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Trendspotting: Summer portends to be a challenge for transportation

By
Craig Levitt

Most think the unsung heroes of the produce industry are farmers. While that is true, they also include those who deliver our food — and I’m not talking about Instacart or Grubhub.

Very few of us pay attention to the truckers on our highways who transport our food from point A to point B, much less what it cost to do so.  While the below figures don’t account only for the transportation of produce, they do provide a glimpse into the going volume and rates of transporting our produce across the nation.  

According to the latest information DAT Freight & Analytics, which operates the DAT One freight marketplace and DAT iQ data analytics service, spot truckload rates rose in June despite declines in the number of loads moved.

The DAT Truckload Volume Index (TVI), an indicator of loads moved during a given month, retreated from all-time highs for van and refrigerated loads in May: Van TVI: 266, down 9 percent month over month; Reefer TVI: 199, down 11 percent; Flatbed TVI: 279, down 7 percent.

Year over year, the van and flatbed TVI dipped 3 percent and 5 percent, respectively. The reefer TVI was up 7 percent compared to June 2023.

“The month ended strong for dry van freight, with nearly 25 percent more volume moving during the final week of June compared to last year,” said Ken Adamo, DAT chief of analytics. “While demand for trucking services entered July on a high note, we expect freight activity to ease during the summer. This remains a challenging market for freight carriers and brokers.”

National average spot truckload rates increased for the third consecutive month in June:

  • Spot van: $2.07 per mile, up 6 cents
  • Spot reefer: $2.45 a mile, up 4 cents
  • Spot flatbed: $2.53 a mile, up 1 cent

The average van linehaul rate was $1.64 a mile, up 6 cents compared to May; the reefer rate gained 5 cents to $1.99; and the flatbed rate increased 1 cent to $2.02. Linehaul rates subtract an amount equal to an average fuel surcharge.

National average rates for contracted van and reefer freight ticked higher: Contract van rate: $2.44 per mile, up 1 cent; contract reefer rate: $2.81 a mile, up 2 cents; Contract flatbed rate: $3.14 a mile, down 2 cents.

National average van and reefer load-to-truck ratios increased for the fourth straight month in June, reflecting a combination of higher demand and fewer trucks in the marketplace: Van ratio: 4.7, up from 4.4 in May, meaning there were 4.7 loads for every van truck on the DAT One marketplace; Reefer ratio: seven, up from 6.3; Flatbed ratio: 14.6, down from 18.

Ratios were higher year over year. In June 2023, the average van ratio was 3.5, the reefer ratio was 5.5, and the flatbed ratio was 13.3. Load-to-truck ratios reflect truckload supply and demand on the DAT One marketplace and indicate the pricing environment for spot truckload freight.

Craig Levitt

Craig Levitt

About Craig Levitt  |  email

When his dreams of becoming a professional hockey player came crashing down due to lack of talent, Craig Levitt turned to journalism. He graduated from Hofstra University in 1992 and has covered various areas of the retail food trade since 1996. Craig joined The Produce News in 2017 and is now managing editor. In his spare time, Craig still plays men’s league hockey (poorly) and enjoys walking the aisles of his favorite supermarket with his wife and two daughters.

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February 4, 2025
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