PORTLAND, OR – Despite spot truckload rates softening compared to January, February’s total freight volume was up 48% compared to February 2016.

“Volume on the spot market in February was robust for what is traditionally a slow month for freight,” said Don Thornton, senior vice president of DAT Solutions. “The strong freight volumes attracted an unusual number of contract carriers, and the added capacity helped keep rates down on many high-traffic van and reefer lanes until late in February, when national average contract rates began to firm up.”

According to DAT solutions, February’s spot van and refrigerated freight rates were held down by an influx of capacity from contract carriers.

February’s national average spot van rate was $1.62 per mile, down five cents from January, while the average reefer rate was down 9 cents compared to January at $1.86 per mile.

In addition, February’s final week saw load-to-truck ratios up sharply with spot rates jumping week over week.

Despite February’s spot van and reefer rates being lower compared to January, flatbed demand rose 27% and national average spot flatbed rates were up four cents compared to January at $1.96 per mile.