Trucking News · Nationwide · November 5, 2026

DAT Says Spot Truckload Rates Edged Higher for Truckers as Load Posts Rose and Truck Posts Fell in the Last Week of October

By Big Rig Daily Staff

Spot truckload rates edged higher in the final full week of October as more loads met fewer available trucks, according to DAT Freight & Analytics data reported by The Trucker. Spot rates are the prices paid for one-time loads, as opposed to contract freight.

The weekly numbers

For the week of Oct. 24 to 30, DAT One load posts totaled 2.75 million, up 7% from the prior week. Total equipment posts fell 6% to 174,104.

Broker-to-carrier spot rates, including fuel, averaged:

• Van: $3.07 a mile, up 5 cents.
• Reefer (refrigerated): $3.63 a mile, up 5 cents.
• Flatbed: $3.62 a mile, up 3 cents.

DAT said spot linehaul rates rose 1 to 3 cents a mile and a higher diesel price added about 2 cents to the fuel surcharge.

Load-to-truck ratios

The load-to-truck ratio, the number of loads posted for each truck posted, rose for every equipment type. Dry van rose to 10.9 from 9.5, reefer to 15.7 from 14.8, and flatbed jumped to 41.7 from 34.9 after flatbed truck posts fell 10%.

"Month-end freight meets a thinner pool of trucks," said Dean Croke, industry analyst at DAT. He said truck posts on DAT One remain 22% to 26% below last year, and linehaul rates are about 33% above last year for dry van, 31% for reefer and 29% for flatbed.

Looking ahead

Croke said reefer load posts are up 11% year over year, a sign of the Thanksgiving push. DAT's 35-day forecast has van linehaul edging up to $2.26 a mile in early December, reefer to $2.73, and flatbed easing to $2.60. Construction and industrial freight usually slows around Thanksgiving, which is Nov. 26.

DAT notes that rates may change as it receives more of the week's invoices.

What it means for truckers

Higher spot rates do not always mean higher take-home pay, because fuel, insurance and other costs also count. Big Rig Daily reported earlier this week that spot rates fell on another index for the week ending Oct. 30, so different data sources can point in different directions.

Quick facts

• Week: Oct. 24 to 30, 2026.
• Load posts: 2.75 million, up 7%.
• Truck posts: 174,104, down 6%.
• Rates with fuel: van $3.07, reefer $3.63, flatbed $3.62.
• Flatbed load-to-truck: 41.7.

FAQ

What is a load-to-truck ratio?

It is the number of loads posted for each truck posted on the load board. A higher number means more loads per truck.

Are these rates final?

No. DAT says they may change as more invoices come in.

A question for readers

Truckers, are higher spot rates showing up in what you actually net per mile?

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