Cotulla, TX freight lanes
Cotulla sits on I-35 between Laredo and San Antonio, in the Eagle Ford shale, where northbound Mexico freight and oilfield loads share the same highway. Pick a lane in the directory to open its guide, and read how Cotulla fits a Laredo move. Cargado is a marketplace where brokers post Mexico and Canada truck freight and vetted carriers bid on it.
Laredo
I-35
5
Dry van
Corridors out of Cotulla
Southbound into Mexico
Across the U.S.
What moves through the Cotulla market
Cotulla is a small La Salle County market on I-35, about an hour north of Laredo and an hour and a half south of San Antonio. Its freight comes from two sources. The first is the Eagle Ford shale, which has produced about 1.1 million barrels of oil a day since 2020 (EIA) and brings oilfield equipment, pipe, sand and water on open deck and specialized trailers. The second is the I-35 corridor itself: Cotulla is a stopping point north of the Laredo border zone, so dry van loads that cleared at Laredo may pick up here, and southbound loads for Mexico may stage here before the crossing. Food and beverage, automotive parts and consumer goods dominate the through freight.
What ships from the Cotulla area
Cotulla is a stop on I-35 between Laredo and San Antonio, and little freight is made in town. The commodities below come from the Eagle Ford oil field, Winter Garden farms and the Nuevo Laredo plants whose loads pass through, each tied to a named facility or source.
- Frac sand. In-basin mines such as Signal Peak's near Carrizo Springs truck frac sand to Eagle Ford well sites.
- Fresh produce. La Salle County is part of the Texas Winter Garden, which grows onions, spinach, cabbage and melons.
- Auto parts. Wire harness plants in Nuevo Laredo ship north on I-35 past Cotulla.
- Appliance components. Robertshaw, a maker of appliance controls and valves, has a plant in Nuevo Laredo.
On the road, dry van carries auto parts and appliance components; hopper and bulk trailers carry frac sand; reefer carries fresh produce. Post the commodity, weight and trailer type with each load so carriers can price it.
The corridor groups Cotulla anchors
Every guide on this hub is outbound. U.S. guides run Cotulla to Laredo, the short shuttle to the border, and Cotulla to Austin, El Paso and McAllen. One Mexico guide runs Cotulla to San Luis Potosí, a move that crosses at Laredo and continues into the Bajío. A delivery to Laredo or McAllen may end at a U.S. yard or continue into Mexico, so confirm whether you need the domestic leg only or the full move, and who handles the border transfer.
Covering Cotulla freight: what a broker needs to know
Post the leg you are buying, with its real endpoints
If you need the full move from Mexico to Dallas, post the Mexican pickup and the Dallas delivery. If you need a carrier from a Cotulla yard to Dallas, post that yard as the pickup and explain the earlier Mexico movement when it affects customs status, timing or trailer arrangements. An oilfield pickup is posted from the site.
The Laredo handoff still applies
A Cotulla to Mexico lane crosses at Laredo, so the same choices apply: World Trade Bridge or Colombia-Solidarity, transload or through-trailer, and who covers the transfer. For the Mexico leg you need a carrier with Mexican operating authority; the U.S. leg from Cotulla runs on U.S. carriers.
Oilfield loads need dimensions
For Eagle Ford freight, post the exact dimensions, weight, tarping and securement requirements, and any permit needs, so open deck carriers can price the load and confirm the trailer.
Related lane hubs
Cotulla's lane guides continue on the El Paso, TX, Laredo, TX and McAllen, TX hubs, which list more lanes at the other end of these corridors.
Nearby markets with their own lane directories: Nuevo Laredo, San Antonio, TX and Reynosa.
For the border step, the Laredo World Trade Bridge crossing guide covers the crossing named on Cotulla's Mexico lanes.
Every lane guide on Cargado is listed on the lanes index.
Common questions about Cotulla freight
How does Cotulla connect to the Mexico border?
Cotulla is about an hour north of Laredo on I-35, and I-35 is the highway Laredo freight takes to San Antonio, Austin and Dallas. A Mexico lane from Cotulla crosses at Laredo, where the World Trade Bridge is the commercial default and the Mexico leg needs a carrier with Mexican operating authority.
Should I post a Mexico load with Cotulla as the origin?
Use Cotulla as the origin when the service you are buying starts at a Cotulla pickup or handoff. If you need the full move from Mexico, post the Mexican pickup and the final delivery, and state the shipment's customs status and any trailer or yard arrangements.
How do I find carriers for a Cotulla lane on Cargado?
Post the pickup and delivery, the date, the equipment and the leg you need covered. Vetted carriers that run the corridor bid, and you compare what each bid covers before you book. Where a corridor has enough bid history, Cargado Market Rates gives you a reference built from carrier bids before you quote.
What equipment runs Cotulla corridors?
Dry van leads on the I-35 through freight, and open deck and specialized trailers carry Eagle Ford oilfield equipment. Post the trailer type with the weight, dimensions and securement requirements so carriers can price the load.
What freight ships out of Cotulla?
Facilities within about 100 miles of Cotulla mainly ship frac sand, fresh produce, auto parts and appliance components. On the road, dry van carries auto parts and appliance components; hopper and bulk trailers carry frac sand; reefer carries fresh produce.
Moving freight through this market?
Post it to 2,350+ vetted Mexico and Canada carriers, or check market rates built from real carrier bids before you quote.