Spot truckload rates in the United States are recovering sharply, closing much of the long-standing gap with contract pricing. Reporting on data from U.S. Bank and DAT, industry coverage shows spot linehaul pricing rose more than 23 percent from March 2025 through February 2026, while contract rates increased about 5 percent over the same stretch.

The compression between the two rate types has been pronounced. A year earlier, contract rates carried an average premium of roughly 39 cents per mile over spot. By March 2026 that spread had narrowed to about 11 cents per mile, a compression of nearly 28 cents.

Underlying price levels moved higher across equipment types. Spot rates averaged about $2.01 per mile in February, up from $1.65 the prior November. Spot van rates rose 11 cents sequentially to $2.52 per mile, reefer climbed 9 cents to $2.97 per mile, and flatbed posted a steeper 37-cent gain to $3.09 per mile.

Analysts attribute the rebalancing to tightening capacity and rising fuel costs, which tend to push spot pricing up faster than contract rates that reset less frequently. The narrowing spread is often read as a sign that the freight market is moving from a prolonged trough toward firmer footing for carriers.

Source: Trucking Dive - https://www.truckingdive.com/news/trucking-spot-contract-rates-us-bank-dat-2026-spread/816351/