Spot Market Rates Rise Across All Equipment Types

Broker-posted Spot Market rates increased across all major equipment types during the week ended September 4. It was the first time that happened since May, according to the latest Truckstop.com market data.

The increase came during week 35, the week heading into Labor Day. Rate gains are common during this period as freight activity shifts ahead of the holiday weekend.

The total broker-posted spot rate climbed to $3.22 per mile. Dry van and refrigerated rates posted sizable increases. Flatbed rates also moved higher, ending an 11-week streak of declines.

At the same time, overall load activity fell after a strong increase the previous week.

Spot Market Rates Post Largest Weekly Gain Since May

The total Spot Market rate increased by just over 9 cents per mile from the previous week. It was the largest weekly increase since May and the biggest gain for a comparable week since 2021.

The $3.22 total rate was more than 39% higher than during the same week in 2025.

Excluding a calculated fuel surcharge, rates were about 38% higher year over year. Truckstop.com uses the fuel surcharge calculation as a way to estimate the portion of rates needed to cover fuel costs. Spot market carriers typically do not receive separate fuel surcharges.

The calculation was based on diesel prices for the week ended August 31, when the national average recorded a small decline. It therefore did not account for the sharp increase in diesel prices estimated later in the week.

The latest equipment rates were:

• Dry van: $2.71 per mile
• Refrigerated: $3.60 per mile
• Flatbed: $3.31 per mile
• Total market: $3.22 per mile

Spot Loads Fall After Previous Week’s Increase

Total spot load activity fell 6.9% week over week to an index of 149.8. That followed an increase of about 11% during the previous week.

Despite the weekly decline, total load activity remained nearly 27% higher than during the same week of 2025.

Truck postings also decreased 2.2% for a second consecutive week.

The Market Demand Index, which measures the ratio of loads to trucks, declined from the previous week’s reading. The index had reached its highest level in six weeks during week 34.

The year-over-year comparisons were affected by the timing of Labor Day. Week 35 of 2025 included the holiday itself, while this year’s week 35 ended before Labor Day.

Dry Van Spot Market Rate Climbs 9 Cents

Dry van rates increased by just over 9 cents to $2.71 per mile. It was the largest weekly gain for dry van in nine weeks.

Rates were nearly 39% higher than during the same week last year. The weekly increase was also slightly stronger than what has typically occurred during comparable weeks in recent years.

Rates declined slightly on the West Coast and in the Mountain Central region but increased strongly in most other regions.

Dry van load activity moved in the opposite direction.

Loads fell 4.2% from the previous week but remained more than 42% above the same period in 2025. That was the strongest year-over-year comparison since May, although the Labor Day calendar difference contributed to the increase.

Load activity rose in the Mountain Central region and was nearly unchanged in the Midwest and West Coast. Other regions posted weekly declines.

Reefer Rates Jump for Third Straight Week

Refrigerated rates recorded the largest increase among the three main equipment types.

The reefer rate jumped more than 13 cents to $3.60 per mile. That followed an increase of nearly 16 cents during the previous week.

Reefer rates have now increased for three consecutive weeks for the first time since May. They were also nearly 42% higher than during the same week in 2025.

Rates increased across every region. The largest gains occurred in the Midwest, Mountain Central, and West Coast regions.

Refrigerated load activity was comparatively stable, slipping only 0.4% after increasing about 12% the week before.

Volume remained 44% above the same week last year, although the holiday timing again affected that comparison.

Reefer load postings fell sharply in the Northeast and declined modestly in the Midwest. They were nearly unchanged on the West Coast and increased elsewhere, with the strongest growth in the South Central region.

Flatbed Spot Market Rate Ends 11-Week Slide

Flatbed rates increased nearly 3 cents to $3.31 per mile. It was the first weekly increase since mid-June, ending 11 consecutive weeks of declines.

The increase followed the typical seasonal pattern heading into Labor Day. Flatbed rates were nearly 41% higher than during the same week last year.

Rates declined in the South Central region but increased everywhere else. The Midwest and Northeast posted some of the strongest gains.

Flatbed load activity, however, dropped 9.7%. That exactly reversed the percentage increase recorded during the previous week.

Volume was still about 17% higher year over year, but that increase was smaller than the gains recorded for dry van and refrigerated freight.

Flatbed load postings declined across every region. The South Central and Southeast regions recorded especially large decreases.

What Could Come Next for the Spot Market

The Labor Day period typically creates a short-term increase in spot rates before conditions ease again.

Historically, week 36 tends to bring week-over-week rate declines across dry van, refrigerated, and flatbed equipment. That seasonal pattern has been most consistent for dry van and less consistent for flatbed.

The latest results therefore show a broad increase in rates, but they do not necessarily signal that rates will continue rising at the same pace.

For week 35, however, all three major equipment categories moved higher at the same time for the first time since May. Flatbed also broke its extended decline, while dry van and refrigerated freight posted their strongest rate gains in several weeks.