Contract Dry Van Rates Build 22-Cent Lead Over Spot Freight

Contract dry van pricing moved decisively above the spot market in August, creating a 22-cent-per-mile gap that fleets and shippers should watch heading into the fourth quarter. FreightWaves reported October 3 that U.S. Bank's latest Freight Payment Index, produced with DAT Freight & Analytics, put contract linehaul at $2.39 per mile and spot linehaul at $2.17. Just two months earlier, spot pricing had been 8 cents higher than contract.

The reversal came from rates moving in opposite directions. Contract linehaul rose from $2.30 in June to $2.38 in July and $2.39 in August, extending a monthly climb that began in April. Spot linehaul fell from $2.38 in June to $2.35 in July and $2.17 in August. Even so, both measures remained well above August 2025 levels, with spot up 35.6% and contract up 20.1% year over year.

Fuel changed the total-cost picture. The index showed fuel surcharges increasing to 70 cents per mile in August from 62 cents in July. Including fuel, the reported spot rate fell 3.4% to $2.87 per mile, while the contract rate rose to $3.09. Spot loads declined 3.2% from July and contract loads fell 1.3%, showing softer shipment counts alongside higher committed pricing.

For carriers, a wider contract premium can reward dependable service and disciplined bid decisions, but it does not guarantee stronger margins when diesel and maintenance costs are rising. Shippers should separate linehaul from fuel, compare committed and transactional lanes, and review consolidation opportunities. Owner-operators evaluating loads should calculate net revenue after fuel rather than relying on the headline rate alone. The August spread signals that protected capacity is gaining value even while the spot market remains uneven.