Spot Market Rates Hold Steady as Load Activity Drops 11.6%

The U.S. trucking spot market showed little movement in freight rates during the week ending October 9, 2026, even as freight demand declined across all major equipment types.

According to the latest Truckstop.com market report, broker-posted spot rates remained nearly unchanged following stronger-than-usual gains in the previous week. Dry van and refrigerated rates posted small increases, while flatbed rates declined slightly.

Meanwhile, total load activity dropped 11.6%, and truck availability increased. The combination pushed the Market Demand Index to its lowest level in seven weeks.

Despite the weekly slowdown, overall spot rates remained significantly higher than during the same period in 2025.

Spot Market Load Activity Falls Across All Equipment Types

Total spot market load activity reached an index level of 145.9 during week 40, representing an 11.6% decrease from the previous week.

The decline followed stronger freight activity during week 39, when total load postings increased 2.6%.

Although freight demand weakened week over week, total load activity remained 2.5% above the same week in 2025.

Several key indicators showed how market conditions changed:

• Total load activity: 145.9, down 11.6% from the previous week.
• Year-over-year load activity: Up 2.5%.
• Truck postings: Increased 4.9% week over week.
• Market Demand Index: Fell to its lowest level in seven weeks.
• Overall spot rate: $3.27 per mile, nearly unchanged from the previous week.

The Market Demand Index measures the ratio of available loads to posted trucks.

A declining index generally indicates that fewer loads are available relative to the number of trucks seeking freight.

The latest results suggest that freight availability weakened during the week, even though average rates remained stable.

Overall Spot Market Rates Remain at $3.27 Per Mile

The average broker-posted spot rate across the major equipment types was $3.27 per mile during the week ending October 9.

That represented a decrease of just one-tenth of a cent per mile from the previous week.

Despite the small weekly decline, the total market rate remained more than 42% above its level during the same week in 2025.

Fuel costs continued to play an important role in the year-over-year comparison.

Diesel prices had declined for two consecutive weeks through the week ending October 5. Those decreases improved the comparison of spot rates after excluding estimated fuel surcharges.

However, rates excluding fuel surcharges were still up 36.5% year over year, compared with an increase exceeding 42% for total rates.

Although carriers operating in the spot market typically do not receive separate fuel surcharge payments, the calculation helps estimate how much of the freight rate is needed to recover fuel expenses.

This distinction is important because higher all-in freight rates do not necessarily translate into equivalent increases in carrier earnings.

Dry Van Spot Rates Rise for the Sixth Time in Seven Weeks

Dry van spot rates increased slightly during week 40, continuing a generally positive trend over the past several weeks.

The average dry van rate reached $2.86 per mile, increasing four-tenths of a cent from the previous week.

It marked the sixth weekly increase in seven weeks.

Dry van rates were nearly 49% higher than during the same week in 2025, representing the strongest year-over-year comparison since June.

However, load activity moved in the opposite direction.

Dry van load postings declined 14.7% from the previous week, with decreases recorded across every region.

Despite the weekly decline, dry van load activity remained nearly 23% above the same period last year.

Regional rate changes were mixed:

• Southeast: Dry van spot rates increased.
• Mountain Central: Rates also moved higher.
• Other regions: Dry van rates declined.

The results show that dry van pricing remained relatively firm even as the number of available loads fell sharply.

Refrigerated Spot Market Rates Increase Slightly

Refrigerated freight rates continued moving higher during week 40, although the increase was smaller than the previous week’s gain.

The average refrigerated spot rate reached $3.56 per mile, an increase of 1.2 cents.

During the previous week, refrigerated rates had increased by more than five cents per mile.

Refrigerated rates were 45.5% higher than during the same week in 2025.

However, refrigerated load activity declined 11.9% week over week.

Volume also fell more than 5% below the same week last year, marking the first negative year-over-year comparison since early July.

Refrigerated load postings decreased in every region.

Rate changes varied by location. Rates declined for loads originating on the West Coast and in the South Central region. The Northeast also recorded a very small decrease.

Rates increased in the remaining regions.

The latest results indicate that refrigerated pricing continued to rise modestly despite weaker freight availability.

Flatbed Spot Rates Decline After Three Weeks of Gains

Flatbed freight rates moved slightly lower during week 40, ending a three-week period of increases.

The average flatbed spot rate declined seven-tenths of a cent to $3.34 per mile.

Despite the weekly decrease, flatbed rates remained approximately 43% higher than during the same week in 2025.

Flatbed load activity declined 10.6% from the previous week.

Volume was also 5.5% below the same period last year.

Load postings decreased across every region, although the Midwest experienced a much smaller decline than other areas.

Regional rate movements included:

• Northeast: Flatbed spot rates increased strongly.
• West Coast: Rates also moved higher.
• Other regions: Flatbed rates declined.

The decrease marked the first weekly flatbed rate decline in four weeks.

What to Expect From the Spot Market This Week

Historical seasonal patterns suggest that spot rates could remain relatively stable or move slightly lower during week 41, which ends October 16.

According to Truckstop.com, dry van and refrigerated rates have historically declined or remained unchanged during this period.

Flatbed rates, meanwhile, have typically recorded modest increases.

These seasonal patterns do not guarantee similar results in 2026.

The latest report shows a market in which freight rates have remained firm despite a substantial weekly reduction in load activity.

With truck postings rising and the Market Demand Index falling to a seven-week low, the balance between available freight and truck capacity has shifted.

For carriers and owner-operators, the next several weeks will help show whether recent rate gains can continue as freight volumes fluctuate.

The combination of stable rates, lower load activity, and changing diesel prices remains an important factor in spot market operating conditions.