Dry van spot rates moved above contract rates in July 2026 for the first time since February 2022, according to DAT Freight and Analytics, while flatbed spot rates reached a record high. The crossover marks a structural shift in a market that spent more than three years with spot pricing below contract levels.

The underlying rate data documents the size of the move. The national average van linehaul rate reached $2.37 per mile in June 2026, up 21 cents from May and 74 cents higher than the same month a year earlier. That year-over-year gain of roughly 45 percent for van freight represents the largest percentage increase in linehaul rates since June 2021.

All-in rates, which include fuel surcharges, ran higher still. The DAT all-in dry van spot rate registered $2.62 per mile for the week ending May 9, 2026, the highest reading since mid-2022. Earlier in the year, national average all-in truckload spot rates touched $2.80 per mile, a 23 percent increase from the fourth quarter 2025 trough.

Separate payment data corroborates the trend. The U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index recorded spot rates rising 31 percent, and DAT truckload spot rates have posted seven consecutive monthly gains.

For shippers holding contract rates negotiated during the downturn, the inversion creates pressure at renewal. Carriers with contract-heavy books face the opposite position, with fixed pricing lagging a rising spot market.

Source: DAT Freight and Analytics via GlobeNewswire - https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/07/09/3324951/0/en/DAT-Dry-van-spot-rates-top-contract-for-first-time-since-February-2022-flatbed-rates-hit-record-high.html