The Latest Spot Market Results: Loads Up, Rates Down

Spot Market Shifts in Week 27: Load Volumes Rebound as Rates Drop

The spot market took a sharp turn during Week 27, as load volumes bounced back following the July 4th holiday, while truckload rates fell across all major equipment types. According to the latest data from Truckstop and FTR Transportation Intelligence, rates for dry van, reefer, and flatbed segments dropped significantly after unusual spikes during the holiday week.

Spot Market Rates Decline Sharply After Holiday Surge

During Week 27, broker-posted rates in the spot market fell far more than is typical for this time of year. The rate drops were steepest for dry van and refrigerated (reefer) equipment, both experiencing their largest post-holiday week declines since 2014. Flatbed spot rates also fell, matching their largest drop since June 2023.

Overall, the total market spot rate dropped about 10 cents, the biggest weekly decrease since early 2023. While total rates remained flat compared to Week 27 of 2024, they were up slightly—about 1%—compared to the week after the July 4th holiday last year. When fuel surcharges were excluded, spot rates were nearly 3% higher than the same post-holiday week in 2024.

Spot Market Load Volumes See Strong Recovery

Load volumes rebounded strongly in Week 27, recovering from the expected slowdown during the July 4th holiday. Total load postings jumped 40.9% after falling nearly 29% in the prior week. Compared to Week 27 of 2024, load activity was up almost 87%, although that figure is inflated due to the holiday timing.

A more accurate year-over-year comparison—looking at the post-holiday weeks—shows a 16% increase in total load activity. Truck postings rose 4.5% after falling 11% during the previous week. The Market Demand Index (MDI), which compares load postings to truck postings, rose to its highest level in seven weeks.

Dry Van Spot Market: Loads Jump, Rates Drop

In the dry van spot market, rates fell by more than 17 cents after surging over 21 cents the week before. Compared to 2024’s Week 27, dry van rates were down more than 3%. However, when measured against the same post-holiday week last year, the drop was minor—just 0.4%.

Dry van load volumes jumped 42.4% after falling nearly 24% during the holiday week. Compared to 2024’s Week 27, volumes were up 51%, though only 2.4% higher than last year’s post-holiday week.

Reefer Sees Steep Rate Decline

The reefer spot market also took a hit, with spot rates plunging by 23.5 cents after gaining more than 20 cents in the holiday week. Compared to 2024’s Week 27, reefer rates were down 4.5%. However, they were still 0.6% higher than the same post-holiday week last year.

Reefer load volumes rose 11.6% after falling nearly 15% the week before. Compared to Week 27 of 2024, volumes were up 20.5%, though almost 4% lower than the post-holiday week in 2024.

Flatbed Market Stabilizes After Small Holiday Gain

Flatbed spot market rates dropped 6.5 cents after a small increase during the holiday week. Even with the decline, rates were 0.7% higher than in 2024’s Week 27 and more than 1% above the same post-holiday week last year.

Flatbed load volumes saw a sharp rebound, rising 48.3% after falling 34% during the July 4th week. Compared to 2024’s Week 27, flatbed loads were up nearly 143%, and 27.4% higher than the week after the holiday in 2024.

Spot Market Outlook: Realignment Continues After Holiday Spike

The changes in the spot market during Week 27 reflect a typical post-holiday realignment, but with sharper movements than usual. Rate corrections followed record spikes, while load volumes returned to more typical levels across dry van, reefer, and flatbed segments.

Even with the volatility, the underlying year-over-year trends remain positive. Increased market demand and tight capacity signal continued freight movement, though future rate stability will depend on how the market adjusts through the rest of July.

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