Spot truckload rates for the week of Oct. 7 set records again, according to data tracked by load board operator DAT Solutions. Though the number of available loads fell 3% after the close of the quarter, generally tight capacity kept spot load-to-truck ratios elevated and pushed rates higher – particularly where refrigerated freight was concerned:
- Dry van: 6.7 available loads per truck, with rates up 12 cents to $2.09 per mile.
- Flatbed: 46.7 loads per truck, with rates up 4 cents to $2.31 per mile.
- Refrigerated: 12.4 loads per truck, with rates up 14 cents to $2.37 per mile.
DAT said the market for dry van freight “remains solid” despite a 6% decline in volume and 1% increase in truck posts last week.
In Seattle and the Pacific Northwest, higher reefer load counts in the region contributed to tighter van capacity, meaning that fewer reefer trucks were competing for van loads.
Rerouted port traffic from Houston to Seattle after Hurricane Harvey may have added to demand for trucks in the area, DAT added.
The number of flatbed load posts dipped 1% and truck posts increased 6%, with rebuilding efforts in Florida and the Gulf Coast driving demand for flatbed capacity, the firm noted.
