Dedicated lanes for Mexico and Canada freight
A dedicated lane (also called a contract lane) is recurring freight on the same origin, destination and equipment that you want covered by the same carriers at an agreed rate. On Cargado, you post the lane itself, not just the next load, so vetted carriers that run that crossing can bid on the lane and you can lock in rates and capacity with the ones you prefer.
Why dedicated lanes are harder cross-border
On a domestic lane, finding a carrier to run the same freight every week is routine. Across the border, the carriers, the vetting and the rate data all work differently.
A smaller carrier pool
Fewer carriers run each crossing and equipment type, so the ones that do are worth keeping.
Two sides to vet
A Mexican carrier's federal permit comes from SICT; to haul in the U.S. beyond the border zone it also needs FMCSA authority.
Thin rate data, more moving parts
Many Mexico lanes have too little public data to price a contract from a national index, and exchange rates, fuel and border wait times can move a lane's rate within a quarter.
How it works on Cargado
Post the lane
Enter the lane, border crossing, equipment, certifications and door-to-door versus transload. Cargado notifies matching carriers through their preferred channels.
Compare bids and price it
Carriers bid on the lane. Check each bid against Market Rates, built from real carrier bids and shown as a Low, Mid and High band with a confidence label.
Lock in your carriers
Lock in rates and capacity with preferred carriers. If you run McLeod, Tai or Turvo, carriers, loads and bids sync on their own once you're connected.
Thin lane? Test it with a potential first
When the confidence signal on Market Rates is low, post the lane as a potential before you commit. Live carrier responses give you a more defensible number to take to your customer.
Spot loads, dedicated lanes and potentials
- Spot loads: use them when you have a load in hand and need a truck. You get fast coverage for one shipment.
- Dedicated lanes: use them when the freight repeats and you want the same carriers on it. You lock in rates and capacity with preferred carriers.
- Potentials: use them when the freight is tougher to cover and you want to test the market first. You get real carrier rates and interest before you commit.
Carriers worth keeping on the lane
A dedicated lane is only as good as the carriers on it. Cargado is invite-only, with 2,300+ vetted door-to-door and transload carriers for Mexico and Canada freight, each checked against FMCSA and SICT records and monitored after they join.
Questions brokers ask
Posting, pricing and vetting on a dedicated Mexico or Canada lane.
A dedicated lane is recurring freight on the same origin, destination and equipment, covered by the same carriers at an agreed rate for a set period, instead of being re-covered load by load on the spot market.
A spot load covers one shipment. A dedicated lane is posted as the lane itself, so carriers that run it bid on the recurring freight and you can lock in rates and capacity with the ones you prefer.
Start from Cargado Market Rates for the lane, built from real carrier bids. When the lane is thin, post the lane or a potential to get live carrier bids, which are easier to defend with your customer than an estimate.
Yes. The Cargado Excel Add-In pulls market rates for your full lane list directly in Excel, so you can price hundreds of lanes at once.
Check its SICT permit and, for moves beyond the U.S. border zone, its FMCSA authority; whether it runs door to door or transloads at your crossing; and certifications such as CTPAT or OEA if your customer requires them. On Cargado every carrier is verified against FMCSA and SICT records, and certifications such as CTPAT and OEA, equipment and border crossings are tracked on every carrier profile.
No. Brokers pay a value-based subscription with unlimited users, and there is no commission on loads, so the margin on a lane you lock in stays yours.
Post the lane you run every week
Request access and post your recurring Mexico and Canada lanes. Brokers pay a value-based subscription with unlimited users, and there is no commission on loads.