Happy Friday! As construction and manufacturing have gained steam across the country, so has the demand for flatbed capacity. Today’s edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?” includes three different flatbed markets in our top five freight markets in North America list. You’ll also notice that for the first time in four months, there isn’t a reefer market in our top five hottest markets list. Spot market demand and rates for reefer and dry van are holding steady, while demand for flatbed capacity continues to increase. The congestion around the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach has improved somewhat during the month of March, which is likely the reason why you’ll see Stockton, Calif., back on our hot markets list for this week.
Dangerous winds along the I-95 corridor are forecast for today across the Northeast and Atlantic states. Gusts may be as high as 45 to 65 mph, which increases the risk of rollovers. Drive safe, everyone!
Hot Freight Markets
- Southwestern Ontario (Canada), Rapid City, S.D., and South Bend, Ind., are projected to be the best flatbed markets for truckers/carriers over the next week. Demand for flatbed is expected to rise this week for Fayetteville, Ark., and Brooklyn, N.Y.
- Expect demand for reefer capacity to increase in the coming week for Tucson, Ariz., and Decatur, Ala.
- Jonesboro, Ark., and Stockton, Calif., are projected to be the most profitable power only markets in the nation over the next five to seven days. You also can expect demand for power only capacity to increase over the next week for Roanoke, Va.
Cold Freight Markets
- Vancouver, British Columbia, will be the coldest flatbed market in North America over the next week. Also, look for demand for flatbed in and out of Texarkana, Texas, to decline this week.
- Billings, Mont., and Hartford, Conn., will likely be the least profitable reefer markets in the country this week.
- Demand for power only capacity in and out of Toledo, Ohio, is expected to be extremely low in the coming five to seven days. Look for demand/rates for power only capacity to drop in the next week for Macon, Ga.
- The dry van market for Dodge City, Kan., will be one to avoid over the next week, as demand is projected to be very low.
Trucker Tools’ Market Insights
- Based on today’s Trucker Tools data, the best freight markets for truckers/carriers this week will likely be: 1. Southwestern Ontario (flatbed), 2. Rapid City, S.D. (flatbed), 3. Jonesboro, Ark. (power only), 4. Stockton, Calif. (power only), and 5. South Bend, Ind. (flatbed).
- The worst freight markets for truckers/carriers this week will likely be: 1. Dodge City, Kan. (dry van), 2. Vancouver, British Columbia (flatbed), 3. Toledo, Ohio (power only), 4. Billings, Mont. (reefer), and 5. Hartford, Conn. (reefer).
- This is the first time in four months that there hasn’t been a reefer market in our top five best freight markets list.
- Supply chain disruptions and a tight truck capacity market have increased interest and demand for power only capacity in recent months.
- The federal government’s new coronavirus vaccine distribution goals are expected to have an impact on freight markets across the nation.
- On Tuesday, the FDA authorized contract manufacturer Catalent, based in Bloomington, Ind., to begin shipping out Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine.
Read Where’s the Freight? Macon, South Bend, Winnipeg, Rapid City and Southwestern Ontario Projected To Be High Demand Markets for Truckers/Carriers This Week, Wednesday’s edition of our free market report for truckers and carriers. To download Trucker Tools’ free driver app, visit https://www.truckertools.com/carriers/.
