# Flatbed Report: Industrial demand softens, pulling rates back from July highs

Flatbed spot linehaul averaged $2.87 per mile this week, down 2.7%, or $0.08 per mile, from the prior week. Rates climbed 40.6%, or $0.83 per mile, year over year and held about 33%, or $0.72 per mile, above the nine-year seasonal average, near the top of the historical range.

### Bellwether states

The 10 flatbed bellwether states posted a moves-weighted outbound rate of $3.62 per mile in Week 30, down 2.3%, or $0.09 per mile, week over week and up 41.6%, or $1.06 per mile, year over year. The roster carried 52.2% of all U.S. state-outbound flatbed loads, in the middle of its 51 to 53% baseline. Flatbed runs a smaller load-count base than van or reefer, so its weekly share can swing more sharply, but it held steady this week.

### Regional rate trends

| **Flatbed — Top 10 Origins by Rate Per Mile · Week Ending July 24, 2026** |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Rank** | **Origin Region** | **Avg RPM** | **WoW %** | **YoY %** |
| 1 | Southeast | **$3.51** | -1.9% | +54.3% |
| 2 | Ohio River | **$3.34** | -6.3% | +48.4% |
| 3 | Carolinas | **$3.10** | -1.8% | +46.2% |
| 4 | South Central | **$3.04** | -2.2% | +50.3% |
| 5 | Great Lakes | **$2.90** | -4.2% | +43.5% |
| 6 | Lower Midwest | **$2.83** | -5.0% | +40.9% |
| 7 | California | **$2.64** | -0.1% | +55.3% |
| 8 | Florida-So Georgia | **$2.64** | -1.6% | +53.8% |
| 9 | Upper Atlantic | **$2.56** | -3.6% | +32.5% |
| 10 | Lower Mountain | **$2.10** | -6.8% | +43.1% |

The top 10 origins carried 87.2% of all U.S. outbound loads moved in the week. California held up best week over week at -0.1%, while every leading origin eased from the prior week as summer volumes softened.

### Market Conditions

Flatbed load posts in Week 30 were down 9.2% from the prior week but up 34.5% from a year ago. Equipment posts edged down 1.6% on the week while running 27.9% below last year, so both volumes softened with loads leading the decline. The load-to-truck ratio settled at 40.66, off 7.7% for the week yet 86.4% above a year ago, nearly double the year-earlier level.

### Short-term outlook

RateCast projects flatbed spot edging up to $2.91 per mile by day 35 (08-29-26), about 0.7%, or $0.02 per mile, above the current $2.89. The day-35 uncertainty band spans roughly plus or minus $0.07, or 2.5% of the point forecast, between van and reefer this week. The end-of-forecast rate would stand well above the $2.03 actual recorded near the same date a year earlier.