Another look at April rates: Spot market rates in all three segments tilt toward carriers (with charts)

See full paid vs. posted charts for dry van, reefer and flatbed below./ Source: Truckstop.com

Posted rates on the spot market in April didn’t continue the upward trend seen in March, according to the latest data from Truckstop.com, but paid rates — averages derived from verified rates paid to carriers on spot market loads — climbed in all  three segments in the month.

The increases could point to growing carrier leverage in rate negotiations in a market of continuing tight capacity and expected good volume.

Paid reefer rates in the month rose a penny to $2.35. Posted rates in the segment averaged $2.16. On average, carriers were able to negotiate rates up nearly 20 cents a mile. Posted rates were flat from March.

Flatbed rates in the month rose 2 cents to $2.26. Posted rates in the month were $2.08, Truckstop.com reports, pointing to another nearly 20-cent difference between post-negotation rates. Posted rates rose 4 cents from March.

Dry van paid rates rose 2 cents too, to $2.20, while posted rates fell 7 cents to $1.86 — a 34-cent difference between posted and paid rates in the month.

Here are charts for each segment, plotting over time both paid and posted rates. The wider the gap between the two, the stronger the rate market for carriers:

Reefer:

Flatbed:

Dry van: