Spot Freight

The van TVI, at 245, down 4% compared to January, with the reefer TVI, at 193, down 4% compared to January, and the flatbed TVI, at 242, increased 3% compared to January.

The ATA’s advanced Seasonally Adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index, for September, at 113.9 (2015=100), was down 1.1%, following a 0.2% increase, to 115.3, in from July to August.

In this podcast, Jeff Berman, Group News Editor for Logistics Management and the Peerless Media Supply Chain Group, interviews Dr. Chris Caplice, Chief Scientist at DAT Freight & Analytics, which operates the largest truckload freight marketplace in North America and DAT iQ, the industry’s most trusted source of market analysis and truckload pricing data.

The ATA’s advanced Seasonally Adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index, for May, came in at 115.4 (2015=100), for a 2.4% increase, following decreases of 1.7% and 2.8%, in April and March, respectively.

January’s van freight TVI—at 223—was up 2.8% compared to December and also up 2.8% annually. The refrigerated TVI—at 174—was up 3.0% compared to December and up 3.6% annually. And the flatbed TVI—at 218—was up 10.7% compared to December and was up 12.4% annually.

12.5%, for the same period (down 7.1% annually and down 1.9% compared to July 2020), and the flatbed TVI down 15.9%, to 217 (up 13.6% annually and up 16% compared to July 2020). DAT said that changes in the TVI represent the number of loads moved with a pickup date during the month.

June’s TVI dry van freight reading—at 240—was up 6% compared to May, with the refrigerated TVI—at 173—down 0.6%, and the flatbed TVI up 5%, to 245. DAT said that changes in the TVI represent the number of loads moved with a pickup date during the month.

May’s TVI dry van freight reading—at 256—was down 3.7% compared to April (April was down 10% compared to May), with the refrigerated TVI—at 190—also down 3.7%, and the flatbed TVI—at 240—rose 4.8%, for the same period.

The ATA’s advanced Seasonally Adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index, for May, came in at 117.1 (2015=100), following a 1.4% April decline, which was upwardly revised from an original reading of a 2% decrease. SA tonnage was up 1.8% in March.

Minneapolis, Minn.-based global logistics services provider and freight forwarder C.H. Robinson (CHR) recently heralded significant progress it has made its delivery of digital quotes, for both over the past year and also the first quarter of 2022, at almost 2.7 million and 1 million, respectively, with the latter also marking a 54% annual gain.

April’s TVI dry van freight reading—at 273—was off 10% compared to March, with the refrigerated TVI—at 190—and the flatbed TVI—at 229—down 10% and 6%, respectively, for the same period. DAT observed that while truckload volumes usually see a decline from March to April, “with freight movement in a seasonal lull,” that was not the case this April, with the April TVI seeing van freight up 12%, reefers up 10.5%, and flatbed loads up 15.1%, which DAT said serves as an indicator of...

Logistics Management Group News Editor Jeff Berman recently spoke with Ken Adamo, Chief of Analytics at DAT Freight & Analytics, the operator of the largest truckload freight marketplace in North America, and Chris Caplice, executive director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Transportation & Logistics (CTL), and also DAT Chief Scientist, about various topics, including: the possibilty of a freight recession, contract and spot rates, fuel, and inflation, among other subjects.

February’s reading—at 227—was down 3% compared to January’s 229, which marked the highest-ever TVI reading in January. And while load-posting activity was off sequentially, the number of loads posted to the DAT One load board network saw a solid 24.1% annual increase.

January’s reading—at 229—was off 3% compared to December, but it still represented the highest-ever TVI reading in January, while posting a 15% annual increase. DAT said that the number of loads posted to the DAT One load board network saw a 34.7% increase, from December to January, and were up 104.7% annually.

December’s reading—at 236—was off 3% compared to November, a month which matched October in setting a record for the number of loads moved by motor carriers in a month, according to DAT. And national average truckload spot van and reefer rates saw gains for the seventh consecutive month, with the average van rate hitting the $3 per mile mark for the first time. What’s more, van and refrigerated (reefer) truckload freight rates each set new records, up 21.9% and 29.5%, respectively,...