U.S. truckload spot rates broke every prior benchmark in early June 2026, reaching $3.83 per mile on an all-in basis including fuel surcharge, according to DAT Freight and Analytics. The figure surpasses even the pandemic-era freight boom, when rates peaked near $3.50 to $3.60 per mile, marking a dramatic turn from the weak pricing that defined much of 2024 and 2025.

The climb built through the year. Spot rates averaged $2.01 per mile in February, up from $1.65 the prior November, then accelerated into the spring. By April, national van rates stood at $2.68 per mile, flatbed at $3.46, and reefer at $3.12. Fuel surcharges added to the total, with van surcharges in March running about 50 percent above their 2025 baseline.

Contract rates, which move more slowly, ticked up to $2.12 per mile in February from $2.02 in November. The gap between spot and contract pricing narrowed sharply to roughly 11 cents per mile by March as spot rates caught up.

Freight forecasters expect elevated pricing to hold. Uber Freight has projected spot rates will remain 20 to 25 percent above year-ago levels through the rest of 2026. The rebound reflects tighter carrier capacity after a long stretch of trucking company exits during the down market.

Source: MarketScale -- https://www.marketscale.com/industries/transportation/truckload-spot-rates-hit-all-time-record-383-per-mile-as-freight-market-surges