Spot Truckload Rates Rise on Tight Capacity, DAT Reports
Available spot truckload market loads jumped 36% last week while capacity increased just 5.5%, helping to push spot rates higher, DAT Solutions reported.
The national average van rate increased 5 cents to $1.90 per mile, the refrigerated van rate rose 4 cents to $2.23 and the flatbed rate edged up 1 cent to $2.19, DAT said June 10.
Typically, load and truck posts increase 20% to 25% after a holiday-shortened workweek. The capacity pressure may have been related to carriers parking trucks during Roadcheck, the commercial vehicle annual inspection blitz that was held June 2-4.
Van load posts were up 32%, but truck posts were up only 7.5%, an imbalance that sent the national van load-to-truck ratio up 23% to 3, meaning there were 3.0 available van loads for every truck posted on the DAT network.
Average outbound van rates rose in several key markets, including Los Angeles, which was up 8 cents to $2.17 per mile, and Atlanta, which rose 11 cents to $2.17.
Reefer availability increased 37.5% and capacity lost 1%, while flatbed load availability rose 38% but capacity added just 5.5%.
