MENU
SEARCHFreight volume followed a common seasonal pattern of declining in August on the spot freight market as linehaul rates also moved lower, pushing the latest DAT North American Freight Index down for the second straight month.
Freight volume followed a common seasonal pattern of declining in August on the spot freight market as linehaul rates also moved lower, pushing the latest DAT North American Freight Index down for the second straight month.
Overall volume fell 8.8%, the fourth July-to-August drop in the past 10 years, as this year's fall freight season, which sometimes begins in mid-August, appears to be starting a few weeks later, the company reported.
By equipment type, van freight levels dropped 3.7% month over month, refrigerated freight edged down 0.4%, and flatbeds were off 18%.
The company added that early indications suggest improving van and reefer freight availability in September, with van-load posts up 6% and reefers 4% higher Aug. 30-Sept. 5 compared to the previous week.
Compared to the extraordinary high volume of 2014, August freight availability was down 44% overall, as vans declined 35%, reefers fell 29% and flatbeds dropped 57%.
Volume for August also fell below same-month totals for the past four years, but freight availability remained strong compared to the previous five-year period, from 2005 through 2010, which included an economic recession, according to DAT.
Line haul rates on the spot market followed the month-over-month volume trends by equipment type, declining 1.3% for vans, 2.7% for reefers and 2.2% for flatbeds. However, the average total rate paid to carriers declined more steeply, due to lower diesel prices that yielded a 14%reduction in the fuel surcharge compared to July. Carriers are typically paid a sum of the line haul rate and the fuel surcharge, on a per-mile basis. With fuel included, the total rate declined 3.3% for both vans and flatbeds, and fell 4.2% for reefers.
Compared to August 2014, line haul rates declined only 1.3% for vans, while reefer rates dipped 1.1% and flatbeds lost 5.8%, but total rates declined by 11% to 15%, due to a 49% decline in the fuel surcharge over the year.
The DAT North American Freight Index reflects spot market freight availability on the DAT Solutions network of load boards in the U.S. and Canada.
How a former commercial vehicle enforcement officer turned director of safety at K&B Transportation is embracing real-world safety technology.
Read More →
When the unexpected happens, how you react to, and deal with operational blind spots is critical. Here’s how to keep you recovery on track, when nothing is normal.
Read More →
As fleets adopt artificial intelligence for routing, maintenance, and load matching, new security risks are emerging. Learn where the vulnerabilities are and how to put the right controls in place.
Read More →
The long-awaited registration system promises a single portal — and tighter fraud controls.
Read More →
CargoNet reports fewer supply chain crime events to start 2026. But losses hold steady as organized crime shifts tactics toward impersonation schemes and high-value goods.
Read More →
Heavy Duty Trucking is searching for forward-looking leaders at trucking fleets as nominations for HDT’s Truck Fleet Innovators 2026. Deadline is May 15.
Read More →
Cargo theft rings plant operatives as drivers inside legitimate, fully vetted carriers, then execute coordinated thefts that look like a traditional straight theft from the outside.
Read More →
A modest sequential increase capped the strongest quarterly performance in years, signaling continued freight momentum in early 2026.
Read More →
More than 300 carriers across 26 states have been sent to collections as the Ohio Turnpike cracks down on toll evasion and delinquent payments.
Read More →
The American Transportation Research Institute will examine driver coaching, regulatory impacts — including the "Beyond Compliance" concept —and weather disruptions that shape trucking operations.
Read More →
