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

DAT data show record August spot-rate declines, softer volumes and rising diesel costs reshaping truckload market conditions for carriers.

Rhea-AI Summary

DAT Freight & Analytics (ROP) reported that national average truckload spot linehaul rates for vans, reefers and flatbeds saw the steepest July-to-August declines in the company’s 16-year history.

The van spot linehaul rate fell 20 cents to $2.19 per mile, reefers fell 14 cents to $2.61, and flatbeds fell 20 cents to $2.70, with percentage drops of 8.4%, 5.1% and 6.9% respectively versus prior August records. Van and reefer spot rates moved back below contract rates, creating gaps of 22 cents and 4 cents per mile, while the flatbed contract–spot gap widened to 38 cents. DAT’s Truckload Volume Index fell 5% for vans, 2% for reefers and 3% for flatbeds versus July. Diesel-driven fuel surcharges rose 8–10 cents per mile, increasing cost pressure on carriers even as spot rates declined.

Positive

• Spot linehaul rates remained more than 30% higher than in August 2025 across all three equipment types

Negative

• Van spot linehaul rate down 20 cents to $2.19 per mile in August, an 8.4% July-to-August decline
• Reefer spot linehaul rate down 14 cents to $2.61 per mile, a 5.1% July-to-August decline
• Flatbed spot linehaul rate down 20 cents to $2.70 per mile, a 6.9% July-to-August decline
• Van Truckload Volume Index 247, down 5% from July
• Reefer Truckload Volume Index 181, down 2% from July and 10% year over year
• Flatbed Truckload Volume Index 288, down 3% from July and 5% year over year
• Van fuel surcharges up 8 cents to 70 cents per mile; reefer up 10 cents to 77 cents; flatbed up 10 cents to 84 cents

News Explained

August spot rates fell sharply month to month but remained above year-ago levels, while spot carriers faced more direct fuel exposure than contract carriers.

DAT’s September 15, 2026 release reports that August spot linehaul rates fell sharply from July but remained more than 30% above August 2025 levels across all three equipment types, leaving the disclosed market condition weaker month to month but not back to last year’s pricing.

Spot rates are paid per transaction and exclude fuel surcharges, while contract rates are negotiated prices that generally adjust through a fuel surcharge; because spot pricing is all-in, the disclosed August fuel increases placed more direct cost exposure on spot carriers than on contract-priced freight.

Key Figures

Van spot-rate decline: 20 cents to $2.19 per mile Reefer spot-rate decline: 14 cents to $2.61 per mile Flatbed spot-rate decline: 20 cents to $2.70 per mile +5 more

Van spot-rate decline

20 cents to $2.19 per mile

August national average

Reefer spot-rate decline

14 cents to $2.61 per mile

August national average

Flatbed spot-rate decline

20 cents to $2.70 per mile

August national average

Dry-van decline

8.4%

July-to-August change; largest August decline in DAT rate history

Reefer decline

5.1%

July-to-August change; largest August decline in DAT rate history

Flatbed decline

6.9%

July-to-August change; largest August decline in DAT rate history

Van spot-contract gap

22 cents per mile

$2.19 spot versus $2.41 contract freight in August

Van fuel surcharge

70 cents per mile

August average, up 8 cents from July

Key Terms

spot rates, linehaul rates, fuel surcharge

3 terms

spot rates financial

"National average truckload spot rates fell across all three equipment types in August"

Spot rates are the current prices or interest rates for buying or selling an asset or currency for immediate settlement, like the cash price you pay at a store today rather than a future promise to pay. Investors care because spot rates set the baseline for valuing investments, comparing returns across time, and pricing forward contracts or swaps; they reveal what the market demands now for taking on risk or providing liquidity.

linehaul rates financial

"The national average van spot linehaul rate fell 20 cents to $2.19 per mile"

Linehaul rates are the charges for moving goods over the main part of a shipment’s journey—typically the long-distance transport between terminals or cities—excluding local pickup or delivery fees. For investors, these rates are a major driver of a carrier’s revenue and profit margins because they reflect demand for capacity, fuel and labor costs, and pricing power; think of them as the highway toll for freight that determines how much a transport business can earn per trip.

fuel surcharge financial

"linehaul rates exclude an amount equal to an average fuel surcharge"

A fuel surcharge is an extra fee added to shipping, freight, or travel charges to offset changes in fuel costs, so companies don’t have to absorb sudden spikes. It matters to investors because it affects revenue and profit margins—showing how well a business can pass higher costs to customers—and can signal exposure to energy price swings that influence demand, pricing power, and short-term earnings volatility, like adding a flexible "gas tax" to a bill.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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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 

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

How did spot rates compare with contract rates in August for each equipment type?

In August, van spot linehaul rates averaged $2.19 per mile versus $2.41 for contract freight, a 22-cent gap. Reefer spot linehaul rates averaged $2.61 compared with $2.65 for contract freight, a 4-cent gap, after reefer spot rates had been 13 cents higher than contract rates in July. Flatbed contract rates stayed above spot rates all summer, with the gap widening to 38 cents in August from 19 cents in July.

What changes were reported in the DAT Truckload Volume Index for August?

The DAT Truckload Volume Index, measuring loads moved during the month, declined across all three equipment types versus July. The van TVI was 247, down 5% and roughly flat year over year. The reefer TVI was 181, down 2% from July and 10% year over year. The flatbed TVI was 288, down 3% from July and 5% year over year.

How did diesel prices and fuel surcharges affect carriers in August?

Diesel prices approached record territory by the end of August, adding cost pressure for carriers. Van fuel surcharges averaged 70 cents per mile, up 8 cents from July; reefer surcharges averaged 77 cents, up 10 cents; and flatbed surcharges averaged 84 cents, also up 10 cents. Spot rates are typically negotiated as all-in prices without separate fuel surcharges, leaving carriers more exposed to rapid fuel price changes than in contract freight, where surcharges adjust with diesel prices.

What explanation did DAT give for the August rate and volume declines?

DAT’s principal industry analyst said the August decreases in rates and volumes largely reflect normal seasonality and freight that shippers pulled forward earlier in the summer. The company also noted that truck capacity tightened significantly during CVSA Brake Safety Week, yet rates still eased, which the analyst said suggests cooler demand for trucks heading into late August, early September and the Labor Day holiday.