Spot market building
Spot market demand has been building, and last week that led to rate increases for each equipment type. Overall spot truckload freight volume rose 17%, while capacity shrunk nearly 4%.
The national average van rate increased 4¢ per mile, reefer rates added 1¢, and flatbed rates jumped 6¢. The national average cost of diesel remained unchanged.
Demand for flatbed trucks continues to rise, most likely due to the increase in construction. Spot loads increased 13% while the national average flatbed rate rose to $2.02.
After several weeks of decline, the demand for spot reefer rose 24% while the number of available trucks dropped. The national average rate for reefer rose slightly.