Flatbed spot linehaul rates paid to carriers averaged $2.63 per mile last week, minus fuel, down 0.9%, or $0.02 per mile, from the week before. Rates climbed 28.2%, or $0.58 per mile, year over year and held 25.8%, or $0.54 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
The flatbed bellwether roster averaged $3.23 per mile last week, up $0.01 from the week before and up $0.72, or 28.8%, year over year. The 10 states held 52.0% of national flatbed outbound volume.
Regional rate trends
| Flatbed — Top 10 Origins by Rate Per Mile · Week Ending October 24, 2026 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Origin Region | Avg RPM | WoW | YoY |
| 1 | South Central | $2.27 | −$0.02 | +$0.35 |
| 2 | Great Lakes | $2.86 | −$0.01 | +$0.77 |
| 3 | Southeast | $2.97 | −$0.10 | +$0.69 |
| 4 | Upper Atlantic | $2.64 | +$0.04 | +$0.68 |
| 5 | Ohio River | $3.18 | −$0.09 | +$0.86 |
| 6 | Carolinas | $2.95 | −$0.06 | +$0.80 |
| 7 | Lower Mountain | $1.77 | +$0.01 | +$0.27 |
| 8 | Florida-So Georgia | $2.24 | +$0.01 | +$0.56 |
| 9 | California | $2.18 | −$0.04 | +$0.55 |
| 10 | Lower Atlantic | $2.89 | −$0.01 | +$0.79 |
The top 10 flatbed origin regions accounted for 87.6% of outbound loads moved last week. Upper Atlantic held up best week over week, up $0.04 per mile to $2.64, while Lower Mountain and Florida-So Georgia each gained $0.01. Southeast gave back the most, down $0.10.
Market conditions
Flatbed’s load-to-truck ratio eased to 34.93 from 36.53 as load posts fell 1.2% and truck posts rose 3.3%. Against 23.06 a year ago, the board is 51.5% tighter. Flatbed remains the tightest board by a wide margin, with a ratio 3.7 times dry van’s.
Short-term outlook
The DAT Rate Forecast projects flatbed spot linehaul to ease to $2.59 per mile 35 days out, against $2.63 last week. The Forecast Low is $2.52 per mile and the Forecast High is $2.65, a spread of $0.13 per mile, the narrowest of the three equipment types. A year ago the market sat near $1.99 per mile, so the projected level holds well above it.
