PORTLAND, Ore. -- Freight rates for dry vans and refrigerated ("reefer") vans declined on the spot market in the seven days ending July 14, compared to the previous week, according to TransCore's Truckload Rate Index. The rate reduction is attributed to a seasonal decline in freight availability following an unusually strong peak in June as shippers pushed to get freight to market for the 4th of July holiday weekend.

Flatbed freight volume and rates rebounded during the same week, after three consecutive weeks of price stability in that segment.

Consistent with a more relaxed post-holiday shipping environment, TransCore saw the load-to-truck ratio, a key indicator of demand and truckload capacity on the company's DAT Network of load boards, dip 4 percent in the week following Independence Day.

Spot market rates for vans and reefers also dipped 4 percent compared to the previous week, while flatbed rates increased 2 percent, according to TransCore Trendlines, a weekly barometer for spot market freight trends.

TransCore Trendlines is published weekly with spot market and contract market rates, and other key indicators from TransCore's U.S. Freight Index. It is based on more than 60 million loads and trucks posted annually on the 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.