Spot truckload rates cooled ahead of Halloween

Load posts on the DAT One load board dipped by 6 percent to 2.16 million last week and truck posts declined for the third straight week, slipping 9 percent to 221,480.

The national 7-day average spot linehaul rate was lower across all three equipment types compared to the previous week. The national average price of diesel jumped 10 cents to $3.72 a gallon, returning to levels in September and early October.

Freight trends from DAT One and DAT iQ
Spot market data for Oct. 26-Nov 1, 2025 (Week 44)

Broker-to-carrier 7-day average spot rates:
▼ Dry van: $2.07 per mile, down 1 cent week over week
▼ Refrigerated: $2.44 per mile, down 3 cents
▼ Flatbed: $2.42 per mile, down 2 cents

Dry van
▼ Van loads: 997,487, down 1 percent week over week
▼ Van equipment: 151,280, down 10 percent
▼ Linehaul rate: $1.70 per mile, down 2 cents

Reefer
▼ Reefer loads: 479,251, down 14 percent week over week
▼ Reefer equipment: 41,570, down 9 percent
▼ Linehaul rate: $2.08 per mile, down 2 cents

Flatbed
▼ Flatbed loads: 684,317, down 6 percent week over week
▼ Flatbed equipment: 28,630, down 9 percent
▼ Linehaul rate: $2.05 per mile, down 2 cents

U.S. National Average Diesel Price (Source: EIA)
▲ $3.72 per gallon, up 10 cents week over week. YOY: ▲ 14 cents

Market notes from Dean Croke, DAT iQ industry analyst:

Historically, dry van load posts have increased 13 percent during the last week of October as shippers clear their docks and manage last-minute e-commerce replenishment. However, this year, load post volumes decreased by about 1 percent.

Demand for dry van equipment on the spot market persisted along the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas and Arizona, where ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities are affecting capacity. Load posts in these regions surged 17 percent week over week; notably, the Nogales freight market saw a 35 percent week-over-week increase in available loads, Laredo jumped by 20 percent, and McAllen increased by 34 percent.

Usually, reefer load posts increase by 17 percent during the week before Halloween. This year, load-post volumes fell by nearly 14 percent. Uncertainty over Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits may be affecting shipments of perishable produce: several states, including Florida and New York, announced that November SNAP allotments would end on Nov. 1 due to a lack of federal funding, which is likely to have affected purchasing decisions last week.

Midwest reefer markets, particularly in Missouri, are tightening as fresh turkey production increases ahead of Thanksgiving. Reefer load-post volumes in Missouri surged 10 percent last week and are up 33 percent over the past month. Spot rates from Joplin averaged $2.36 per mile last week, up 2 cents from the previous week and 5 cents in the last month.

About DAT Freight & Analytics
DAT Freight & Analytics operates DAT One, North America’s largest truckload freight marketplace; DAT iQ, the industry’s leading freight data analytics service; the Convoy Platform automated freight-matching service; Trucker Tools, the leader in load visibility; and Outgo, the financial services platform for truckers. Check out the latest DAT iQ Market Update every Tuesday or on demand.

Load and truck posts refer to the number of posts on the DAT One marketplace during Week 44 (Oct. 26-Nov. 1). Load volume refers to the number of loads moved. Rates are aggregated from invoice data submitted to DAT iQ. dat.com

Contact:
Stephen Petit
SiefkesPetit Communications
425-443-8976