Shipping & Freight #spot rates#contract rates
Spot vs. Contract Rates: Don't Be Fooled by Short-Term Declines
Van contract rates are up 19.3% year over year while NTI spot rates dipped about 5% month over month, a divergence FreightWaves says reflects carriers pricing forward risk, not a softening market. Intermodal volumes are rising 2% as truckload tenders fall 2%, driven by a 32% cost spread, with Indianapolis still showing hot market conditions.
Aug 11, 2026 1 source