Spot market insights: Rates for all equipment types are running far above last year

Overview

• Flatbed, dry van, and refrigerated equipment all dipped last week, as expected for the “mid-June slump.”
• Nevertheless, spot rates for all equipment types are running far above last year's levels.
• Compared to last year, the MDI is up 79.9 points, or 96.7%, and rates are up 50.5%.
• The MDI and rates have stayed consistently higher than the year prior throughout 2026.
• National fuel prices eased $0.15 from the previous week, from $5.21 to $5.05 per gallon.
• For the first time since early March, flatbed, dry van, and refrigerated spot rates excluding fuel surcharges were slightly higher year-over-year than all-in rates due to the recent significant fall in diesel prices

Additional Data

• The Van MDI decreased 13.0 points to 251.4 as load availability fell 2.2% and truck availability rose 2.9%
• The Refrigerated MDI fell 62.9 points to 229.8 as load availability decreased 2.9% and truck availability increased 23.6%
• The Flatbed MDI decreased 28.6 points to 238.4 as load availability fell 10.0% and truck availability rose 0.7%.
• The Specialized MDI decreased 6.4 points to 35.3 as load availability fell by 10.0% and truck availability rose 6.2.
• Compared to 2025:
• The Van MDI is up 122.1 points, or 94.4%.
• The Refrigerated MDI is up 62.0 points, or 36.9%.
• The Flatbed MDI is up 134.5 points, or 129.6%.
• The Specialized MDI is up 12.6 points, or 55.1%.