Reefer spot linehaul rates paid to carriers averaged $2.76 per mile last week, minus fuel, up 0.5%, or $0.01 per mile, from the week before. Rates climbed 32.7%, or $0.68 per mile, year over year and held 28.8%, or $0.62 per mile, above the nine-year seasonal average of $2.14 per mile, well into the upper half 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 reefer bellwether roster averaged $3.64 per mile last week, down 1 cent week over week and up 96 cents, or 35.7%, year over year. The ten states held 40.8% of national reefer outbound volume.
Regional rate trends
| Reefer — Top 10 Origins by Rate Per Mile · Week Ending October 17, 2026 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Origin Region | Avg RPM | WoW change | YoY change |
| 1 | Great Lakes | $3.37 | -4¢ | +91¢ |
| 2 | South Central | $2.16 | 0¢ | +33¢ |
| 3 | California | $2.76 | -1¢ | +59¢ |
| 4 | Upper Atlantic | $2.81 | +6¢ | +75¢ |
| 5 | Southeast | $2.42 | +1¢ | +51¢ |
| 6 | Ohio River | $3.27 | -3¢ | +89¢ |
| 7 | Lower Mountain | $2.38 | +7¢ | +41¢ |
| 8 | Upper Midwest | $3.65 | +13¢ | +101¢ |
| 9 | Lower Midwest | $3.33 | +10¢ | +91¢ |
| 10 | Pacific Northwest | $3.10 | +1¢ | +90¢ |
The top 10 reefer origin regions accounted for 84.0% of outbound loads moved last week. Upper Midwest held up best week over week, up 13 cents to $3.65 per mile, followed by Lower Midwest, up 10 cents. Great Lakes gave back the most, down 4 cents.
Market conditions
The reefer load-to-truck ratio eased to 15.77 from 16.20 as load posts dropped 3.1% and truck posts slipped 0.5%. The ratio is still 42.6% above the 11.05 recorded in the same week last year.
Short-term outlook
The DAT Rate Forecast projects reefer spot linehaul to edge up to $2.78 per mile 35 days out, from $2.76 last week, inside a 70% confidence band of $2.69 to $2.87, the widest of the three equipment bands. A year ago the market sat near $2.09, so the projected level holds well above it.
