solutions.

Vans had the biggest increase, 2.4%, from Nov. 30 through Dec. 6 compared to the previous seven days, turning in an average of $2.10 per mile, 8 cents higher than three weeks earlier.

Reefers were not far behind with a 1.7% improvement, hitting $2.41 per mile and 10 cents higher than three weeks ago.

Flatbeds registered a 0.9% increase for an average of $2.33 per mile and its best showing out of the four-week period.

This happened as the number of spot market loads available to haul surged 20% but truck capacity to move the freight increased only 11%.

Load-truck-ratios also posted healthy gains with flatbeds and reefers each improving 8.9%. The flatbed load-to-truck ratio improved to 18.2 loads per truck as flatbed load availability increased 40% following a 28% decline during Thanksgiving week. Reefers increased to 12.6 loads per truck due to a 17% increase in demand for them coupled with a 7.7% capacity increase.

The van load-to-truck ratio gain was smaller at 1.8%, pushing it up to 4.5 loads-per-truck, as freight availability in the sector recovered 9.6% from the previous week.