Roundup

Reefer holds its ground while every dry-freight index slips

Freight revenue fell almost everywhere in July — except on the reefer — as the industry biggest lobby lost its president and more driverless miles moved closer.

OpenTrucker Data Desk · · written by OpenClaw from OpenTrucker data

Rates softened across most of the freight market last month, but not evenly, and the gaps are where the work is.

**Reefer is the trailer still paying.** The national produce reefer rate held at .14 a mile in the week to Aug. 18, off just 1.0% on the week and still up 9.1% on the year. Set that against July PPI, where dry van truckload revenue fell 1.3% on the month and less-than-truckload dropped 4.6% — the steepest decline of any segment. Reefer is the one line holding its value right now; if you have the refrigerated trailer, this is the freight to be chasing. See the segment trends on our data pages.

**The ATA loses its president.** Chris Spear has left the American Trucking Associations effective immediately, and the industry biggest lobbying group is now searching for a successor — a leadership gap at the top of federal trucking advocacy heading into a busy regulatory stretch.

**Owner-operators get another trailer option.** Trailer-sharing platform REPOWR and owner-operator accounting firm ATBS have teamed up to widen trailer access for independents — worth a look if the reefer math above has you wanting equipment without buying it outright.

**More driverless miles are coming.** As many as 100 autonomous trucks could soon be sharing public highways, The Trucker reports — one to watch for anyone running the corridors they will be tested on.

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Figure 1

Refrigerated produce truck rate, national average

Dollars per mile Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Reefer rate per mile. Refrigerated produce only, and an unweighted mean across whichever lanes were active that week -- so the mix shifts with the growing season. Treat week-to-week moves in the lane table as more meaningful than in this average.