Broker-posted spot rates in the Truckstop.com system performed roughly as expected during the week ended November 14 (week 45). Refrigerated spot rates rose modestly as they do virtually every year during comparable weeks, and flatbed spot rates fell as they almost always do. Dry van spot rates increased marginally, which technically contrasts with recent years, but until 2020 they always rose in comparable weeks. Prior-year comparisons will become less reliable for a few weeks due to calendar distortions, according to FTR Transportation Intelligence & Truckstop.
Total load activity fell 5.8% after dropping more than 8% in the previous week. Volume was down more than 4% versus the same 2024 week was down about 26% versus the five-year average for the week. Truck postings increased 4.8%, and the Market Demand Index – the ratio of loads to trucks – dropped to its lowest level since the end of June.
Due to a sharp drop in flatbed rates, the total market broker-posted rate decreased by more than 2 cents after barely moving in the prior week. Total rates were slightly (0.4%) higher than they were during the same 2024 week but more than 8% below the five-year average for the week. A slight disconnect between 2024 and 2025 weeks in the Truckstop.com data means that Thanksgiving falls a week earlier in the data this year even though the holiday’s dates in the two years are just a day apart. This distortion could begin to render year-over-year comparisons unreliable for a few weeks as early as this week.
Dry van spot rates increased just four-tenths of a cent after rising about 2 cents during the previous week. Rates were marginally (0.3%) below those in the same 2024 week and close to 13% lower than the five-year average for the week. Dry van loads declined 1.3%. Volume was about 1% lower than in the same 2024 week and nearly 35% below the five-year average for the week.
Refrigerated spot rates increased 3.5 cents after rising 5 cents in the prior week. Rates were a little more than 1% higher than they were during the same 2024 week but more than 8% lower than the five-year average. Refrigerated loads barely changed, declining just 0.2%. Load volume was about 22% below the same 2024 week and 48% below the five-year average.
Flatbed spot rates fell more than 4 cents – the largest drop in 16 weeks – after declining a fraction of a cent in the previous week. Rates were 1% higher than in the same 2024 week – the same as the prior week’s comparison – but close to 7% below the five-year average for the week. Flatbed loads fell 9.1% to the lowest level in 19 weeks. Load volume was 1.5% higher than in the same 2024 week but more than 14% below the five-year average.