Spot market Week 38: flatbed surges while diesel does the lifting

Broker-to-carrier all-in spot averages for Sept. 13–19 (linehaul + fuel surcharge): dry van $2.96/mi (+4¢), reefer $3.59/mi (+9¢), flatbed $3.55/mi (+6¢), per DAT. Load posts surged — van +15%, flatbed +25% (strongest in two months), reefer +8% on fall produce — while total truck posts hit the lowest Week 38 figure in DAT’s records, running 24–30% below a year ago. Load-to-truck ratios: van 11.2, reefer 19.1, flatbed 40.5.

The cooler read underneath: linehaul excluding fuel was van $2.17 (−3¢), flatbed $2.60 (−1¢), reefer $2.73 (+2¢) — diesel, not linehaul, drove most of the all-in gain. FTR notes flatbed’s weekly jump was its largest for that week since 2008.

Selectivity into peak

FreightWaves SONAR put the national tender rejection index at 14.21% on Sept. 23 — carriers keep meaningful freight selectivity heading into peak season, with flatbed near 19% and reefer above 20%.