Spot vs. Contract Rates: Don’t Be Fooled by Short-Term Declines

The gap between spot and contract freight rates is widening, with contract rates up almost 20% year-over-year while spot rates see a monthly dip. Dive into SONAR data to understand why this isn’t just seasonal softening. We’ll explore the strategic shift to intermodal in key markets like Indianapolis and what it means for your procurement teams. Van contract rates have climbed 19. 3% year over year while NTI spot rates have dipped roughly 5% month over month — a divergence that FreightWaves’ Craig Fuller says procurement teams should not mistake for a softening market.