Flatbed trucking rates have been on the rise, driven by increased demand from steel and lumber shippers who are rushing to stock up ahead of potential tariff changes. Experts say this surge in demand has led to the highest flatbed pricing at the start of a year since 2017.
According to DAT, flatbed rates have been climbing for six consecutive weeks. The trend is fueled by a combination of freight repositioning and the usual seasonal demand from industries like construction, agriculture, and machinery imports.
Last week, the average flatbed spot rate increased by 4 cents, reaching $2.13 per mile. This marks the largest weekly jump this year. Additionally, the load-to-truck ratio for flatbeds rose from 41.12 to 46.92 loads per truck, indicating higher demand.
“March and April typically bring increased freight activity as industries prepare for planting, construction, and seasonal imports,” said Dean Croke, Principal Analyst at DAT iQ. “However, this year, uncertainty around tariffs is also driving volumes higher.”
The potential effects of tariffs on flatbed freight remain uncertain, Croke noted. The timing and scope of tariffs could impact commodities like metals, lumber, and oversized freight, all of which heavily rely on flatbed transportation.
Shippers have been accelerating imports of machinery, steel, and other flatbed freight to get ahead of potential cost increases. While demand is not at record levels, it is still higher than what the flatbed market has seen in the recent freight downturn.
The recent tariff-driven demand spike is also linked to President Donald Trump’s newly implemented 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, as well as an ongoing review of the U.S. wood supply chain.
“We’ve seen a backlog in steel orders as buyers rush to secure supply before the tariffs take full effect,” said Chris Bahr, EVP and CIO at TA Services. “This backlog is expected to sustain higher flatbed volumes and rates in the short to mid-term.”
Another factor influencing rates is the decline in the number of flatbed carriers. Since about 30% of flatbed loads move on the spot market, the impact of carrier exits has been more significant in this segment compared to others.
Source – https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/flatbed-freight-rates-2025-march-rate-increase-trend/743544/