Reefer rates skyrocketed in November, with the national average hitting its highest mark in more than 3 years at $2.43/mile. Things have calmed down a bit so far in December, with many of those crazy-high prices coming back down to earth.
Reefer rates are still higher than usual for this time of year, though, and demand for fresh food at Christmas will likely keep rates up through the rest of the month.
All rates below include fuel surcharges and are based on real transactions between brokers and carriers.
RISING
Potato shippers have continued to be busy, and there were big increases on a couple of lanes out of Southern Idaho.
- Twin Falls to Los Angeles rates rose 39¢ to an average of $3.09/mile
- Volumes soared on the lane from Twin Falls to Chicago, and rates rose 33¢ to $2.50/mile
- The biggest gain was out of Green Bay on the lane to Joliet, IL, which added 40¢ at $4.23/mile
- Up in the Northeast, reefer rates on the lane from Elizabeth, NJ, to Boston rose 20¢ to $4.48/mile
FALLING
Twin Falls had two of the biggest jumps, but also the biggest decline:
- Twin Falls to Phoenix tumbled 52¢ to $2.91/mile
- Outbound reefer rates in Chicago were way down, and the lane to Denver plunged 50¢ to $2.70/mile
- Miami rates fell after an off-season boost in the previous week, and the lane to Boston was down 36¢ to $1.62/mile
- Going the opposite direction, Philadelphia to Miami also fell 31¢ to $2.05/mile
- On the West Coast, reefer rates on the lane from Sacramento to Portland, OR fell 32¢, but the $2.91/mile average is still higher than it was a month ago
Find loads, trucks and lane-by-lane rate information in DAT load boards, including rates from DAT RateView.
