Refrigeratedtransporter 1768 Spot Mkt Chart July 30

Load-to-truck ratios end July higher; spot volume climbs

Aug. 4, 2016

The number of available loads on the spot truckload freight market increased 3.5% during the week ending July 30, 2016, sending load-to-truck ratios higher at the close of July, reported DAT Solutions, which operates the DAT network of load boards.

A big surprise: at $1.64/mile, the monthly average spot rate for vans in July was 2 cents higher than the average in June, when shippers typically have more demand for truckload capacity.

Vans—The number of van load posts increased 6% the week ending July 30 with shippers working to close July on a high note. The van load-to-truck ratio rose slightly to 2.8 loads per truck on a 5% drop in the number of posted trucks. Regionally, markets with the highest average rates showed little or no change compared with the previous week:

•Southeast—Charlotte NC, $1.95/mile, unchanged

•West—Los Angeles CA, $2.12/mile, up 2 cents

•Midwest—Chicago IL, $1.86/mile, unchanged

•South Central—Dallas TX, $1.58/mile, unchanged

•Northeast—Allentown PA, $2.00/mile, down 1 cent

Reefers—The number of reefer load posts gained 13% the week ending July 30 while truck posts fell 5%, which led to an 18% jump in the reefer load-to-truck ratio to 5.1 loads per truck. However, the national average spot reefer rate dropped another 3 cents to $1.93/mile. That’s below the June average but only by 4 cents. By comparison, 2015’s national reefer rate retreated 10 cents from June to July.

Flatbeds—The number of flatbed load posts declined 3% and truck posts were off 7% the week ending July 30, which caused the load-to-truck ratio to increase 5% to 14.4 loads per truck. The national average flatbed rate rose 1 cent per mile to $1.92/mile.

Most major flatbed markets were down, but one bucked that trend: Raleigh NC, where strong construction activity helped propel spot rates up 14 cents the week ending July 30 to an average of $2.54/mile. The lane from Raleigh to Tampa FL gained 35 cents in the past month to $2.55/mile.

The national average price of diesel slipped 3 cents to $2.35/gallon.

Rates are derived from DAT RateView, which provides real-time reports on prevailing spot market and contract rates, as well as historical rate and capacity trends. All reported rates include fuel surcharges.

Get the latest rate trends at www.DAT.com/Trendlines.