Truckload spot pricing extended its 2026 recovery, with refrigerated freight leading the gains, according to data from DAT Freight & Analytics. As of mid-June 2026, the national seven-day average broker-to-carrier reefer spot rate stood at 3.05 dollars per mile.

The climb has been steady. In February 2026, DAT reported reefer linehaul rates near 2.21 dollars per mile. By April the national reefer spot rate had reached 3.12 dollars per mile, and a May reading averaged 3.26 dollars per mile, 14 cents above the April figure. Regional spreads were wide in May, with the South averaging 3.39 dollars per mile while the Northeast sat lowest at 2.56 dollars per mile.

Tightening capacity drove much of the movement. The national reefer load-to-truck ratio reached 26.97 in mid-May, roughly double the April average of 13.47. A higher load-to-truck ratio means more available freight is chasing each posted truck, which pressures rates upward.

The pattern reflected a broader market in which truckload spot rates posted consecutive monthly gains. For carriers, firmer spot pricing improves the economics of hauling, while shippers face higher transportation budgets as the freight cycle turns. Refrigerated capacity tends to swing more sharply than dry van during seasonal produce surges, which helps explain the steeper reefer gains through the spring.

Source: DAT Freight & Analytics - https://www.dat.com/company/news-events/news-releases/dat-truckload-spot-rates-post-seventh-straight-monthly-gain