Latest Spot Market Results: Vans Up, Loads Down This Christmas Week

Spot Market Rates Rise for Vans During Christmas Week

The Spot Market showed mixed results during Christmas week, but dry van and reefer rates posted strong seasonal gains. The week ending December 26 brought typical late-December rate strength for vans, even as load volume dropped sharply because of the holiday.

Spot Market Rates Show Seasonal Strength

Dry van and refrigerated rates moved higher in week 51. Refrigerated rates saw the biggest jump in almost two years, except for the spike during International Roadcheck week in May. Dry van rates also increased. This rise matched the pattern seen in many past Christmas weeks. Both equipment types reached their highest levels since early January.

However, flatbed rates moved in the opposite direction. Flatbed spot rates fell during the week. This drop is unusual for week 51, since flatbed rates often rise or stay steady in late December.

Load Postings Fall During the Holiday

Total load activity fell sharply. Load postings dropped 59.3% during the holiday week. Because of the calendar difference between 2024 and 2025, year-over-year comparisons look distorted. Last year’s week 51 took place before Christmas, so normal freight patterns do not match up.

Even so, load postings were down about 46% compared to week 51 of last year. But they were up about 14% compared to the Christmas week of 2024. While loads fell, truck postings also declined. Truck postings dropped 24.3%. As a result, the Market Demand Index fell to its lowest point since Thanksgiving week.

Total Spot Market Rate Moves Higher

The total broker-posted rate increased again. Rates rose 6.5 cents during week 51. This was a bit softer than the increase of more than 7 cents seen the previous week. Strong gains in refrigerated and dry van rates balanced out the drop in flatbed rates.

Total rates were about 9% higher than week 51 last year. They were also nearly 6% higher than in the Christmas week of 2024. Based on past years, van rates usually rise again in week 52. Flatbed rates, however, typically soften. Because flatbed already fell in week 51, it is unclear whether normal seasonal patterns will apply this time.

Dry Van Spot Market Rates Increase

Dry van spot rates rose 7.7 cents. This is a solid increase, although it is below the average gain of about 13 cents for week 51 going back to 2015. Dry van rates were nearly 11% higher than in last year’s week 51. They were also 8.5% higher than in the Christmas week of 2024. This makes the prior-year comparison the strongest since early 2022.

Dry van loads dropped 59.3%, matching the total Spot Market decline. Loads were more than 47% below last year’s week 51, but they were almost 3% higher than in the Christmas week of 2024.

Refrigerated Spot Market Rates Jump

Refrigerated spot rates jumped more than 26 cents. This increase was stronger than the long-term average of nearly 24 cents seen in past week-51 periods. Reefer rates were more than 20% higher than in last year’s week 51. They were also more than 12% higher than in the Christmas week of 2024. This marks the strongest year-over-year comparison since early 2022.

Reefer loads fell 31.5% during the week. Volume was about 27% lower than in week 51 of 2024 and about 15% lower than in last year’s Christmas week.

Flatbed Rates Move Lower

Flatbed spot rates fell just over 4 cents, ending a six-week streak of gains. A decline in week 51 is rare. The last time flatbed rates dropped this week was in 2011. Even so, rates were still up about 4.5% compared to both last year’s week 51 and last year’s Christmas week.

Flatbed loads dropped 65.9%. This left volume nearly 49% below week 51 of last year, but still 55% above the Christmas week of 2024.

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