DAT Report Shows Loads Rise 83% in February

The latest DAT report of spot freight market activity showed an 83% increase in freight volume in February from last year to a new single-month record.

The increase was attributed to extreme winter weather across the country disrupting normal supply chain networks, sending freight to the spot market to meet capacity needs.

Van freight increased 87% from the previous year, flatbed freight rose 71% and refrigerated trucking freight volume jumped 112% from 2013, according to DAT.

The March 12 report from DAT showed a 7.5% rise in spot market loads in February from the prior month.

Compared with January, which had similar weather disruptions to the supply chain and unseasonal freight on the spot market, rates rose 2.7% for vans and 6.7 % for reefers, but declined 1.3% for flatbeds.