# DAT Guest Author

DAT invites various industry leaders to provide commentary and opinion on topics that affect users in our industry.

### [What Can You Expect on Contract Rates in 2016?](https://www.dat.com/blog/what-can-you-expect-on-contract-rates-in-2016)
This is the time of year when companies try to predict the future by looking to the past. Did 2015

### [How to Find Loads Faster Than the Competition](https://www.dat.com/blog/how-to-find-loads-faster-than-the-competition)
What’s the biggest difference between this year’s holiday freight season and last year’s? For one, there are a lot more

### [Game Changer: Diesel Drops Below $3 Per Gallon](https://www.dat.com/blog/game-changer-diesel-drops-below-3-per-gallon)
RATES FUEL SURCHARGE AND ARBITRAGE CARGO TYPES MARKET- AND REGION-SPECIFIC VOLUME Total rate for van hit $2.08 per mile in

### [Declining Fuel Cost Dilutes Rate Increases](https://www.dat.com/blog/declining-fuel-cost-dilutes-rate-increases)
Fuel costs don’t typically make the news when prices are falling. This winter, as fuel prices continue to drop, the

### [September Freight May Exceed Robust August Levels](https://www.dat.com/blog/september-freight-may-exceed-robust-august-levels)
I was cautiously optimistic about September freight volume, but volume and rates peaked early in the month. Since then, trucking

### [How to build a profitable TriHaul](https://www.dat.com/blog/how-to-build-a-profitable-trihaul)
You already have a load from Point A to Point B – let’s say it’s a weekly van load from

### [Freight Volume Heats Up in Northern Regions, as Q1 Closes](https://www.dat.com/blog/freight-volume-heats-up-in-northern-regions-as-q1-closes)
Our usual theme for Spring is to look South for an increase in freight activity. This year has been different

### [Weather Still Disrupts Freight, Boosts TL Rates](https://www.dat.com/blog/weather-still-disrupts-freight-boosts-tl-rates)
The crazy weather continues to disrupt freight patterns. The American Trucking Associations blamed ice and snow for a decline in

### [Freight Shuffles Off to Buffalo, Due to Weather Impact](https://www.dat.com/blog/freight-shuffles-off-to-buffalo-due-to-weather-impact)
The weather had a huge impact on last week’s freight movements, including some unexpected developments. Certain secondary markets were

### [Tricky Rates Deliver Treats on Key Van Lanes](https://www.dat.com/blog/tricky-rates-deliver-treats-on-key-van-lanes)
Investment analysts see indicators of a recovery in the manufacturing sector, particularly in the Midwest, but current trends in

### [Q3 Freight Boom Lifts Rates](https://www.dat.com/blog/q3-freight-boom-lifts-rates)
Freight is moving like gangbusters on the spot market, and rates are trending up again. This is unusual for the

### [Rates Stay Strong in Mid-August](https://www.dat.com/blog/rates-stay-strong-in-mid-august)
Rates are unusually strong on the spot market in mid-August, especially for reefers and vans. Reefers Get a Lift –