Spot Rates Barely Move Despite Big Gains Along Certain Lanes
The latest weekly numbers on the spot truckload freight market are both a good news and not so good news situation.


The latest weekly numbers on the spot truckload freight market are both a good news and not so good news situation.
First, the good news. The number of posted loads increased 36% for the week ending June 11, according to DAT Solutions and its network of load boards.
That made it a respectable week for carriers as load-to-truck ratios all jumped substantially. The van load-to-truck ratio hit 3.1 loads per truck, up 23%. The reefer ratio climbed 29% to 5.9 to 1, while the flatbed ratio moved to 20.3 to 1, a 10% increase compared to the previous week. All of this may point to higher rates around the corner
Now, the less than good news. Following some long overdue improvements in rates the week before, they hardly budged in this most recent cycle. However, there were some places that saw big jumps.
The average van rate totaled $1.61 per mile, down 1 cent despite increases in average rates in major markets. Reefers added 1 cent for an average of $1.94 per mile due to higher rates out of California, the Northeast and Midwest. Flatbeds were unchanged at $1.93 per mile as a 1 cent drop in the line-haul rate was offset by a 1 cent increase in the fuel surcharge.
Rates rose sharply in the top 100 van lanes last week as demand for vans fell just 4%. Consumer goods are moving through the retail supply chain and the added freight is driving rates up, according to DAT.
Traditional backhaul lane rates are softer. For example, van loads from Phoenix to Denver are paying 18 cents more in June so far than they did in May, but the backhaul from Denver to Phoenix dropped to 95 cents a mile.
In the reefer market, vegetables and tree fruit in California are now moving, with grapes expected soon. The average outbound rate from Fresno was $2.21 a mile last week, up 8 cents, while Los Angeles jumped 11 cents to $2.59. Nearly all the lanes out of Florida lost traction, with Lakeland to Charlotte falling 24 cents to $1.66 a mile, the region’s largest decline.
More Fleet Management

For Nicky Cupp, Fleet Innovation Starts With Frustration
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Nicky Cupp turns everyday pain points at Fraley & Schilling into opportunities for better technology and smarter processes.
Read More →
Adam Buttgenbach’s Approach to Electric Trucks: Start With Where They Fit
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Adam Buttgenbach helped PepsiCo build one of North America’s largest EV fleets by focusing on where electric trucks make operational sense.
Read More →
Deen Albert: Let Automation Do the Math, People Make the Decisions
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Deen Albert makes sure people are still at the heart of operations at Grand Island Express, even while adopting artificial intelligence tools. AI-assisted dispatch helped boost revenue 25% with the same number of trucks.
Read More →Trimble’s New AI Agent Takes Aim at Fleet Back-Office Busywork
Arc Agent works across Trimble TMS products to automate repetitive tasks such as freight orders, maintenance, invoices, fuel costs and more.
Read More →
How HDT’s 2026 Truck Fleet Innovators Are Rethinking Fleet Operations
Meet five trucking leaders who are challenging assumptions, solving operational problems, and putting innovative ideas to work.
Read More →
Tight Trucking Capacity Pushes Rates Higher Even as Freight Volumes Fall
“Spot rates moving ahead of contract rates have historically signaled a tightening market, but we haven’t seen a capacity-driven market quite like this one,” said DAT's Dean Croke.
Read More →
Import Cargo’s Early Peak Season is Winding Down
There was an early start to peak season this year at the nation's gateway ports, as retailers brought in merchandise ahead of tariff changes in late July and responded to other supply chain uncertainties,
Read More →
Fewer Cargo Thefts, Bigger Losses: Criminals Target Higher-Value Loads
CargoNet says organized theft rings are stealing fewer shipments but choosing more valuable freight, including metals and technology, resulting in record losses.
Read More →
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 →
