Flatbed spot linehaul rates averaged 2.83 dollars per mile for the week ending July 31, according to DAT Freight and Analytics, down 1.5% from the prior week but still 39.6% higher than the same week in 2025. The current rate sits 32.2% above the nine year seasonal average of 2.15 dollars per mile, keeping flatbed pricing near the top of its historical range even as it pulls back slightly from July's peak.

The 10 states DAT tracks as flatbed bellwethers posted a moves weighted outbound rate of 3.58 dollars per mile, up nearly 40% from a year earlier. Regionally, the Southeast led all origins at 3.48 dollars per mile, followed by the Ohio River region at 3.29 and the Carolinas at 3.20, with the Carolinas the only top 10 origin to post a week over week gain.

Capacity tightened faster than demand cooled. Flatbed load posts fell 4.2% week over week, but truck posts dropped 8.0%, pushing the load to truck ratio up to 41.06 from 39.47 the prior week and nearly double the 24.01 ratio recorded a year earlier. Contract rates averaged 2.91 dollars per mile against the 2.83 dollar spot rate, a gap far narrower than the 0.30 dollar per mile spread that held across 2022 through 2025.

DAT's 35 day forecast puts flatbed spot rates at roughly 2.83 dollars per mile in early September, essentially flat with the current week, with the narrowest uncertainty band of the three major equipment types the firm tracks.

Source: DAT Freight & Analytics - https://www.dat.com/blog/flatbed-report-rates-ease-off-july-highs-but-stay-up-nearly-40-year-over-year