Outbound rates declined in major California markets and also in Philadelphia, Memphis, Chicago and Seattle last week. Those falls contributed to a 2-cents-per-mile drop in the national average van rate, now $1.77 on the spot market. That continued a trend in place during the the last van-specific demand update, based on rates derived from DAT’s RateView product and loads booked on its network of load boards.
Bright spots this week for dry van haulers? Rates edged up in Philadelphia, Memphis and Seattle.
From a demand perspective, areas to target now include a few local markets with a lot of loads available and few trucks, creating opportunities for small fleets. Look for loads in Buffalo, N.Y.; Harrisburg and Erie, Pa.; Baltimore, Md.; Roanoke and Winchester, Va.; and Evansville, Ind., DAT says.
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