Load-Board Activity Increases in December, DAT Says

Spot market freight activity increased 10% in December on DAT’s load boards, bucking the usual end-of-year trend, said the company, which is part of TransCore.

Freight levels usually rise in the second quarter of the year, fall in the third and remain flat through the end of the year, DAT said in a Jan. 15 statement. But in 2013, freight stayed high through the second half of the year.

The 10% increase was from November; volumes grew 45% from December 2012, DAT said. It was the busiest December since DAT started in 1996.

Load availability grew 19% for dry vans, 14% for refrigerated trailers and 1% for flatbeds, compared with November.

Spot market rates also grew in each segment, led by vans at 5%, reefers at 3.2% and flatbeds at 3.8%.