Spot market truckload activity picked up during the week ending April 21 as the number of posted loads increased 3.1% and truck posts rose 4%, according to the freight matching service provider DAT Solutions.
National load-to-truck ratios fell for all three equipment types which put downward pressure on national average rates for spot van and refrigerated freight compared to the week before.
- Van: $2.16 per mile, down 5 cents
- Flatbed: $2.64 per mile, up 1 cent
- Reefer: $2.42 per mile, down 2 cents
The van load-to-truck ratio dipped from 6.6 to 1 to 6.4 to 1, as load posts decreased 1% and truck posts increased 3%. Overall van trends were balanced with rates moving higher on 47 of DAT’s top 100 van lanes and lower on 48 lanes with five lanes neutral.
Key van markets include:
- Denver, $1.42 per mile, up 3 cents. The average Denver outbound rate is up 5.3% over the past four weeks
- Stockton, California, $2.07 per mile, up 4 cents
- Atlanta, $2.39 per mile, down 3 cents due a stronger Florida market and despite robust outbound volumes
The flatbed market remained solid as load posts increased 7% and truck posts increased 8% while the national average flatbed rate set another record high at $2.64 per mile. The load-to-truck ratio slipped 1% to 102.2 loads per truck to stay above 100 loads per truck for the fourth week in a row.
After a 15% drop the previous week, the national load-to-truck ratio for reefers fell 11% from 9.4 to 1 to 8.4 to 1. Reefer load posts slipped 5% while truck posts increased 6%.
As is typical for this time of year, reefer freight is highly affected by regional trends. Lanes to watch:
- Grand Rapids to Philadelphia, $3.85 per mile, up 44 cents
- Elizabeth, New Jersey to Boston, $4.32 per mile, up 13 cents
- Ontario, California to Phoenix, $3.26 per mile, up 18 cents
- Atlanta to Lakeland, Florida, $3.25 per mile, unchanged
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