Truckload freight availability climbed last month as the number of loads on the spot market surpassed same-month levels from the previous year for the first time since December 2014, according to the DAT North American Freight Index.
Month-over-month, spot market freight volume increased 1.5% to the second-highest level this year.
Compared to August 2015, the average linehaul rate fell 6.6% for vans, as reefer rates dipped 5.1%, and flatbed rates lost 7.2%. Diesel prices also contributed to the decline in rates. The average fuel surcharge, a component of the total rate paid to carriers, fell 17% year over year. The surcharge is pegged to the retail price of diesel fuel.