DAT: Spot van rate falls 20 cents in steepest August pullback on record

PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National average truckload spot rates fell across all three equipment types in August, posting the steepest July-to-August declines in DAT’s 16-year rate history, according to DAT Freight & Analytics, provider of the industry’s leading load boards and freight analytics.

The pullback also moved dry van and refrigerated (“reefer”) spot rates back below contract rates after spot rates exceeded contract rates in June and July.

Spot rates post record August declines

The national average van spot linehaul rate fell 20 cents to $2.19 per mile in August, the reefer rate fell 14 cents to $2.61, and the flatbed rate fell 20 cents to $2.70. Each was the largest July-to-August decrease for that equipment type in DAT’s rate history.

A seasonal decline in August is common: spot rates have fallen from July to August in 13 or 14 of the past 16 years, depending on equipment type. This year’s change was unusually steep:

• Dry van: down 8.4%, compared with the previous record August decline of 6.7% in 2018
• Reefer: down 5.1%, compared with the previous record of 4.8% in 2012 and 2013
• Flatbed: down 6.9%, compared with the previous record of 6.4% in 2023
  

Spot rates are paid by freight brokers to carriers on a per-transaction basis; linehaul rates exclude an amount equal to an average fuel surcharge. Despite the pullback, spot linehaul rates remained more than 30% higher than in August 2025 across all three equipment types.

Spot-contract rate gap reopens

Van and reefer spot rates moved back below contract rates in August, reversing the brief stretch in June and July when spot rates were higher. Contract rates are negotiated prices paid by shippers to asset-based carriers and freight brokers.

Van spot linehaul averaged $2.19 per mile compared with $2.41 for contract freight, a 22-cent gap after the two were roughly even in July. Reefer spot linehaul averaged $2.61 compared with $2.65 for contract freight, a 4-cent gap. In July, reefer spot rates were 13 cents higher than contract rates.

Flatbed contract rates remained above spot rates throughout the summer. The gap widened to 38 cents in August from 19 cents in July.

Truckload volumes decline

The DAT Truckload Volume Index (TVI), which measures loads moved during the month, declined across all three equipment types compared with July:

• Van TVI: 247, down 5% from July and roughly flat year over year
• Reefer TVI: 181, down 2% from July and 10% year over year
• Flatbed TVI: 288, down 3% from July and 5% year over year
  

“Last month’s decreases in rates and volumes in large part reflect normal seasonality and freight that shippers pulled forward earlier in the summer,” said Dean Croke, DAT’s principal industry analyst. “However, truck capacity tightened significantly during CVSA Brake Safety Week and rates still eased, suggesting much cooler demand for trucks heading into the end of the month, the first week of September, and the Labor Day holiday.”

Diesel prices add cost pressure

In addition to declining spot rates, diesel prices approached record territory by the end of August, adding another layer of cost pressure for carriers. Van fuel surcharges averaged 70 cents per mile last month, up 8 cents from July; reefer surcharges averaged 77 cents, up 10 cents; and flatbed averaged 84 cents, up 10 cents.

Fuel price volatility affects spot and contract freight differently. Contract rates typically include a fuel surcharge that adjusts with the price of diesel. Spot rates are negotiated as an all-in price paid by the broker, with no separate surcharge, leaving carriers more exposed to rapid changes in fuel prices.

About the DAT Truckload Volume Index

The DAT Truckload Volume Index measures monthly changes in loads with a pickup date during that month. A baseline of 100 equals the number of loads moved in January 2015, based on data from DAT RateView, part of the DAT iQ freight analytics platform, which tracks rates paid on actual shipments. Benchmark spot and contract rates reflect invoice data for hauls of 250 miles or more in the United States and Canada. That transaction-level data reflects what shippers, brokers, and carriers paid and charged, providing a direct read on market conditions.

About DAT Freight & Analytics

DAT Freight & Analytics operates the DAT One truckload freight marketplace; Convoy Platform, an automated freight-matching technology; DAT iQ analytics service; Trucker Tools load-visibility platform; and Outgo factoring and financial services for truckers. Shippers, transportation brokers, carriers, news organizations, and industry analysts rely on DAT for market trends and data insights, informed by nearly 700,000 daily load posts and a database exceeding $1 trillion in freight market transactions.

Founded in 1978, DAT is a business unit of Roper Technologies (Nasdaq: ROP), a constituent of the Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, and Fortune 500. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, DAT continues to set the standard for innovation in the trucking and logistics industry. Visit dat.com for more information.

Media Contact

Georgia Jablon
georgia.jablon@dat.com