U.S. Bank and DAT: Contract and spot truck freight rates diverge
Business Wire•01/10/2026•09:45 ET
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Key Highlights
- ➤Dry van contract rates reached $2.39 per mile in August
- ➤Dry van spot rates fell to $2.17 per mile in August
- ➤Contract rates carried a roughly $0.22-per-mile premium over spot
- ➤Average fuel surcharge rose to $0.70 per mile in August
Expert Statements
Jeff Pape, Head of transportation, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems
“Fuel costs are increasing while linehaul pricing is softening, making it important for transportation teams to closely analyze the components of their freight spend.”
Patrick Pretorius, General Manager Shipper Segment, DAT
“Fuel made up about 21% of the per-mile broker-to-shipper spot rate on dry van loads in June”
Patrick Pretorius, General Manager Shipper Segment, DAT
“By August, it was 24%, and diesel is trending higher into the fall.”
Patrick Pretorius, General Manager Shipper Segment, DAT
“Higher fuel costs push smaller, thinner-margin carriers out of the market, which adds to an already shrinking driver pool.”
Patrick Pretorius, General Manager Shipper Segment, DAT
“Shippers who've spent two years squeezing rate per mile would do well to shift focus to consolidation and network planning, as the market is tightening from two directions at once.”
U.S. Bank and DAT: Contract and spot truck freight rates diverge
Contract rates moved higher through August while spot rates retreated from June levels
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