DAT: Truckload volumes retreated in June amid weak seasonal demand

BEAVERTON, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Spot truckload volumes retreated in June, reflecting subdued demand for trucking services during what is typically a summer peak, said DAT Freight & Analytics, which operates the DAT One freight marketplace and DAT iQ data analytics service.

The DAT Truckload Volume Index (TVI) — a measure of loads moved during the month — slipped back to March and April levels after modest gains in May:

• Van TVI: 243, down 2% from May
• Refrigerated (reefer) TVI: 191, down 5%
• Flatbed TVI: 314, up 1%

June truckload volumes were positive year over year. The van TVI was 4% higher than in June 2024; the reefer TVI increased 10%; and the flatbed TVI rose 12% compared to a year ago.

Shippers remained wary of soft consumer spending and uncertain costs from tariffs and the Israel-Iran war. “Many retailers and manufacturers continued to hold inventory at current levels or allowed it to draw down,” said Ken Adamo, Chief of Analytics at DAT. “Freight moved in fits and starts rather than steadily and predictably building toward the July 4 holiday.”

Little change in truckload rates

After a bump in May, national average truckload spot prices stalled in June:

• Spot van: $2.02 per mile, up 3 cents from May
• Spot reefer: $2.37 per mile, up 1 cent
• Spot flatbed: $2.57 per mile, unchanged for the third consecutive month

The van linehaul rate averaged $1.63 per mile, up 1 cent month over month. The reefer rate slipped 1 cent to $1.94, and the flatbed linehaul rate fell 2 cents to $2.10. National average linehaul rates for all three equipment types turned negative year over year for the first time in 12 months, down 1 cent for van and reefer freight and 2 cents for flatbed loads.

Linehaul rates exclude an amount equal to the average fuel surcharge. The monthly average surcharge increased by 2 cents in June, as the average retail price of diesel jumped by almost 30 cents.

Contract rates kept pace with higher fuel surcharges:

• Contract van: $2.41 per mile, up 2 cents month over month
• Contract reefer: $2.74 per mile, up 2 cents
• Contract flatbed: $3.08 per mile, up 1 cent

Is capacity leaving the market?

The market continues to hold onto capacity despite six months of rates underperforming and significant uncertainties on the demand side.

“Higher fuel prices and the enforcement of English-language proficiency requirements for truck drivers had minimal impact on carrier exits in June,” said Adamo.

About the Truckload Volume Index

The DAT Truckload Volume Index reflects the change in the number of loads with a pickup date during that month. A baseline of 100 equals the number of loads moved in January 2015, as recorded in DAT RateView, a database tracking rates paid on an average of 3 million loads per month. DAT benchmark spot rates are derived from invoice data for hauls of 250 miles or more with a pickup date during the month reported. Linehaul rates deduct an average fuel surcharge amount, which was 37 cents, 41 cents, and 45 cents for vans, reefers, and flatbeds, respectively.

About DAT Freight & Analytics

DAT Freight & Analytics operates DAT One, North America’s largest truckload freight marketplace; DAT iQ, the industry’s leading freight data analytics service; Trucker Tools, the leader in load visibility; and Outgo, the freight financial services platform. Shippers, transportation brokers, carriers, news organizations, and industry analysts rely on DAT for market trends and data insights, informed by nearly 700,000 daily load posts and a database exceeding $1 trillion in freight market transactions.

Founded in 1978, DAT is a business unit of Roper Technologies (Nasdaq: ROP), a constituent of the Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, and Fortune 1000. Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, DAT continues to set the standard for innovation in the trucking and logistics industry. Visit dat.com for more information.