Stay ahead of market shifts with this week’s cross-border intelligence. Our experts break down capacity trends, volume patterns, and carrier activity across Mexico and Canada lanes to help you price competitively and serve customers better.
Post your freight on Cargado to tap into current market conditions—both spot and dedicated loads welcome.
Cross-border Mexico
Carriers are back and bidding. Post-holiday capacity has fully recovered with 329 unique carriers actively engaging on cross-border freight this month, up 2% from December. Most carriers report operating at 100% capacity and are hungry for loads. Let’s look at what they’re bidding on the most.
Northbound dry van spotlight
Hot dry van lanes, where we’re seeing high bid rates and multiple bids per posting:
Irapuato, GUA → Detroit, MI | Laredo, TX | Montgomery, AL | Houston, TX | McAllen, TX | Victoria, BC
Saltillo, COA → Detroit, MI | Chattanooga, TN | Columbia, SC | Lansing, MI | Laredo, TX | Jacksonville, FL | Columbus, GA
San Luis Potosí, SLP → Detroit, MI | Louisville, KY | Houston, TX | Fort Worth, TX | San Antonio, TX | Kansas City, MO | Windsor, ON
Mexico Northbound Dry van Rate per mile
Mexico Northbound Market Index
When the Demand Index is trending above the Supply Index, we have tight capacity in a given marketplace. This is an indicator that freight posted may struggle to receive bids.
Domestic Mexico
- Dry van dominance in Northern and Central Mexico: Carriers are highly engaged on dry van freight moving out of Monterrey (100% bid coverage) and San Luis Potosí. Brokers posting from these regions are seeing strong carrier competition and quick responses.
- Straight truck momentum building: Carrier activity on straight truck/rabon freight surged 140% with strongest engagement on outbound Monterrey routes (100% bid coverage). Metropolitan distribution lanes are attracting more capacity as carriers return post-holiday.
- Open-deck coverage improving: Flatbed and step-deck capacity expanded significantly with 62.5% bid coverage on industrial corridors from Monterrey and Saltillo. Brokers with manufacturing freight in these regions should see improved carrier availability.
Dry van spotlight
Hot dry van lanes, where we’re seeing high bid rates and multiple bids per posting:
Irapuato, GUA → San Luis Potosí, SLP | Saltillo, COA | Santiago de Querétaro, QUE
Monterrey, NLE → Guadalajara, JAL | Ciudad Juárez, CHH | Torreón, COA | Puebla, PUE | León, GUA
Canada
Northbound (the U.S. to Canada)
- Laredo, TX, to Ontario is seeing a nearly 20% increase in carrier rates with continued strong carrier activity. Dry van bidding activity is at a 4:1 truck to load ratio for January.
- Midwest inbound is also experiencing significant rate increases. Grand Rapids, MI, to Toronto dry van is up 38%.
- There’s some price relief on select lanes: Indianapolis to ON and Louisville to ON both saw a slight dip (~5%) while remaining active markets for carriers.
- Capacity tightening factors: Driver vacation time (some carriers reporting 25% to 50% of drivers home until early- to mid-February), weather disruptions (multiple 401 closures since Jan 15), and continued increases in operating costs.
Southbound (Canada to the U.S.)
- Toronto to Chicago dry van rates up as high as 60% for last-minute coverage. We’re seeing additional 10% to 20% rate increases on dry van lanes from ON to Columbus, GA; ON to Houston, TX; and ON to Columbus, OH.
- Some softening on ON/QC to Laredo, TX, with an approximately 3% dip in pricing over the last 10 days.
- Weather remains a major factor: Multiple snowstorms have left trucks stranded on highways or in yards. Monitor forecasts and plan accordingly.
Dry van spotlight
If you have a customer moving freight out of one of these bolded markets to one of these bulleted destinations, you have a very good chance of getting it covered. Go ask for the freight.
Hot dry van lanes, where we’re seeing high bid rates and multiple bids per posting:
Sarnia, ON → Laredo, TX | Macon, GA | Cleveland, OH