January 5, 2026 | Page 102

By the Numbers
2026 Annual Review & Outlook
An extensive, multi-channel, interactive freight shipping dashboard can be found at https:// www. joc. com / gateway / about
US truckload spot rates surging on winter headwinds
US dry-van, flatbed and refrigerated truckload spot rates( DAT)
USD average rate per mile
$ 2.5
$ 1.0 2.0
$ 1.5
$ 1.0
Source: DAT Solutions
L Jan 2024 Jul
Jan 2025
Dry Van Flatbed Refrigerated
Jul
© 2026 S & P Global
L
On Gateway
Cold weather, snowstorms and a compressed holiday shopping season are sending US truckload rates surging. Dry-van rates shot up 5.2 % in the first week of December compared to the prior week and haven’ t let up since, according to DAT Freight & Analytics. Refrigerated and flatbed spot rates are also on the upswing. While truckload spot rates generally rise in early December, this year’ s pop is the largest in more than five years. Monitor the final throes of the US winter holiday peak season, including parcel and air cargo pricing, on Gateway.
Gateway is an online shipping dashboard of more than 140 continuously updated charts from S & P Global and identified external data sources organized by trade lane, mode and topic. https:// www. joc. com / gateway
DAT US truckload spot rates
Weekly spot truckload rates per mile excluding fuel surcharges. The DAT Freight and Analytics average US truckload spot rate was $ 1.81per mile in the week of Dec. 6, 2025, up from $ 1.64 per mile three weeks prior and from $ 1.69 per mile in the same week last year.
$ 1. 90
$ 1. 85
$ 1. 80 $ 1. 75 $ 1. 70 $ 1. 65 $ 1. 60 $ 1. 55
$ 1. 50
4- J a n- 25
1- F e b- 25
1- M a r- 25
29- M a r- 25
26- A p r- 25
24- M a y- 25
21- J u n- 25
19- J u l- 25
16- A u g- 25
13- S e p- 25
11- O c t- 25
U p 7. 1 % f r om D e c. 2024
8- N ov- 25
6- D e c- 25
Source: DAT Solutions © 2025 S & P Global
Xeneta Asia to US West Coast short and long-term rates
Xeneta aggregates freight rates for both short-term contracts valid for less than 32 days, and long-term contracts valid for 87 days or more. Terminal Handling Charges( THCs) are excluded. The Dec. 11, 2025, average spot rate from Asia to the US West Coast was $ 1,282 per FEU, down 8.3 % from the previous week and 63.9 % year over year. Pricing in long-term contracts signed in the last three months slipped 0.1 % to $ 1,533 per FEU.
S hor t- t e r m r a t e s C on t r a ct r a t e s si gn e d in l a st t hr e e m on t hs
C on t r a ct r a t e s
USD per FEU
$ 10,000 $ 8,000 $ 6,000 $ 4,000 $ 2,000
$ 0 01 / 07 / 2021
12 / 11 / 2025
Xeneta’ s ocean freight spot and contract pricing benchmarks gather over 10 million rates monthly from large volume global shippers and forwarders. Before releasing any market information, a minimum of five daily rates per route, per equipment type is required.
100 Journal of Commerce | January 5, 2026 www. joc. com