Van rates
DAT's national average van spot rate for September 2026 was $3.01 per loaded mile with fuel, and about $2.17 for linehaul alone. With diesel over $6 a gallon, a big part of that rate is fuel. Run your own numbers in the cost per mile calculator to see what a van load has to pay you.
Judge loads on total miles
A load that pays $1,800 for 600 miles looks like $3.00 a mile. If you drive 120 empty to get to it, it's $2.50 per total mile. Every load we look at is scored on rate per total mile, deadhead included, and your minimum counts the empty miles too.
Reloads make the week
- Look past the delivery. A great rate into a market with no outbound freight usually ends in a cheap load or a long deadhead.
- Plan two loads at a time on long runs, so the second one is lined up before you deliver.
- Watch the day of the week. Friday deliveries into slow markets can mean a weekend with no freight.
- Know your home time. We plan around it instead of finding out on Thursday you're 900 miles away.
Fine print on van loads
- Tracking app required for the whole trip, and fines if it drops
- Late or missed appointment charges
- Driver assist or unload requirements
- Detention terms, if any, and the free time
- Payment terms and quick pay fees
How TenFour dispatches vans
Every truck gets its own dispatcher who knows your lanes, your minimum and your home time. We book at or above your minimum, read every rate con before you roll, handle check calls and paperwork, and send you a weekly report with rate per loaded mile, rate per total mile and deadhead percent. Brokers pay you directly.
Questions
What do dry van loads pay right now?
DAT's national average van spot rate for September 2026 was $3.01 per loaded mile with fuel. Without fuel, the linehaul average was about $2.17. Rates swing a lot by lane and by day of the week.
What is linehaul vs fuel surcharge?
Linehaul is the rate for moving the freight. Fuel surcharge covers diesel. Spot loads on load boards are usually quoted all in. Contract freight often pays them separately. Compare loads all in, per total mile.
How do I cut deadhead?
Plan the next load before you deliver, prefer deliveries into markets with strong outbound freight, and count empty miles to the pickup when you compare loads.
Should I take a cheap load to get out of a bad market?
Sometimes, yes. A short cheap load into a strong market can beat sitting a day or deadheading 300 miles. Look at the two loads together, not one at a time.
Want a dispatcher who works for your margin?
Every truck gets its own dispatcher. We judge every load on rate per total mile, deadhead included, and never book under your minimum. Brokers pay you directly.