Outbound capacity from McAllen, Lakeland and Salinas is rejecting tenders at rates not seen since the post-COVID surge. Brokers say contract carriers are quietly pulling trucks to chase the spot premium — and shippers are about to feel it.
By the Off Ramp Desk · Filed Laredo, TX · 04:42 ET
With the 2026 review window now open, Mexican manufacturers are pre-staging inventory north of the border at the fastest pace in three years. Drayage providers in Nuevo Laredo report wait times near 11 hours.
An exclusive Off Ramp data audit of NMFC tonnage reroutes shows Estes, Saia and XPO absorbed 71% of the displaced volume — but a quiet regional cohort is the real winner. We map the new LTL geography.
April TEU volumes through San Pedro Bay hit a near-record. With chassis pools running 92% utilization, intermodal ramps in the Inland Empire are the new bottleneck — and a leading indicator for May contract negotiations.
03:47 ET · Long Beach, CA · 4 min read
The Numbers.
Updated 04:55 ET Sources: DAT · SONAR · EIA · CBP · BTS Next refresh: 17:00 ET
DAT Van · NationalSPOT
$2.18 /mi
▲+$0.04 (1.9%) DoD
Reefer · NationalSPOT
$2.51 /mi
▲+$0.07 (2.9%) DoD
Flatbed · NationalSPOT
$2.66 /mi
▼−$0.02 (0.7%) DoD
Diesel · RetailEIA
$3.71 /gal
▼−$0.03 (0.8%) WoW
OTRI · Tender RejectSONAR
5.84 %
▲+0.31 pts WoW
OTVI · Tender VolumeSONAR
11,247
▲+1.8% WoW · +6.3% YoY
Laredo X-BorderCBP
14,820 trks/d
▲+4.2% WoW
LB/LA DrayagePORT
$487 /move
▲+2.1% WoW
All values shown are illustrative · Live feeds available on Mainline & Corridor tiers
Tri-Nation Desk · USMCA Watch
Three flags. One corridor.
From the Pacific Northwest to the Bajío to the Maritimes — we cover the freight that doesn't stop at customs.
USASouth · TX/NM
Laredo crossings hit a record week as Bajío plants pre-stage parts.
Nearshoring momentum from auto and electronics OEMs is keeping World Trade Bridge moving 24/7. Wait times have spiked but throughput is up.
+4.2%truck crossings
WoW · CBP data
MXBajío · Querétaro
Mexican carrier fleets add 4,200 tractors as nearshoring demand swells.
CANACAR data shows the largest YoY tractor growth since 2017. Drivers remain the bottleneck — and US shippers are watching closely.
+11.8%tractor count
YoY · CANACAR
CANOntario · Windsor
Detroit-Windsor flatbed rates cool as auto plants ease build cadence.
The Gordie Howe Bridge handoff and softer assembly schedules have steel and coil moves in retreat. Expect a Q3 floor before fall pickup.
−3.4%flatbed spot
MoM · Loadlink
Around the Network
The Beat Sheet.
Full Truckload
FTL · DRY VAN
01Tender acceptance slips below 90% in Texas lanes for first time in 2026.04:31
02Mega-carriers signal 4–6% contract rate hikes for Q3 RFPs.04:14
03Dry van load-to-truck ratio hits 5.2 — highest since June '24.03:58
02Norfolk Southern intermodal volumes up 7.1% as East Coast ports surge.04:07
03Savannah dwell time drops to 3.1 days after gate-hour expansion.03:42
04CN-CPKC pricing war heats up on Mexico-Chicago lanes.03:08
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