PORTLAND, Ore.-- TransCore’s North American Freight Index shows the highest spot market truckload freight volume for the month of February since the company established the North American Freight Index in 1986. January’s freight volume set a similar record.

February load volume rose by 38 percent compared to the previous month and by 65 percent compared to February 2010.

The surge was led by a 44 percent increase in freight designated for flatbed trucks, compared to January. Dry van freight availability increased by 38 percent, while refrigerated (“reefer”) loads were up by 30 percent month-over-month.

TransCore’s monthly North American Freight Index measures trucking freight movements on the spot market, reflecting freight availability on TransCore’s network of load boards in the United States and Canada.