Truckload capacity pulls back as driving spot rates rise

Spot rates increased across all three equipment types during the week of April 26-May 2, with flatbed leading again.

Total load posts on DAT One touched 3.23 million, down 3% from the prior week. Capacity tightened sharply for both van and reefer, pushing load-to-truck ratios meaningfully higher.

These are all-in rates, what the broker paid the carrier:

On the Spot: Freight trends from DAT One and DAT iQ
Spot market data for April 26-May 2, 2026 (Week 18)

7-day average broker-to-carrier spot rates:
▲ Dry van: $2.37 per mile, up 1 cent week over week
▲ Refrigerated: $2.72 per mile, up 1 cent
▲ Flatbed: $3.05 per mile, up 3 cents

Dry Van: Capacity dropped sharply
Van load posts climbed while truck posts fell sharply, driving the load-to-truck ratio up by more than a full point.
▲ Loads: 1,234,548, up 6% week over week
▼ Trucks: 142,250, down 12%
▲ Linehaul rate: $2.00 per mile, up 1 cent
▲ LTR: 8.7, up from 7.2

Reefer: Load posts jumped
Reefer demand kept building as spring produce volumes ramped up while capacity exited the market.
▲ Loads: 562,295, up 7% week over week
▼ Trucks: 37,439, down 10%
▲ Linehaul rate: $2.36 per mile, up 1 cent
▲ LTR: 15.0, up from 12.8

Flatbed: Load and truck posts retreated, but rates kept climbing
▼ Loads: 1,435,210, down 13% week over week
▼ Trucks: 22,116, down 3%
▲ Linehaul rate: $2.69 per mile, up 3 cents
▼ LTR: 64.9, down from 72.4

Market analysis from Dean Croke, Industry Analyst, DAT Freight & Analytics

CVSA’s International Roadcheck inspection event, scheduled for May 12-14, arrives at a critical juncture for the truckload freight market. Spot rates normally jump during Roadcheck week as carriers reduce their exposure to inspections and related delays. Double-digit week-over-week declines in DAT One equipment posts are typical, creating a measurable supply shock.

Reefer and flatbed segments tighten the most. Reefer carriers tend to take time off at twice the rate of others, and this year’s overlap with Mother’s Day weekend will further compress capacity for perishable freight. Meanwhile, flatbed operators will face intense scrutiny regarding load securement, a focus area for inspectors this year.

The weekly national average spot flatbed rate has increased for seven straight weeks, adding a total of 38 cents to the national average and bringing it to within 5 cents of the record rate set in late June 2022. Despite a 13% week-over-week decline, flatbed load posts were 50% higher year over year.

The start of Vidalia onion season marks a key transition in the produce market, signaling fresh volume coming online in the Southeast as other regions wind down. This seasonal shift is helping to rebalance capacity, with new opportunities emerging.

The USDA Specialty Crops National Truck Rate Report categorized seven of 13 regions as having a “slight shortage” of available reefer equipment, and one, Central Florida, as having a “shortage.” If you’re running Southeast-to-Northeast corridors, you have real pricing power right now. Mother’s Day floral volumes are adding pressure for shippers and brokers on top of the ongoing enforcement hangover from Operation Highway Shield.

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 Dean Croke’s latest DAT iQ Market Update at https://www.youtube.com/DATLoadBoards.

Load and truck posts refer to the number of posts on the DAT One marketplace during Week 18 (April 26-May 2). Load volume refers to the number of loads moved. Rates are aggregated from invoice data submitted to DAT iQ. dat.com