The average broker-to-carrier dry van spot rate rose to $3.05 per mile in October, its highest monthly level since February 2022. TheTrucker.com reported November 11 that DAT Freight & Analytics measured a four-cent increase from September and a 98-cent gain from October 2025. The rate is an all-in spot-market figure, so it does not include a separate fuel surcharge.
Refrigerated and flatbed pricing moved differently. The reefer spot average declined two cents from September to $3.60 per mile but remained $1.12 above a year earlier. Flatbed held at $3.61, up $1.10 year over year. All three equipment types were approximately 45% more expensive than in October 2025, illustrating how tighter available capacity can lift prices even when shipment demand is not surging uniformly.
From January through October, DAT's monthly averages were $2.78 for van, $3.25 for reefer and $3.36 for flatbed. Those were the highest January-to-October averages in DAT records dating to 2010. Broker-to-carrier contract rates including fuel also strengthened: van increased four cents to $3.28, matching its May 2022 record, while reefer and flatbed set consecutive monthly records at $3.62 and $4.05.
Carriers should not apply a national average directly to every quote. Compare lane-specific revenue with fuel, deadhead, tolls, detention, equipment requirements and the chance of a paying reload. Shippers should examine seasonal lanes and backup capacity before assuming a contract rate guarantees acceptance. Owner-operators need to distinguish all-in spot prices from contract rates that include fuel. The October data support firmer pricing, but profit still depends on utilization and operating cost after the truck completes the entire round trip.
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