DAT: Typical May truckload rates, volumes masked tariff turmoil

Spot truckload van and refrigerated freight volumes rose modestly in May as shippers positioned inventory ahead of summer and potential tariffs, said DAT Freight & Analytics, which operates the DAT One freight marketplace and DAT iQ data analytics service.

The DAT Truckload Volume Index (TVI) reflected typical seasonal changes:

• Van TVI: 247, up 3% compared to April
• Refrigerated (“reefer”) TVI: 200, up 5%
• Flatbed TVI: 309, down 4%

Year-over-year monthly comparisons for van freight were negative for the second consecutive month, slipping 1.4% compared to May 2024. The Reefer TVI was up 6% year over year and the Flatbed TVI increased 3% compared to May 2024.

Spot van, reefer rates gained

Amid relatively steady freight volumes, spot van and reefer rates increased solidly:

• Spot van: $1.99 per mile, up 3 cents from April
• Spot reefer: $2.36 per mile, up 9 cents
• Spot flatbed: $2.57 per mile, unchanged

The van linehaul rate averaged $1.62 per mile, up 5 cents month over month, while the reefer rate rose 10 cents to $1.95. The flatbed linehaul rate increased 1 cent to $2.12.

Typically, van and reefer rates rise in May as demand to move produce and retail goods ahead of the Memorial Day holiday increases, and drivers plan downtime around the three-day Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Roadcheck enforcement event in the middle of the month.

“The averages signaled normal seasonality in May, although in reality, there were swings in rates and volumes from week to week,” said Ken Adamo, Chief of Analytics for DAT. “Between Roadcheck, Memorial Day, and shippers adjusting imports due to tariffs, it was an uneven and challenging month for carriers, brokers, and shippers.”

Contract rates slipped

Contract truckload rates dipped compared to April:

• Contract Van: $2.39 per mile, down 1 cent month over month and 4 cents lower year over year
• Contract Reefer: $2.72 per mile, down 2 cents and 7 cents lower year over year
• Contract Flatbed: $3.07 per mile, down 1 cent and 3 cents lower year over year

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 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.

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