by Jessica Ingram
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Spot market rates for refrigerated (reefer) truckloads in the U.S. are climbing faster than usual, driven by a tightening of available capacity and surging demand in key lanes. According to Journal of Commerce senior editor William B. Cassidy, the average spot rate including fuel surcharges hit around $2.47 per mile in the week of Oct. 19—up from around $2.35 per mile last year and driven in part by long-haul lanes from Florida and border regions.
Key causes of the supply squeeze include stricter immigration and driver-licensing enforcement, which carriers say is removing trucks from the market and reducing willingness among drivers to run longer-haul or border-adjacent lanes. That shrinkage in capacity is coinciding with seasonal spikes in produce and grocery freight, tightening the market and affording carriers greater leverage in spot negotiations.
Source: William B. Cassidy, “Shrinking capacity pushing up US reefer truck rates,” Journal of Commerce, Oct 27 2025. Read the full article here
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