Last week the Plains took over reefer. This week they’re not giving it back.

Omaha, Sioux Falls, and Rapid City just locked in the same top three spots for the second straight week — and Fargo jumped into #4, making it an all-Plains top four in reefer. If you’ve still got refrigerated capacity pointed at California, it’s time to take a hard look at what’s happening in the middle of the country.

Dry van is sliding overall but showing green on the day. Flatbed has almost nothing red on the board. Here’s the full August 10 breakdown, powered by a morning snapshot of the Spotter Index.

Dry Van Hot Markets: San Diego Holds, but the Midwest Is Creeping In

San Diego is still the #1 dry van market, but the board looks different this week. Evansville, IN jumped to #2 — not a market you usually see near the top — and Cape Girardeau, MO cracked the top five alongside the usual California crew of Los Angeles and Ontario.

The overall dry van market slipped again week over week. But here’s the encouraging part: nearly every market posted a positive daily change. The market is sliding in the weekly numbers but finding its footing on the day — that’s a stabilization signal, not a freefall.

One market that didn’t stabilize: Las Vegas. It fell from #2 all the way to #22 in a single week — one of the biggest single-market drops on the dry van board this week. If you were counting on Vegas lanes, this is your heads up.

Avoid: Miami, Brooklyn, and Lakeland are parked at the bottom. The Northeast and Pacific Northwest continue to underperform.

Reefer Hot Markets: The Plains Are Making Themselves at Home

Two weeks in a row. Same top three.

Omaha at #1. Sioux Falls at #2. Rapid City at #3. And now Fargo joining the party at #4. The Plains have completely taken over the reefer board, and the California corridor — which owned this space for most of the summer — has faded out of the top ten entirely.

The daily moves tell the story too. Flagstaff jumped 6.4% on the day. Bristol, NH popped 11% — one of the biggest single-day moves in the whole dataset this week. The Midwest is heating up as well, with Evansville, Des Moines, and Duluth all sitting in the top six.

The overall reefer market ticked up slightly week over week — a good sign after a few soft weeks.

What to avoid: Miami dropped another week, Lakeland is near dead last, and Wilmington fell 9.27% in a single day — the worst drop on the reefer board this week. Florida reefer is struggling bad right now.

Flatbed Hot Markets: All Green, All Week

Look at the flatbed board this week and you’ll struggle to find red. Almost every single market posted a positive daily change — and Memphis, Bowling Green, and Taylorville are holding the top three spots for the second straight week.

That kind of consistency is rare. Memphis and Bowling Green have been glued to the top of the flatbed board for months. Taylorville, IL cracking the top three two weeks running is the new story — Illinois manufacturing and construction demand is clearly contributing.

Elmira, NY had the biggest day on the flatbed board, jumping 8.4%. The Southeast and Mid-South are stacked across the top ten — Nashville, Lexington, Decatur, Birmingham, N. Charleston, Jackson, Mobile, Laredo, and Wilmington all in the mix.

The overall flatbed market is down slightly from last week’s highs, but with a board this green on the day, the direction is clear.

What Is the Spotter Index?

The numbers in this breakdown come from the Spotter Index, which measures profitability per hour by market in real time. It’s a better read on where trucks actually make money than rate-per-mile alone — because a high rate on a long slow lane doesn’t always beat a solid rate on a short efficient one.

The snapshot used here was pulled on the morning of August 10. Markets move throughout the day, but the broad regional trends tend to hold.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hottest freight markets this week?

For the week of August 10, the hottest reefer markets are Omaha, NE, Sioux Falls, SD, Rapid City, SD, and Fargo, ND — the Plains are dominating for the second week running. Top dry van markets are San Diego, CA and Evansville, IN. Flatbed is led by Memphis, TN, Bowling Green, KY, and Taylorville, IL.

Why are the Plains markets so hot for reefer right now?

The Plains and Midwest have seen a significant surge in refrigerated freight demand over the past two weeks. This is likely driven by late-summer agricultural shipments and produce moving out of the region. California, which dominated reefer for most of the summer, has softened considerably.

Is dry van freight recovering?

The overall dry van market is still down week over week, but daily changes are trending positive across nearly every market — a sign the slide may be finding a floor. San Diego and the California corridor remain the strongest lanes, with Evansville and the Midwest starting to show up in the top ten.

What does the Spotter Index measure?

The Spotter Index measures profitability per hour by freight market, updated in real time. It factors in rate, load characteristics, and time to give a cleaner picture of where trucks are actually earning — not just where posted rates look high.

How often is this market report published?

This hot markets breakdown is published weekly, based on a morning snapshot of the Spotter Index. Subscribe to the newsletter to get it in your inbox every Monday before you dispatch.

Where to Run Your Trucks This Week

Reefer: point north and east. The Plains are paying and California is fading. Omaha, Sioux Falls, Fargo, and the surrounding Midwest markets are where the money is right now.

Dry van: California is still your anchor, but Evansville and the Midwest are worth a look. Watch the overall trend — the daily green is encouraging.

Flatbed: Southeast and Mid-South, same answer as every week. Memphis, Bowling Green, Taylorville. The board is green — take advantage.

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Market data powered by the Spotter Index. Real-time profitability data, snapped fresh this morning.