Happy Friday and welcome to your Friday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for fleets and owner operators. In each and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll learn where demand and rates are likely to be high, low, increasing and decreasing over the next five to seven days.
The latest Trucker Tools data indicates that the Dodge City, Kan., reefer market will continue to be the hottest (highest demand/rate) market in the coming week, reflecting nation-wide elevated demand for reefer capacity. According to a survey from the U.S.D.A., the average per-mile reefer rate in early February is up 52 percent compared with last February’s reefer rates, reaching an average of nearly $5.00/mile. This week, you also can expect flatbed demand to/from Gary, Ind., to increase, while Edmonton, Alberta, will see extremely low flatbed demand and rates. For you power only truckers and carriers, you may want to make Erie, Penn., a priority this week, as power only demand is projected to be relatively high there.
For more insights into which markets will be hot and cold over the next five to seven day period, check out the rest of this Friday edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?” below.
Where Demand and Rates Are Likely To Be High or Rising
- Flatbed demand and rates to/from Texarkana, Texas, and Rapid City, S.D., are projected to be high in the coming week. Demand for flatbed capacity inbound to and outbound from Gary, Ind., and Fayetteville, Ark., is likely to increase over the next five to seven days.
- Reefer demand and rates for Dodge City, Kan., and Tucson, Ariz., are likely to remain high this week.
- Power only demand and rates inbound to and outbound from Erie, Penn., are expected to be relatively high over the next week. You also can expect power only demand for Springfield, Mass., St. Louis, and New Castle, Del., to increase this week.
Where Demand and Rates Are Likely To Be Low or Falling
- Flatbed demand and rates inbound to and outbound from Edmonton, Alberta, and El Paso, Texas, are projected to be extremely low in the coming week. Flatbed demand to/from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Southwestern Ontario, Montgomery, Ala., and Memphis, Tenn., is expected to decline over the next five to seven day period.
- Reefer demand to/from Hartford, Conn., and Seattle will be very low this week.
- Power only demand and rates for Brooklyn, N.Y., also will be very low in the coming week.
Trucker Tools’ Market Insights and Industry News
- The five most profitable markets for truckers and carriers this week likely will be: 1. Dodge City, Kan. (reefer), 2. Texarkana, Texas (flatbed), 3. Tucson, Ariz. (reefer), 4. Rapid City, S.D. (flatbed), and 5. Erie, Penn. (power only).
- The five least profitable markets for truckers and carriers likely will be: 1. Edmonton, Alberta (flatbed), 2. Hartford, Conn. (reefer), 3. Brooklyn, N.Y. (power only), 4. El Paso, Texas (flatbed), and 5. Seattle (reefer).
- Demand and rates for reefer capacity to/from Dodge City, Kan., this week are projected to be four times higher than they were last year.
- Yesterday’s Daily Market Update from FreightWaves finds that national outbound tender rejections are down and volumes are up slightly.
- There was a major fire at the Love’s Travel Center near I-80/I-94 in Gary, Ind., yesterday. The truck stop will be closed indefinitely.
- The Gary, Ind., flatbed market, where demand is expected to increase this week will favor carriers and owner ops by nearly three to one, meaning for each flatbed headed into and out of the area, there likely will be three loads available.
- A recent report from FTR Transportation Intelligence found that rates (excluding the cost of fuel) were approximately 16 percent higher last week compared with the same week in 2021.
- The most recent Specialty Crops National Truck Rate Report from the U.S.D.A. indicates capacity shortages in Central and Southern Florida, Minnesota-North Dakota (Red River Valley), Eastern North Carolina, and Mexico crossings through Southern Texas.
Be sure to read the previous edition of our free market report, Where’s the Freight? Dodge City, Texarkana, Rapid City and Tucson Hottest Markets This Week.
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