Spot truckload rates jumped sharply during the week ending June 9 as the number of loads on DAT load boards increased 27% while truck posts fell 0.4%. Higher demand for capacity during a week that included the annual Roadcheck inspection blitz helped drive up rates.
National average spot market truckload rates moved slightly higher on the DAT Solutions network of load boards last week as both the number of posted loads and trucks also rose, amid signs of tighter capacity.
While the number of spot market loads on the DAT network of load boards fell last week along with truck posts, rates changed little.
The Cass Truckload Linehaul Index continued the acceleration that began in 2017 by posting a record 8.2% year-over-year increase, with the measure hitting a reading of 134.8.
Old Dominion Freight Line has announced a general rate increase of 4.9% that will apply to rates established under the existing IDFL 59, 670, and 550 tariffs, effective June 4.
With a steadily improving economy and sectors such as manufacturing and construction going strong, many trucking companies are finding they have more freight than they have trucks to haul – but nowhere is that more true than in the flatbed sector.
The spring shipping season may be late, but it's here, especially in produce-distribution markets, according to the spot freight information reported by the DAT network of load boards.
Spot truckload freight volume had the strongest April on record, despite slipping 6.8% lower, a common seasonal trend, according to newly released figures from the DAT North American Freight Index.
Although the April 1 start to “hard enforcement” of the electronic logging device mandate does not seem to have had a huge effect on trucking capacity (except perhaps in flatbeds), there are a number of other factors that are working to keep capacity tight and rates high, likely at least until late this year, according to FTR.
Fr8 Revolution has announced its new Price Lock feature in the Fr8Star.com marketplace that allows shippers to obtain a fair market rate and book freight for legal and permitted and open deck freight.