Cold chain update ahead of the holiday: Hot spots for reefer freight

In the run-up to the Thanksgiving holiday, spot market reefer load availability was up 7.1 percent last week on DAT Load Boards. At once, the national load-to-truck ratio remains atypically low, at 3.9 loads per truck — or flat since Overdrive‘s last segment update.

There are some bright spots on the map, however. Twin Falls, Idaho, continues to offer an abundance of loads, coupled with a slight shortage of trucks. There is also a surprisingly high volume of loads available in Fargo, N.D. Other hot markets include Albuquerque, N.M.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; and Little Rock., Ark.

Spot market rates held steady for reefers last week, at $1.93 per mile. Outbound rates increased in key California markets, including Sacramento, where harvests were bolstered by rain in October. Rates remain strong in the Midwest, despite recent declines in Green Bay and Grand Rapids. Florida is up, the Northeast is down, and fresh turkeys are ready to roll out of Arkansas in time for Thanksgiving.

By the numbers, Twin Falls in Idaho, as mentioned, is proving a good place for outbound reefer demand prior to Thanksgiving.

Find a load in from the West Coast. If it works with your schedule, a round originating from Los Angeles, then with a load from Twin Falls to Phoenix, which paid $2.24 per mile last week, and Phoenix back to L.A. at $1.91, can add almost $1,000 to your round-trip revenue — and extra 13 cents per mile over the round.

You can also build a successful TriHaul route with a third leg that originates in Reno, Fresno, or a handful of other above-average markets, DAT says. Details available below.

from Overdrive http://ift.tt/1PqDkV6

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