PORTLAND, Ore.-- TransCore announced its North American Freight Index climbed 39 percent last month compared to October 2010. This was the highest same-month volume since the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that drove spot market demand to record levels in 2005. Compared to September, spot market freight volume slipped 3.7 percent, reflecting normal seasonality.

TransCore’s monthly North American Freight Index reflects spot market freight availability on the company’s network of load boards providing the largest spot marketplace in the United States and Canada with over 60 million loads and trucks annually. Carriers using DAT load boards reported making $1378 more per truck/per month than the 2011 industry average.

Rate information is provided by TransCore’s Truckload Rate Index and reflects line-haul rates excluding fuel surcharge. Truckload freight rates increased year-over-year on the spot market in October, and showed mixed results among equipment types compared to September. For dry vans, the predominant equipment type, rates rose 6.3 percent compared to October 2010, and increased 1.5 percent compared to September. National average rates for flatbeds increased 12 percent year-over-year, and remained stable compared to September. Refrigerated (“reefer”) van rates rose 2.7 percent year-over-year and cooled seasonally by 2.5 percent versus September.