Latest Spot Market Results: Load Volume Surges in Week 1

Spot Market Update: Van Rates Fall After Holiday Surge

The spot market shifted sharply in the first full week of the new year as holiday-driven capacity tightness eased. Broker-posted spot rates for dry van and reefer freight declined as expected during the week ended January 9 (week 1). Meanwhile, flatbed spot rates moved higher, following a pattern often seen after major holidays.

Data from the FTR system shows that while rates adjusted lower, overall activity increased sharply as the market returned to normal operations after New Year’s Day.

Spot Market Load Volume Rebounds Strongly

Spot market load volume jumped 96.7% following the New Year’s Day holiday. This marked the highest level of activity since International Roadcheck week in May.

Flatbed freight was the main driver of the surge. However, dry van loads also rose sharply, and refrigerated volumes posted a modest gain. Compared to the same week in 2025, total load postings increased by more than 18%. Still, volume remained over 7% below the five-year average.

Truck postings rose 24.3% during the week. As a result, the Market Demand Index, which measures the ratio of loads to trucks, climbed to its highest level since May 2022.

Total Spot Market Rates Decline

As capacity returned to the market, the total broker-posted spot market rate fell by just over nine cents. This was the largest weekly decline since the week following the Independence Day holiday.

Even with the drop, total spot market rates remained nearly 6% higher than week one of 2025. However, rates stayed more than 4% below the five-year average for this time of year.

Historically, post-holiday rate corrections often extend into February. That said, severe winter weather can still cause short-term spikes, especially for dry van freight.

Dry Van Rates Pull Back

Dry van spot market rates declined by nearly seven cents during the week. This followed a strong run in which rates increased in eight of the prior nine weeks, gaining a total of 44 cents.

Despite the decline, dry van rates were close to 5% higher than the same week last year. However, they remained nearly 7% below the five-year average.

Dry van load volume jumped 79.2% week over week. Volume was 5.6% higher than in week one of 2025, but it was still nearly 28% below the five-year average.

Reefer Rates See Sharp Post-Holiday Drop

Refrigerated spot market rates fell sharply, dropping nearly 19 cents during the week. This decline closely matched the drop seen in mid-December of last year. The decrease followed a rapid three-week surge of roughly 62 cents.

Even after the pullback, refrigerated rates were about 10% higher than the same week in 2025. Rates also aligned closely with the five-year average.

Reefer load volume increased 13.7% after the holiday. However, volume remained about 15% below last year’s level and nearly 38% below the five-year average.

Flatbed Rates Continue Upward Trend

Flatbed spot market rates moved higher, rising by nearly three cents during the week. Rates have now increased in seven of the past eight weeks, for a total gain of about 12 cents.

Compared to week one of 2025, flatbed rates were up 7%. Even so, they remained nearly 3% below the five-year average.

Flatbed load volume surged 150.6% following New Year’s Day. Volume was about 40% higher than the same week last year and nearly 20% above the five-year average.

Spot Market Returns to Seasonal Patterns

The latest data shows the spot market returning to typical seasonal behavior. As holiday disruptions faded, van and reefer rates corrected lower, while flatbed demand strengthened.

Looking ahead, the spot market is expected to remain active but uneven. Weather events, shifting capacity, and early-year freight demand will continue to influence spot rates across all equipment types in the weeks ahead.