Dry van spot rates moved above contract rates in June 2026 for the first time since February 2022, according to data released by DAT Freight and Analytics on July 9. Flatbed spot pricing reached an all-time high during the same month.

June spot rates including fuel surcharge averaged $3.00 per mile for dry van, $3.39 per mile for refrigerated equipment and $3.69 per mile for flatbed. Excluding fuel surcharge, linehaul averages measured $2.37 per mile for van, $2.70 for reefer and $2.94 for flatbed. Contract rates for the month came in at $2.89 per mile for van, $3.22 for reefer and $3.80 for flatbed.

Year-over-year movement was substantial across all three equipment types. The national average van linehaul rate rose 74 cents, reefer climbed 76 cents and flatbed increased 84 cents compared with June 2025. Aggregate DAT contract rates across dry van, reefer and flatbed rose in May and finished 9.8 percent higher than the prior year.

The crossover point where spot pricing exceeds contract pricing carries operational meaning. Contract rates are typically negotiated annually and lag market conditions, so a sustained inversion signals that shippers holding older contracts face service risk as carriers redirect equipment toward higher-paying spot freight.

Supply-side conditions drove the change. Driver availability declined and carrier capacity contracted through the first half of 2026, tightening the market faster than demand growth alone would produce.

Source: DAT Freight and Analytics - https://www.dat.com/company/news-events/news-releases/dat-dry-van-spot-rates-top-contract-for-first-time-since-february-2022-flatbed-rates-hit-record-high