Spot rate
A spot rate is the price agreed for a single load at current market conditions, as opposed to a contract rate fixed in advance for a period.
Last reviewed · by the fleetchart dispatch desk
Spot rates move with the balance of available freight and available trucks in a given lane and week. They rise when capacity is tight and fall when it is loose.
Small carriers run predominantly on spot freight, which means revenue varies week to week while fixed costs do not. Knowing your break-even lets you judge quickly whether a soft market rate is worth running or worth sitting out.