Dry van spot linehaul rates paid to carriers averaged $2.17 per mile last week, minus fuel, unchanged from the week before, according to DAT Freight and Analytics data published Sept. 28. Rates are up 31.9%, or $0.52 per mile, from a year ago and 18.5%, or $0.34 per mile, above the nine-year seasonal average of $1.82.

The chart tracks the 7-day rolling average for 2026 against the range of 2017 through 2025. The 2026 line climbed from about $1.95 in April to a peak near $2.44 in July and has since eased to $2.17, still near the top of the historical range.

Across the dry van bellwether states, the moves-weighted outbound rate was $2.91 a mile, down 0.4% on the week and 38.7% higher than a year ago. Those states carried 35.6% of the country's outbound dry van loads. The top 10 outbound markets accounted for 87.8% of loads, and each held well above its year-ago level, with gains of roughly 23% to 39%. California posted the strongest weekly move, up 2.1% to $2.49.

Van load posts rose 1.9% week over week and 29.7% year over year, the only equipment type to add volume on the week. Equipment posts fell 2.9% and are 25.8% below a year ago. The load-to-truck ratio firmed to 11.40 from 10.86.

The 35-day DAT Rate Forecast places dry van spot near $2.14 a mile by late October, within a band of about plus or minus $0.08. That endpoint sits about $0.46 above the $1.68 recorded on the same date last year.

Source: DAT Freight & Analytics - https://www.dat.com/blog/dry-van-report-falling-tonnage-tighter-market-as-the-supply-story-holds