The amount of freight on the spot market has jumped considerably but rates have improved little.

Freight matching service provider DAT reports total loads available increased 7.8% Nov. 17 through 23 compared to the previous seven days. Load volume for vans posted the largest week-to-week gain so far this month, up 10.7%, with elevated retail activity and Christmas tree shipments out of the Northwest, North Carolina and Michigan, among other markets.

Load-to-truck ratios also greatly increased in the van and reefer categories, picking up 15% and 13%, respectively, while if fell 7.3% in the flatbed sector.

The average rate for vans held at $1.86 per mile for the third straight week, while reefer rates fell for the second consecutive week, down 1.4% over the past week, averaging $2.04 per mile, despite an 11.9% increase in loads last week. The average rate for flatbeds was the only gainer, increasing 0.5% to $2.06 per mile.