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The content below is for intermodal freight brokers interested in utilizing the DrayNow spot market. For brokers interested in securing intermodal drayage service for their recurring lanes, please feel free to reach out to us via contact form.

Check out last month’s data on intermodal spot rates.

Intermodal spot rate numbers are in for April, and there is a substantial difference in trends compared to March, and even the past several months. For context, this month spot rates rose 65% in Chicago, 8% in Atlanta and decreased 4% in Los Angeles.

The major update from this month is the 65% average spot rate increase in Chicago between March and April. This is due to shorter local moves dominating the spot market in Chicago compared to the usual trends. If the average trip distance gets longer in May, the average spot rate will most likely fall. The cost to move intermodal spot freight in Chicago is 41% in April of this year compared to last April.

After rising month-over-month for the first time in several months, Los Angeles intermodal spot rates are falling again, this time down 4%. The cost to move freight here is now cheaper than both Atlanta and Chicago, speaking to the amount of capacity available in the LA market. Compared to April 2023, spot rates here are down 1%.

The cost to move spot freight in Atlanta was up 8% month-over-month in Atlanta. This brings average spot rates higher than Los Angeles rates, but the rise in Chicago spot rates keeps Atlanta rates in the middle of the pack. In comparison to the same time last year, intermodal spot rates in Atlanta are up 19%.

So far this year, spot rates for drays are showing a lot of volatility. The data from this month, especially spot rate data in the Chicago market, shows just how much the average length of an intermodal drayage move also affects the average spot rates. It’s also important to note the downward trend that Los Angeles intermodal spot rates continue to experience. It’s now the cheapest key market to move intermodal spot drayage.