Owner-Operator Archives - Page 3 of 44 - DAT Freight & Analytics

Dry Van Report: Rates cool from the summer peak but stay near the top of the range

Dry van spot linehaul rates paid to carriers averaged $2.25 per mile last week, minus fuel, down 1.3%, or $0.03 per mile, from the prior week.

Rates cooled after July Fourth, as they usually do. What’s different is how fast this market moves when conditions change.

The reefer produce market took a broad step back week over week, but off a plateau that still sits far above 2025.

The second-quarter U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index captured a market moving in two directions at once.

The July Logistics Managers’ Index read 68.9, down 2.2 points from June’s 71.1, which had been the fastest overall expansion since March 2022.

Flatbed spot linehaul averaged $2.83 per mile this week, minus fuel, down 1.5%, or $0.04 per mile, from the prior week.

Reefer spot linehaul averaged $2.65 per mile this week, minus fuel, down 2.6%, or $0.07 per mile, from the prior week.

Dry van spot linehaul averaged $2.32 per mile this week, minus fuel, down 2.4%, or $0.06 per mile, from the prior week.

The ongoing re-pricing of the truckload market remains supply-led, a trend underscored this week by tightening rates for California citrus

Flatbed spot linehaul averaged $2.87 per mile this week, down 2.7%, or $0.08 per mile, from the prior week. Rates

Dry van spot linehaul averaged $2.38 per mile this week, down 2.5%, or $0.06 per mile, from the prior week.

Last week’s post-holiday tightness didn’t just fade — it reversed. Across nearly every district, USDA flipped truck availability a full