It's been one year since the protests in Washington, DC, when distressed truckers descended on the Capitol to protest low freight rates. The average spot market van rate is now almost $1.00 higher per mile than it was back then. Van rates cooled last week, but reefer continues to heat up and flatbed is on fire. In what can only be described as an unprecedented flatbed rate rally, the national average rate continued climbing last week, moving up another 4 cents.