Attention carriers!šØ FMCSA's new registration system, Motus, goes live May 14.
If you have a USDOT or MC number, itās a good idea to double-check a few things before May 13 to avoid losing access to your FMCSA Portal account:
ā Make sure you can log in to your FMCSA Portal and your account is active
ā Confirm the correct Company Official is listed (this should be the owner or an authorized employee, not a third-party service provider)
ā Check that the Company Officialās Login.gov email matches what theyāll use for Motus
If youāre new to trucking or working through getting your authority set up, DAT Copilotā¢ is available if you need support getting organizedš¤
Three things stood out in this weekās freight data, and theyāre pulling in different directionsš
š Florida reefer capacity is maxed out as Motherās Day flowers, Roadcheck week, and watermelon season collide
š Flatbed rates just hit the highest Week 19 levels on record after 8 straight weeks of gains
š Dry van crossed $2.01/mile excl. fuel with equipment availability 44% below average
The carriers who survived two years of razor-thin margins built this moment.
Whatās your capacity picture looking like heading into Roadcheck week?
Every year, Mexican produce imports build toward one final seasonal push through South Texas, and that window is happening right nowš„š
The Pharr International Bridge in the McAllen market handles more than 65% of the nationās fresh produce imports from Mexico, making it one of the most important reefer hubs in the country.
š¦ Summer produce volumes surging through McAllen, TX
š„ Watermelons, peppers, cucumbers, avocados, and more driving demand
š South Texas outbound reefer rates running 40% higher year-over-year
š Outbound lanes averaging around $3.37/mile
For reefer carriers looking to position trucks before the softer summer market sets in, McAllen may offer one of the strongest seasonal opportunities left on the calendar.
Reefer operators, this is the market to watch right nowš
#MarketToWatch #ReeferMarket #ProduceSeason #FreightTrends
Freight moves because people show up. Today, we're thinking about all the moms in our industry: dispatchers, drivers, brokers, and everyone in between.
Hereās a look at just a few of the many moms on our teams weāre proud of. Happy Mother's Dayš
Is the freight recession over? There are signs.
ATA tonnage posted its strongest first quarter in nearly a decade. Flatbed is seven weeks into a rally and mere cents from an all-time record. Dry van just crossed $2.00/mile minus fuel for the first time this cycle. And next week, the CVSA Roadcheck blitz lands on top of Mother's Day weekend, a calendar collision that historically pulls double-digit equipment off the market in a matter of days.
If you're a shipper sitting on contract rates that still reflect last year's market, that window is closing faster than the forecast shows.
What's your contingency plan for the week of May 12?š¤
The Vidalia onion rush is here and the clock is already tickingš§
Every April, a tightly regulated pack date triggers a surge out of Georgiaās growing region. With production concentrated across just 20 counties, outbound volume floods the market fast and reefer capacity follows the money.
š¦ Outbound demand spiking across Southeast lanes
š§ Vidalia onions driving a compressed shipping window
š Carriers shifting from dry van to higher-paying reefer freight
š Spot rates already up 21% YoY on key Midwest and Northeast lanes
ā±ļø Short window before capacity rebalances
This isnāt a slow build. It is a sharp spike. The carriers and brokers who plan around the pack date, not after it, are the ones who come out ahead.
Reefer operators, Macon is the market to watch this weekš
#MarketToWatch #ReeferMarket #ProduceSeason #FreightTrends
The record is in range.
Flatbed spot rates minus fuel are now $0.04/mile from an all-time high, and the freight driving it isn't slowing down. Meanwhile, dry van is holding steady at levels 25% above last year, reefer capacity is tightening even as rates plateau, and Florida just flipped to full Shortage, sending produce rates up as much as 42% in a single week.
Supply constraints are doing most of the heavy lifting on rates right now. Demand isn't the engine yet, but it's starting to turn over. Shippers sitting on favorable contract rates should be paying attention. That window is narrowing.
What's your biggest exposure heading into May?š
Every spring, Miami becomes the center of the Motherās Day flower rushšø
Nearly 90% of U.S. fresh-cut flowers move through Miami, with daily imports from Colombia and Ecuador flowing straight into reefer trailers for nationwide distribution.
š¦ Flower shipments ramping up ahead of Motherās Day
šø MiamiāAtlanta lane surged up to $2.84/mile last year
š Reefer rates peaked at $2.65/mile during the holiday push
ā ļø 176 drivers sidelined in recent Florida enforcement
Seasonal demand is a given. This year, capacity pressure isnāt. Carriers positioned in Miami ahead of the surge stand to benefit most as volumes rise and trucks tighten.
Reefer operators, this is the market to watch this weekš
#MarketToWatch #ReeferMarket #ProduceSeason #FreightTrends
Three things stood out in this week's freight data, and they tell a story about a market that isn't moving in any one direction.
Flatbed is inches from an all-time record. Reefer is pulling back after a strong run but still trading 25% above last year. Dry van is giving back a little as diesel prices ease, but the underlying tightness hasn't gone anywhere. Load-to-truck ratios across all three modes remain well above historical norms, and the carrier base keeps shrinking.
The market isn't softening. It's sorting. Where your freight falls on that spectrum matters more right now than the national average.
What are you watching most closely heading into late April?
