January 5, 2026
Seasonal peak puts van spot rates at multi-year highs
As expected, broker-posted spot rates in the Truckstop.com system rose during the week ended January 2 (week 52 of 2025), resulting in the highest rates for dry van and refrigerated equipment in several years. Refrigerated spot rates posted a large week-over-week gain and were the highest since February 2022. Dry van spot rates increased only modestly but once again were at their highest level since the beginning of 2023. Barring weather disruptions, van spot rates likely will decline in early January.
Total load activity recovered 38.2% after plunging more than 59% during Christmas week. Once again, the calendar disconnect between 2024 and 2025 greatly distorted prior-year volume comparisons as week 52 in 2024 was Christmas week. Load postings were up more than 57% versus 2024’s week 52 but less than 7% higher than in 2024’s week after Christmas. Truck postings dipped 1.4%, and the Market Demand Index – the ratio of loads to trucks – recovered notably from the prior week’s low level.
The total market broker-posted rate rose 7.6 cents, narrowly exceeding the increase two weeks prior for the largest gain since early October 2024. Total rates were about 9% higher than in 2024’s week 52 and slightly more than 9% higher than in 2024’s week after Christmas. Although van spot rates were stronger earlier in December than typical for recent years, history shows that rates invariably moderate significantly in early January – even in very strong spot markets like 2020-2021 and 2017-2018. Aside from any distortions due to weather, the next few weeks should offer some insights into the durability of December’s market strength.
Dry van spot rates increased just under 3 cents – the smallest increase in three weeks and smaller than typical for the final week of the year. However, dry van rates have risen in eight of the last nine weeks for a total of more than 44 cents. Rates were about 10% higher than in 2024’s week 52 and about 9% higher than in 2024’s week after Christmas. Dry van loads rose 30.1% in the week following Christmas. Volume was nearly 34% higher than in 2024’s week 52 but more than 2% lower than in 2024’s week after Christmas.
Refrigerated spot rates jumped more than 27 cents – the largest week-over-week increase since International Roadcheck week in May. Refrigerated rates were nearly 23% above those in 2024’s week 52 and 18% higher than in 2024’s week after Christmas. In either case, the prior-year rate comparison was the strongest since early 2022 as it had been the week before. Refrigerated loads jumped 44.9% during the week following Christmas. Volume was about 24% above that in 2024’s week 52 but more than 3% lower than in 2024’s week after Christmas.
Flatbed spot rates increased just over 2 cents after falling just over 4 cents in the prior week. Rates were up 5.5% versus 2024’s week 52 and nearly 7% above those in 2024’s week after Christmas. Flatbed loads recovered 44.4% after plunging about 66% during Christmas week. Load volume was more than 124% above that during 2024’s week 52 but less than 26% above 2024’s week after Christmas.
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Truckstop's Brent Hutto dishes on spot market activity and other hot topics.