Dry van spot rates reached 2.62 dollars per mile for the week ending May 9, 2026, the highest all-in reading tracked by DAT Freight Analytics since mid-2022. The figure marks a clear recovery from the multi-year rate trough that squeezed carrier margins through 2024 and early 2025.

The strength extended across equipment types. National dry van spot rates averaged 2.47 dollars per mile in early 2026 and climbed to 2.68 dollars by April. Regional spreads remained wide, with the Midwest posting the highest van averages near 2.77 dollars per mile and the Northeast the lowest at 2.19 dollars.

Refrigerated freight carried a premium. Reefer rates sat at 3.12 dollars per mile in April and rose to an average of 3.39 dollars by mid-June, about 4 cents above the May average. Reefer pricing peaked in the Midwest and West at 3.51 dollars per mile, while the Northeast trailed at 2.61 dollars.

Market analysts attribute the pricing strength to supply-side pressure rather than a demand surge. Driver availability has fallen sharply, capacity has contracted, and regulatory and enforcement changes have tightened the market faster than freight volume alone would suggest. By June 2026 the pricing strength had moved beyond short-term spot volatility into contracted lanes, a pattern that historically signals a durable rate cycle rather than a brief spike.

Source: DAT Freight Analytics - https://innovativelogisticsgroup.io/industry-commentary/dry-van-spot-rates-hit-2-62-per-mile-in-may-2026-the-highest-since-2022-what-the-freight-rate-cycle-high-means-for-small-carrier-pricing-strategy/