Spot Market Results Show Dry Van Rates Up 4.5 Cents

The latest Spot Market results were mixed as dry van and flatbed rates increased while refrigerated rates continued to fall.

Broker-posted data from Truckstop.com for the week ending September 25 showed relatively stable overall load activity. Total spot loads reached 160.9, while the total market rate increased 1 cent to $3.24 per mile.

The results came during another week of unusually high diesel prices. Although fuel costs have started to ease, they remain far above year-ago levels and continue to account for a significant portion of current all-in spot rates.

Spot Market Load Activity Holds Steady

Total load activity was nearly unchanged from the previous week. However, volume was almost 9% higher than during the same week in 2025.

Truck postings decreased 0.3%, pushing the Market Demand Index slightly higher. The index measures the ratio of available loads to available trucks.

The relatively stable overall market masked larger differences among equipment types.

Dry van load activity barely moved, refrigerated loads declined sharply, and flatbed loads increased.

Total Spot Market Rate Rises to $3.24

The total broker-posted Spot Market rate increased 1 cent to $3.24 per mile.

That rate was nearly 42% higher than during the comparable week last year.

However, fuel remains an important part of that year-over-year increase.

FTR calculates a fuel surcharge component to estimate the portion of the rate needed to recover fuel expenses. Spot-market carriers typically do not receive a separate fuel surcharge, but the calculation helps show how much elevated diesel prices are contributing to higher all-in rates.

Rates excluding that calculated fuel component continued to soften compared with the all-in rate. Even so, they remained about 34% higher than the same period in 2025.

Dry Van Spot Rates Rise to $2.78

Dry van provided one of the more notable results of the week.

Broker-posted dry van rates increased 4.5 cents to $2.78 per mile after falling by about 3 cents the previous week.

FTR noted that an increase during a comparable week is unusual based on seasonal patterns.

Dry van rates were more than 46% higher than during the same week last year.

Rates increased across every region. The strongest gains occurred on the West Coast and in the Mountain Central region.

Dry van load activity was almost unchanged, slipping just 0.1% from the previous week. However, load volume remained 21.6% above the same week in 2025.

Load postings increased sharply on the West Coast and rose modestly in the Southeast. They declined in the other regions.

Refrigerated Spot Rates Fall Again

The refrigerated Spot Market moved in the opposite direction.

Reefer rates fell 7.3 cents to $3.49 per mile. That followed a decline of more than 6 cents during the previous week.

Despite two consecutive weekly declines, refrigerated rates remained nearly 47% higher than during the same week last year.

Regional results varied significantly.

Rates increased in the West Central, South Central and West Coast regions. However, they fell sharply in the Midwest and Southeast and also declined in the Northeast.

Refrigerated load activity dropped 9.2% for the week.

Even with that decline, reefer load volume was more than 33% higher than during the comparable week in 2025.

Load postings increased in the Southeast but declined elsewhere. The largest decreases occurred on the West Coast and in the Mountain Central region.

Flatbed Spot Market Rates Edge Higher

Flatbed rates continued to move higher, although the latest increase was small.

The average flatbed spot rate increased by slightly less than 1 cent to $3.32 per mile. That followed a gain of more than 5 cents during the previous week.

Flatbed rates were approximately 42% higher than during the same week in 2025.

Rates declined in the Northeast but increased in every other region. The gain in the Southeast was minimal.

Flatbed load activity increased 1.7% during the week.

Load postings declined in the South Central region and edged lower in the Mountain Central region. They increased across the remaining regions.

Diesel Prices Fall From Record High

Fuel costs remain an important factor behind current Spot Market rates.

FTR’s latest calculations were based on the record national diesel average of $6.529 per gallon reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration for the week ending September 21.

New EIA data released September 29 show some relief.

The national average fell 14.7 cents to $6.382 per gallon for the week ending September 28. Despite that decline, diesel remains significantly more expensive than a year ago.

The latest EIA figure is $2.628 per gallon higher than the same period in 2025.

High fuel costs help explain why the difference between all-in spot rates and rates adjusted for fuel remains significant.

What Could Come Next for the Spot Market

Seasonal patterns could provide some support for dry van and flatbed rates during the current week.

According to FTR, dry van and flatbed spot rates almost always increase during week 39. Refrigerated rates, meanwhile, typically decline.

The latest results already show that split developing.

Dry van rates rebounded despite mostly stable load activity, and flatbed recorded another increase. Reefer rates continued to move lower as load volume fell.

The next round of Spot Market data will show whether dry van and flatbed rates follow their typical seasonal pattern as the industry moves into October and whether lower diesel prices begin to reduce some of the fuel pressure built into current rates.