The ATA’s seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rose 2.6% in February to 116.2, following a 0.7% gain in January — pushing tonnage to its highest level in three years. Year-over-year, the index climbed 2.1%, the largest annual gain since October 2022. Through the first two months of 2026, tonnage is running 1.4% above the same period last year, a meaningful acceleration after 2025’s full-year index came in flat versus 2024.
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The headline number is encouraging, but context matters. As ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello noted, the size of the gain is likely amplified by lower industry capacity — fewer trucks on the road means the remaining carriers are hauling more per truck. That’s consistent with the supply rationalization story that’s been playing out since the freight recession. Still, after a prolonged downturn, improving volumes in any form signal that the demand side of the market is firming. For carriers and brokers watching for cycle-turn signals, a three-year high in tonnage paired with tightening capacity is exactly the setup that precedes sustained rate improvement.
National flatbed linehaul spot rates
Last week, the national average spot rate for flatbed linehaul saw its largest weekly increase in over a decade, jumping by $0.11 per mile to $2.55. This rate is the highest recorded in four years, rivaling the levels seen in June 2022 as the market peaked coming out of the pandemic. This current rate is significantly elevated compared to previous years, sitting $0.40 (19%) higher than the rate from the same time last year and exceeding the five-year average (excluding pandemic years) by $0.53 (21%).
Flatbed Market Conditions
The flatbed spot market may have reached its peak sooner than the typical May (around Week 20), as load post volume dropped 8% last week. Despite this recent dip, flatbed load posts remain significantly higher than historical averages—up 28% compared to last year and 39% higher than the 5-year average (excluding the unusual years of 2021 and 2022). The flatbed load-to-truck ratio also decreased, falling 10% to 74.27, while flatbed equipment posts held steady last week.
