Last week, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan, which includes emergency rental and homeowner assistance, small business assistance, extension of unemployment benefits and tax credits, and individual recovery rebates. Many consumers received their $1,400 rebates this week, which is expected to further boost consumer spending, though to what extent this will impact freight markets remains to be seen. In today’s edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?” you’ll notice that demand for flatbed capacity remains elevated, as four of our top five hottest markets in the nation are flatbed markets. Read on to find out where you can expect to see demand and rates rise and fall in the coming week.
Best Markets for Truckers, Carriers in the Next Week
- Southwestern Ontario (Canada), Rapid City, S.D., Fayetteville, Ark., and St. Louis will be the best flatbed markets for truckers/carriers this week. Demand for flatbed is expected to rise in the coming week for Allentown, Pa., Gary, Ind., and Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada).
- Tucson, Ariz., will remain the hottest reefer market in the country for truckers/carriers over the next five to seven days.
- Demand for power only will be increasing this week in and out of Hartford, Conn., and San Diego.
Worst Markets for Truckers, Carriers in the Next Week
- You can expect demand and rates for reefer to be low in the upcoming week for Hartford, Conn., and Billings, Mont.
- Portland, Ore., will be the coldest power only market in the country over the next five to seven days. Demand/rates for power only are projected to fall this week for El Paso, Texas.
- Demand/rates for dry van will be low in the coming week for Calgary, Alberta (Canada), and Huntington, W.Va.
Trucker Tools’ Market Insights
- According to the latest Trucker Tools data, the five hottest markets for truckers/carriers this week will be: 1. Southwestern Ontario (flatbed), 2. Rapid City, S.D. (flatbed), 3. Tucson, Ariz. (reefer), 4. Fayetteville, Ark. (flatbed), and 5. St. Louis (flatbed).
- The five coldest markets for truckers/this week will be: 1. Portland, Ore. (power only), 2. Hartford, Conn. (reefer), 3. Calgary, Alberta (dry van), 4. Huntington, W.Va (dry van), 5. Billings, Mont. (reefer).
- Southwestern Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe region generates 25 percent of Canada’s Gross Domestic Product. Key industries in the region include telecommunications, automotive manufacturing, biotech, aerospace, agriculture, food and beverage.
- Fayetteville, Ark., whose flatbed market is projected to be the fourth best freight market in the nation for truckers and carriers this week, is making its first appearance in our top five hottest markets list.
- Fayetteville, Ark., is home to several automotive and tool-making manufacturers, which likely is driving demand for flatbed capacity in and out of the area.
- Demand for flatbed capacity in and out of St. Louis is approximately 40 percent higher than it was at this time last year.
FreightWaves: Current National Trends
In today’s Daily Market Update, FreightWaves is reporting that outbound tender rejections, which measure demand, are rising for Ft. Worth, Texas, Dallas, Stockton, Calif., Charlotte, N.C., and Kansas City, Mo. Outbound tender rejections are falling for Detroit, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Houston and Chattanooga, Tenn. To learn more, visit https://www.freightwaves.com/news/category/trucking.
For more insights on hot and cold markets, check out Where’s the Freight? Demand/Rates Projected To Be High for Rapid City, Tucson, Southwestern Ontario, Texarkana and Winnipeg Over the Next Week. To download Trucker Tools’ free driver app, visit https://www.truckertools.com/carriers/.
