DAT Weekly Trendlines Report – Reefer Freight Sizzles in South Texas

Demand for fresh produce remains strong even in the winter months, when fall crops have already been harvested in the U.S. and spring is still a few months away. As we get closer to Christmas, a larger proportion of fresh fruit and vegetables are imported from Mexico, mostly through a handful of border crossing points in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.

McAllen, TX. is the easternmost option for produce moves, and volume there is heating up right now. Some of the crops are grown on the U.S. side of the border, as McAllen’s location in the Rio Grande Valley is a fertile area throughout most of the year.

Recently, temp-controlled loads got a big boost, in four major lanes originating in McAllen. 

• Spot rates rose another 6 cents last week to $2.84 per mile from McAllen to Dallas
• McAllen to Chicago cost $2.03 last week, including fuel, up a penny from the prior week
• McAllen to Elizabeth, NJ added 3 cents, to $2.25
• The lane from McAllen to Atlanta lost a few cents, but still averaged 2.27 per mile last week

McAllen, TX. is a key origin point for fresh fruit and vegetables in winter months, as crops are harvested in the Rio Grande Valley on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Last week, there were 8.8 reefer loads per available truck on DAT load boards, well above the national average of 6.3. Load volume continues to rise, too, so rate trends on key lanes are increasingly favorable to carriers leaving McAllen.
For more spot market trends, visit www.dat.com/trendlines.