PORTLAND, Ore. — As refrigerated food products were rushed to market prior to the Thanksgiving holiday, spot market freight availability for refrigerated vans climbed 12%. Reefer rates rose 1.9% nationwide for the seven days ending Nov. 23, according to TransCore’s Truckload Rate Index. Reefer rates and freight volume are expected to remain high through mid-December, officials said.

However, Thanksgiving week in the US was a mixed bag for other equipment types, TransCore said. Van freight volume increased 1.6%, but rates slipped 0.2% nationwide on the spot market compared to the previous week. In a week where van rates for major markets were flat to down, Memphis proved to be the exception, with a 2.5% increase in rates on outbound van lanes.

Flatbed rates showed the greatest volatility of the three main trucking transportation modes, as rates slipped 0.7% on an 8.3% decline in freight availability, compared to the prior week. Dallas showed the greatest swing as flatbed rates slid 3.6%, following unusually high rates during the previous week.

Spot market rates are rates paid to the carrier by freight brokers and other freight intermediaries.