DAT spot market data for June 14-20, 2026

Freight trends from DAT One and DAT iQ

Spot market data for June 14-20, 2026 (Week 25)

Fuel surcharges pull all-in spot rates lower

Total load posts on DAT One fell to 3.26 million last week, down 5% from the prior week. Equipment posts decreased 9% to 197,204 as carriers continued to exit the market. Spot linehaul rates held essentially flat across all three equipment types, but easing diesel prices pulled fuel surcharges down 2 to 3 cents per mile, pushing broker-to-carrier all-in rates lower:

7-day average broker-to-carrier spot rates:

▼ Dry van: $3.01 per mile, down 2 cents week over week

▼ Refrigerated: $3.37 per mile, down 3 cents

▼ Flatbed: $3.70 per mile, down 3 cents

Van: Capacity tightens, linehaul edges up

▼ Van loads: 1,337,258, down 0.5% week over week

▼ Van equipment: 139,253, down 10%

▲ Linehaul rate: $2.38 per mile, up 1 cent week over week

▲ Load-to-truck ratio: 9.6, up from 8.7 the prior week

Reefer: Tighter capacity, rate holds

▲ Reefer loads: 657,810, up 2% week over week

▼ Reefer equipment: 35,303, down 10%

— Linehaul rate: $2.68 per mile, unchanged

▲ Load-to-truck ratio: 18.6, up from 16.5

Flatbed: Demand softens, capacity stable

▼ Flatbed loads: 1,261,139, down 13% week over week

▼ Flatbed equipment: 22,648, down 5%

▲ Linehaul rate: $2.94 per mile, up 1 cent

▼ Load-to-truck ratio: 55.7, down from 60.7

Market analysis from Dean Croke, Industry Analyst, DAT Freight & Analytics

Lower diesel prices were the story last week. The national average diesel price eased about 15 cents per gallon, pulling fuel surcharges down 2 to 3 cents per mile to 64 cents for dry van, 69 cents for refrigerated, and 76 cents for flatbed. Average linehaul rates barely moved, suggesting the underlying spot market dynamics didn't shift last week, only the fuel cost layered on top of it.

Capacity continued to tighten on the van and reefer sides. Van equipment posts fell 10% week over week, with reefer equipment off the same amount, sending both load-to-truck ratios higher despite essentially flat load volumes.

Reefer rates remained historically strong. Spot reefer rates to haul fruits and vegetables averaged $3.98 per mile, down 11 cents week over week but still 48 cents higher year over year. California’s produce season is accelerating: USDA volumes rose 5% last week to match last season’s output, and the average reefer rate from major produce hubs was up $1.05 per mile year over year.

Flatbed’s pricing pattern held. Load-posting volumes dropped 13% as projects ahead of Independence Day quieted down, while equipment posts fell by only 5%. The result was a softer load-to-truck ratio, the first meaningful loosening for flatbed since the spring run-up began. Even so, the flatbed linehaul rate ticked up another cent to $2.94, a new all-time high and the 14th consecutive weekly increase.