PORTLAND, Ore.-- Nationwide van rates for truck freight moved on the spot market remained stable, according to TransCore Trendlines’ monthly roll-up. Flatbed rates increased by 1.9 percent nationwide and reefer rates moved up by 1.6 percent compared to January.

The rise in flatbed rates was led by a surge in the Los Angeles market, which rebounded during the second half of February with a 7.4 percent increase in outbound rates compared to the previous month. Likewise, reefer rates accelerated during the final week of the month, led by a 4.3 percent increase in outbound rates from Atlanta.

While nationally van rates were stable, the impact of severe winter weather on crops in the south western region of the United States appears to have depressed rates, particularly in northern California, Denver, and Los Angeles. In the eastern U.S., van rates were up in February, particularly into and out of Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, and Columbus, Ohio.

TransCore’s weekly truckload rate trend is derived from the company’s Truckload Rate Index, which is based on $4 billion of actual invoices, updated daily, brokers have paid carriers for vans, reefers and flatbeds across the U.S. and Canada.

A more detailed analysis of truckload rate trends and spot freight volume can be found on TransCore Trendlines, published weekly with key indicators from the more than 60 million loads and trucks listed annually on TransCore’s DAT Network of load boards by freight brokers, 3PLs, shippers and carriers across the U.S. TransCore Trendlines also includes industry data from the American Trucking Associations and the U.S. Department of Energy.