Origin market
Industries:
Distribution:
Nuevo Laredo, TAM to Houston, TX freight
The Nuevo Laredo to Houston corridor runs northbound from Mexico into the U.S.
Direction
Northbound (Mexico to U.S.)
Equipment on this lane
Dry van-led, with open deck and reefer demand
Carrier availability
Vetted carriers cover this corridor
Marketplace activity
Posted by brokers on the Cargado marketplace
<div class="lane-viz"><div class="lane-viz-mapwrap"><img class="lane-viz-map" src="https://cargado-lane-maps.pages.dev/nuevo-laredo-tam-to-houston-tx.svg" alt="Nuevo Laredo, TAM to Houston, TX freight route map on Cargado" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="620"></div><div class="lane-viz-panel"><div class="lane-viz-title">Transit time</div><div class="tr"><div class="trrow"><div class="trl"><div class="trlabel">Mexico leg</div><div class="trroute">Pickup in Nuevo Laredo, TAM</div></div><b>1 day</b></div><div class="trrow"><div class="trl"><div class="trlabel">Border crossing</div><div class="trroute">Nuevo Laredo, TAM <span class="arr">→</span> Laredo, TX</div></div><b>1–3 days</b></div><div class="trrow"><div class="trl"><div class="trlabel">U.S. leg</div><div class="trroute">Laredo, TX <span class="arr">→</span> Houston, TX</div></div><b>1 day</b></div><div class="trrow tot"><span>Total transit</span><b>3–5 days</b></div></div><a class="lane-cta" href="https://cargado.com/brokers/get-a-demo">Get a Rate <span class="arw">→</span></a><div class="lane-viz-fine">Estimated drive time by road, split at the border. Border dwell varies with documentation and crossing.</div></div></div>
This corridor connects the Nuevo Laredo market (Nuevo Laredo and Colombia) with the Houston market (Houston, Pasadena, Baytown, La Porte, Rosenberg, and Freeport), running northbound from Mexico into the U.S. Brokers post this corridor to the Cargado marketplace.
What ships from Nuevo Laredo
Freight out of the Nuevo Laredo market leans toward automotive parts, metals and building materials and food and beverage based on what brokers actually post there. You can read more on the freight types pages.
Equipment on this corridor
Dry van-led, with open deck and reefer demand. Browse equipment definitions in the glossary if a term is unfamiliar.
Where this lane picks up
Carriers on this lane pick up across the Nuevo Laredo area: Nuevo Laredo and Colombia. Nearby markets that feed it include Laredo, Cotulla, Piedras Negras, McAllen, Monclova, and Reynosa.
Where this lane delivers
Carriers on this lane deliver across the Houston area: Houston, Pasadena, Baytown, La Porte, Rosenberg, Freeport, Waller, and Katy. It also reaches nearby markets like Beaumont, College Station, Victoria, Austin, Waco, and Tyler.
Border crossing
Most freight on this corridor crosses at Laredo (World Trade Bridge). Loads either run direct with a through-trailer or transload at the border, and the transfer step is priced into carrier bids. See transloading and the Laredo (World Trade Bridge) crossing page.
Brokers post corridors like this to Cargado's marketplace, where vetted Mexico and Canada carriers bid and every counterparty is vetted before the first load moves.
More lanes from these markets
Every lane guide for Nuevo Laredo is listed on its lane hub, by direction and destination country.
The markets on this lane
Destination market
Houston, TX
Houston is the Gulf Coast's main gateway for containers, refined fuels, petrochemicals, steel and project cargo. The Houston Ship Channel is the nation's largest port by waterborne tonnage, and Port Houston's two container terminals handled a record 4.3 million TEUs in 2025. Freight moves on to Texas and the U.S. interior by Union Pacific, BNSF and CPKC rail and by truck, and toward Mexico on US 59 to Laredo.
Industries: Refined fuels, petrochemicals and plastics, containerized imports and exports, steel and project cargo, warehousing and distribution
- Seaport: Two public container terminals on the Houston Ship Channel (Barbours Cut and Bayport), including a Bayport berth completed in late 2025. 4.3 million TEUs in 2025, a record (operating). Source
- Seaport: Multi-purpose terminals for breakbulk, steel, grain and heavy-lift project cargo. Described by the port as the area's largest breakbulk, steel and project cargo complex in North America (operating). Source
- Intermodal or rail yard: Union Pacific Settegast intermodal terminal. Container and trailer lifts, open 24 hours (operating). Source
- Free-trade zone: Foreign-Trade Zone 84, managed by Port Houston, serving Harris, Waller and Wharton counties. 1,708.58 acres activated; 40 active sites (operating). Source
- Airport: George Bush Intercontinental Airport cargo centers. Two cargo centers on 120 acres; more than 564,000 metric tons of air cargo handled by Houston Airports in 2025 (operating). Source
- Plant: Oil refining and chemical production in the Houston region. Oil and refined petroleum products are the region's dominant export, followed by organic chemicals. Source
Distribution: Foreign-trade-zone sites in Harris, Waller and Wharton counties, and intermodal lifts at the Union Pacific Settegast terminal.
Market profiles describe industries and facility types from public government, industry, port, railroad and industrial-park sources. They name no shippers, manufacturers, retailers or logistics companies.
Common questions about this lane
How do I find carriers for Nuevo Laredo to Houston?
On Cargado, brokers post the corridor and vetted carriers bid on it. Every carrier is verified before it can bid, which replaces cold-calling unknown carriers.
What equipment is available on the Nuevo Laredo to Houston corridor?
Postings here are mostly dry van, with some open-deck and reefer. If you need a type you do not see, post the load anyway. Carriers with matching equipment get notified automatically.
Does freight on this corridor transload at the border or run direct?
Both happen. Most freight crosses at Laredo (World Trade Bridge), where carriers either transfer the trailer to a cross-border drayage carrier or run direct with a through-trailer. The bid reflects the carrier's setup.
Moving freight on this lane?
Post it to 2,350+ vetted Mexico and Canada carriers, or check market rates built from real carrier bids before you quote.