Mixed results for spot road freight volume

   In December, truck freight volumes in the spot market rose 5 percent, year over year, according to the DAT North American Freight Index.
   Even though the result made for the busiest December since the index’s inception in 1996, it still came on a month-to-month decline of 18.4 percent. This follows a typical seasonal pattern, according to a press release, and the decrease is especially severe because of a robust November. Volume has dropped from November to December by an average of 13 percent over the past 10 years.
   Van freight in December, year over year, increased by 13.1 percent, refrigerated levels stayed flat and flatbed volume fell by 7.3 percent. Compared with November on a month-over-month basis, all three of these equipment types showed declines.
   Overall, rates stayed mostly flat or dropped, with van, reefer and flatbed rates showing year-over-year growth of 0.8 percent, -2 percent and -7.3 percent, respectively. – Jon Ross