Latest Spot Market Results: Historic Dry Van Rate Decline

Spot Market Weakens as Dry Van Rates Post Record Seasonal Drop

Broker-posted Spot Market rates were weaker than seasonal expectations during the week ending Aug. 7, according to the latest Truckstop.com data analyzed by FTR Transportation Intelligence. While refrigerated rates posted a modest increase, dry van and flatbed rates declined more sharply than is typical for this time of year.

The report found that total spot load activity also slowed, with overall broker-posted rates falling to their lowest level since late April. Despite the weekly decline, spot rates remained well above year-ago levels across all three major equipment types.

Spot Market activity slows while rates decline

The Spot Market continued to soften during week 31 as total spot load activity fell 2.5% from the previous week to 147.6, marking the second-lowest weekly volume of 2026. Even so, load volume remained nearly 19% higher than during the same week in 2025.

Truck postings dropped 6.9%, the largest weekly decrease in the past 10 weeks. Despite fewer loads and trucks entering the market, the Market Demand Index, which measures the ratio of loads to available trucks, recovered slightly to about the level seen two weeks earlier.

The total broker-posted spot rate fell by a little more than 5 cents per mile to $3.27, its lowest level since late April.

According to FTR, all-in spot rates remained approximately 41% higher than during the same week last year. Rates excluding a calculated fuel surcharge were up slightly more than 43%, indicating that higher fuel costs continue to account for only a small portion of the year-over-year increase.

Dry Van Rates Post Their Largest Seasonal Decline on Record

Dry van experienced the weakest performance of the week.

Spot rates fell 5.5 cents to $2.69 per mile, reaching their lowest level since early May. FTR noted that while dry van rates occasionally decline during comparable weeks, this year’s decrease was the largest recorded for the same seasonal period since at least 2008.

The year-over-year comparison also softened. Dry van rates remained just under 40% higher than during the same week in 2025, representing the weakest annual comparison in 14 weeks.

Regionally, rates increased only for freight originating in the Northeast. All other regions posted declines, with the sharpest decreases occurring in the South Central and West Coast regions.

Dry van load volume slipped 0.9% from the previous week but remained more than 20% higher than one year earlier. Load activity increased in the Northeast, Midwest, and Mountain Central regions while declining across the rest of the country.

Refrigerated Freight Posts Smaller-Than-Normal Gains

Reefer freight was the only major equipment segment to record a weekly increase in rates, but the improvement fell short of normal seasonal expectations.

Refrigerated spot rates rose 2.8 cents to $3.33 per mile. According to FTR, refrigerated rates have increased during this comparable week for 13 consecutive years, but this year’s gain was among the smallest during that period.

Compared with the same week in 2025, refrigerated rates remained more than 38% higher.

Regional performance varied significantly. Rates increased for loads originating in the Mountain Central, Midwest, and especially the Northeast, while declining in other regions. The Southeast experienced the largest regional decrease.

Refrigerated load volume increased 4.3% from the prior week and remained more than 9% above year-ago levels. Load postings rose in the Northeast, Midwest, and Southeast while remaining nearly unchanged in the Mountain Central region. The West Coast and South Central regions recorded modest declines.

Flatbed Rates Extend Eight-Week Losing Streak

Flatbed continued its downward trend for an eighth consecutive week.

Spot rates declined 6.7 cents to $3.42 per mile, the lowest level since late April. FTR said flatbed rates almost always decline during this time of year, but this week’s drop was exceeded only once in comparable weeks, during 2022.

Despite the weekly decline, flatbed rates remained more than 44% higher than during the same week last year.

The Northeast was the only region to post a strong increase in flatbed rates. Rates declined across every other region, with the largest decreases reported in the Southeast and Mountain Central areas.

Flatbed load volume decreased 2.6% week over week but remained slightly more than 19% higher than a year ago. Load postings increased modestly in the Southeast, Midwest, and Mountain Central regions while falling elsewhere, particularly in the South Central region.

Spot Market Outlook Remains Seasonally Soft

FTR expects seasonal patterns to continue during the current week.

Historically, flatbed rates almost always decline during week 32, while dry van rates also tend to soften, although they have posted gains during two of the past three years. Refrigerated freight has shown more mixed seasonal performance during this period.

Although the Spot Market remains significantly stronger than it was a year ago, the latest report suggests freight demand has continued to ease in recent weeks. Dry van recorded its weakest seasonal performance on record for this point in the year, refrigerated gains were smaller than normal, and flatbed rates continued an extended downward trend, indicating that the market remains under seasonal pressure despite year-over-year improvements.

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