Following last week’s report suggesting a warming trend, it’s clear at least that, as regards rates, nationally and across trailer types we’re still on the downswing. National average rates dropped again.
At once, all equipment types could be getting ready for a rebound. Why? Load availability, judged by activity in the network of DAT load boards, was up in the largest van freight markets last week, accompanied by a whopping 30 percent increase in reefer freight movements compared to the previous week. Flatbed is also gaining strength, especially in the Southeast and South Central regions.
Go to L.A. instead. That rate is only slightly better, at $1.04/mile based on averages extracted from DAT RateView. The average rate from L.A. back to Stockton, however, is averaging $2.22/mile. That 338-mile leg adds almost $650 in total revenue to the round for a roundtrip rate of $1.55/mile for all loaded miles — that beats this week’s van national average. Examine the details — all rates averages on those lanes — below.