Reefer Rejection Rate Holds Near 21% as Harvest, Diesel Squeeze Capacity

Refrigerated truckload tender rejections stood at 21.44% nationally as of Oct. 20, meaning roughly one in five reefer loads is turned down by carriers, according to FreightWaves SONAR data. The figure has held near 21% after peaking at 22.13% on Sept. 17 and dipping to 20.89% on Sept. 24, signaling persistently tight capacity in the temperature-controlled segment even as broader freight demand softens. The overall truckload rejection index hovered between 13% and 14% since August, at 13.9% on Oct. 20, while the volume index slipped about 2% week over week to roughly 11,000. Tightest conditions are concentrated in the Pacific Northwest and parts of the Midwest, driven by fall harvest commodities — apples, potatoes and onions — and protein shipments ahead of Thanksgiving demand, said Julie Van de Kamp. Reefer spot rates are up approximately 28% year-to-date and contract rates about 9%, SONAR data show. Diesel costs weigh heavily on reefer economics because units run continuously, and Van de Kamp expects rates to keep rising through winter as equipment is used to protect freight from freezing below 32 degrees.