Economic forces, consumer demand, seasonality, natural disasters and myriad other factors contribute to transport's cyclical market.

The charts below show the latest data on Class 8 truck orders, trailer orders, monthly tonnage, linehaul rates and load-to-truck ratios. We'll update this page frequently as new data is released.

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Load-to-truck ratios

Load-to-truck ratios from DAT Freight & Analytics serve as indicators of supply and demand in the spot market. The ratio is calculated based on the number of load posts compared to the number of truck posts on the DAT One load board. Ratio changes can signal upcoming fluctuations in spot rates.

Load-to-truck ratios increased across equipment types for the week beginning Sept. 29, compared to the previous seven-day period. DAT reported:

• Dry van increased from 3.8 to 4.5 loads per truck
• Reefer increased from 5.1 to 6.3 loads per truck
• Flatbed increased from 13.1 to to 15.7 loads per truck

Load posts saw changes in certain markets amid Hurricane Helene and the International Longshoremen's Association strike Oct. 1-3. Flatbed load posts increased by 14% in the Southeast, reflecting storm preparation and cleanup, DAT Principal Analyst Dean Croke noted. For 20 freight markets near ILA ports, load posts dropped by 5%, per DAT.

Spot linehaul rates

DAT’s linehaul rates measure a seven-day moving average for spot rates in dry van, reefer and flatbed hauls. They often reflect the balance of supply and demand in the spot market. The rates are derived from DAT’s RateView database and do not include a fuel surcharge.

National benchmark averages tended to increase the week of Sept. 29, compared to the previous week. Per DAT:

• Dry van increased by 4 cents to $1.65
• Reefer remained at $1.97
• Flatbed increased by 1 cent to $2

"Hurricane Helene’s impact on spot truckload freight was regional and considerable" and reflected constrained capacity, DAT Principal Analyst Dean Croke said in a statement.

"In DAT’s Southeast region, inbound and outbound rates increased by an average of 10 cents a mile compared to the previous week" and average reefer linehaul rates in the Atlanta market also saw the same increase, the firm said. For flatbed, freight markets in the path of Hurricane Helene had spot rates increase by 8 cents.

"Preparations for Hurricane Milton are following a familiar pattern," Croke added.

Tonnage

The ATA For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased by 1.8% in August to 115.8 compared to the previous month when seasonally adjusted, per a news release. The organization also revised July's figure upward to 113.8, from a previous estimate of 113.7.

"August tonnage levels rose to the highest level since February 2023," ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said in a monthly report, adding that the industry is at an inflection point in the freight market.

Trailers

Net trailer orders were down 30% year over year to 6,661 units in August, according to FTR data. But last month’s orders were up 17% from July.

In a monthly report, FTR noted that truck freight fundamentals are stagnant, with total trailer build 30% lower than the average August for the past five years.

"Higher-than-ideal trailer inventories at dealers across most segments, reduced trailer capital expenditures at fleets, and declining backlogs likely will exert downward pressure on build rates for the rest of 2024," FTR Senior Analyst of Commercial Vehicles Dan Moyer said in the report.

Truckload linehaul rates

The Truckload Linehaul Index from Cass measures per-mile linehaul rates. In the chart below, the baseline is 100, which represents conditions in 2005. Rates fluctuate as a result of supply, demand and balance (or a lack thereof) in the market, but they also include factors such as fuel prices and insurance costs.

The index, which includes spot and contract freight, decreased 0.6% in August compared to the month prior and fell 3% year over year, Cass reported.

The monthly decline, its fourth in a row, suggested "the soft market balance persists and overcapacity keeps bids highly competitive," ACT Research VP and Senior Analyst Tim Denoyer wrote for Cass’ monthly report.

Class 8 orders

Preliminary Class 8 net orders September reached 30,000 units, marking a 107% month-over-month increase but a 4% year-over-year decline, according to a report from FTR.

"Given the current stagnation in the truck freight market from a volume and rate perspective, this is a very balanced order number and suggests an initial, healthy level of demand for new trucks in 2025 as September is typically the opening of order boards for the following year," the firm said.