Latest Spot Market Results: Rates Fall for Fifth Week

The latest Spot Market report from Truckstop shows freight activity continued to soften during the week ending Aug. 14, with total loads declining for a fifth consecutive week and broker-posted rates falling more than seasonally expected.

While spot rates remain well above year-ago levels, market conditions have now been weaker than seasonal expectations for two straight weeks. The latest report also shows the Market Demand Index dropped to its lowest level since the third week of the year, signaling softer demand as summer comes to a close.

Spot Market Weakens for a Fifth Straight Week

Total Spot Market load activity fell 2.8% from the previous week to 143.5, marking the second-lowest weekly total of 2026.

Load volume remained 9.5% higher than the same week in 2025, but that comparison continues to weaken after much stronger year-over-year gains earlier this year.

Truck postings increased 2.6%, while the Market Demand Index declined to its lowest level since the third week of 2026.

Overall freight activity has now declined for five consecutive weeks.

Spot Rates Posted Larger-Than-Normal Declines

The total market broker-posted rate dropped more than 7 cents per mile to $3.20, its lowest level since early April.

The weekly decline was significantly larger than is typical for this time of year, both in percentage terms and in the total amount.

Despite the weekly decrease, total spot rates remained approximately 38% higher than during the same week in 2025. However, that year-over-year comparison was the weakest since before the International Roadcheck event in May.

Dry Van Rates Fall to Lowest Level Since May

Dry van Spot Market rates fell just over 7 cents to $2.64 per mile, reaching their lowest level since early May.

Truckstop said dry van rates have declined more in a comparable week only once before.

Dry van loads also decreased 2.1% compared to the previous week, although volume remained more than 14% higher than the same week last year.

Regionally, dry van rates increased slightly for loads originating in the Northeast but declined across every other region.

Refrigerated Spot Market Gives Back Last Week’s Gains

Refrigerated spot rates declined 2.7 cents to $3.30 per mile, nearly reversing the increase reported the previous week.

Rates remained approximately 35% higher than one year ago.

Refrigerated load volume decreased 2.0%, while total loads stayed just under 3% higher than the same week in 2025.

The Northeast was again the only region to post higher refrigerated rates, while the Midwest and West Coast experienced only minor declines.

Flatbed Extends Nine-Week Losing Streak

Flatbed spot rates fell just under 8 cents to $3.34 per mile, marking a ninth consecutive week-over-week decline.

According to Truckstop, flatbed rates experienced the largest decline for a comparable week since at least 2008.

Flatbed loads declined 3.1%, while volume remained less than 10% higher than the same week last year, representing the first single-digit year-over-year increase of 2026.

The Mountain Central region was the only area where flatbed rates posted a slight increase during the week.

Market Continues to Soften Despite Stronger Year-Over-Year Comparisons

Although Spot Market rates and freight volumes remain well above last year’s levels, the latest report suggests market momentum continues to weaken.

For the second consecutive week, market conditions were weaker than seasonally expected, with larger-than-normal declines in rates and slowing freight activity across all three major equipment types.

Looking ahead, Week 33 has historically brought lower dry van and flatbed rates, while refrigerated pricing has produced mixed results in recent years.