Flatbed spot linehaul paid to carriers averaged $2.60 per mile last week, minus fuel, down 0.5%, or $0.01 per mile, from the week before. Rates climbed 29.2%, or $0.59 per mile, year over year and held 24.6%, or $0.51 per mile, above the nine-year seasonal average of $2.09 per mile, near the top of the historical range.
All rates cited are linehaul only. They exclude fuel costs and surcharges unless otherwise noted.
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Bellwether states
Flatbed’s bellwether states delivered a moves-weighted outbound rate of $3.25 a mile last week, up 1.9%, or $0.06 a mile, on the week and 29.3%, or $0.74 a mile, higher than a year ago, the strongest weekly gain among the three rosters. These states handled 51.4% of national outbound flatbed loads, little changed from 51.8% the week before last and 50.7% a year ago, squarely within their usual 51% to 53% range.
Regional rate trends
| Flatbed — Top 10 Origins by Rate Per Mile · Week Ending September 18, 2026 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Origin Region | Avg RPM | WoW % | YoY % |
| 1 | Southeast | $3.20 | +2.5% (+$0.08) | +37.4% (+$0.87) |
| 2 | Ohio River | $3.20 | +2.1% (+$0.06) | +43.3% (+$0.97) |
| 3 | Carolinas | $2.90 | +0.5% (+$0.01) | +35.0% (+$0.75) |
| 4 | Great Lakes | $2.85 | +1.2% (+$0.03) | +37.4% (+$0.78) |
| 5 | Lower Atlantic | $2.78 | +0.6% (+$0.02) | +30.1% (+$0.64) |
| 6 | Upper Atlantic | $2.53 | -0.3% (-$0.01) | +33.6% (+$0.63) |
| 7 | South Central | $2.49 | +0.4% (+$0.01) | +29.1% (+$0.56) |
| 8 | Florida-So Georgia | $2.31 | +4.0% (+$0.09) | +34.0% (+$0.58) |
| 9 | California | $2.22 | -1.4% (-$0.03) | +27.1% (+$0.47) |
| 10 | Lower Mountain | $1.71 | -2.1% (-$0.04) | +20.1% (+$0.29) |
The top 10 flatbed origins carried 87.0% of loads moved last week, and gains were broad. Florida-So Georgia held up best week over week, climbing 4.0%, or $0.09 a mile, to $2.31, while Southeast and Ohio River shared the top spot at $3.20, each up more than 2%. Most origins firmed on the week, consistent with the segment’s tightening, and all 10 markets held 20% to 43% above their year-ago rates.
Market conditions
Flatbed load posts led the market, up 25.1% week over week and 18.8% year over year, running about 11.4% above their pre-Labor Day August pace, the strongest recovery of the three equipment types. Equipment posts rose 14.8% on the week and held level with their August pace while sitting 24.0% below a year ago. That imbalance pushed the load-to-truck ratio up to 40.47, the tightest reading of any segment last week. For context, flatbed load post volumes tracked 16% higher than the 2025 weekly average and 39% higher than the long-term average for Week 38.
Short-term outlook
The 35-day DAT Rate Forecast has flatbed spot near $2.55 a mile by late October, with a confidence band of about plus or minus $0.07 a mile, or 2.6% of the forecast, the middle of the three. That level runs roughly $0.50 a mile above the actual rate near this date last year, when flatbed ran $2.05, keeping the segment firmly ahead of its 2025 track.
