Evansville climbing to #13 in dry van. Rapid City spiking almost 12% in a single day on reefer. Jefferson City up 23% overnight in flatbed. This week had some moves nobody saw coming.

Bowling Green holds strong at #1 in flatbed, and dry van keeps ticking up as Midwest markets push their way up the board. Here’s the full August 31 breakdown, powered by a morning snapshot of the Spotter Index.

Dry Van Hot Markets: Evansville continues at the Top Spot

Dry Van Hot Markets: Evansville Takes the Top Spot

Nobody had Evansville, IN at #1 on their bingo card this week, but a 6% single-day jump put it right at the top. Cape Girardeau isn’t far behind with a similar climb, and Green Bay rounds out the top three, keeping the Midwest firmly in control of the board. The overall dry van market actually bounced back this week, climbing from last week’s numbers after weeks of sliding.

The bigger story is how tight the middle of the pack has gotten. Duluth slipped nearly 5% even after holding a strong number last week, and a handful of usual names like Las Vegas and Fargo are basically treading water, up or down less than 2%. It’s less about big winners and more about the Midwest simply refusing to give up ground.

Louisville, Grand Rapids, Eau Claire, and Indianapolis are all holding steady in the top half, keeping the Midwest presence strong from top to bottom.

Avoid: Huntington, WV, Dubuque, IA, Toledo, OH, and Reno, NV are all sitting near the bottom this week, with little movement to write home about.

Reefer Hot Markets: Siouxfalls at top

Sioux Falls at #1. Bismarck at #2. Des Moines and Omaha right behind them. The Plains and upper Midwest have owned the top of the reefer board for weeks now, and they’re not letting go anytime soon.

But below the top four, this week’s board had some real whiplash. Rapid City jumped nearly 12% in a single day, climbing hard even from a low starting rank. Fayetteville added over 5%. Amarillo picked up close to 4%. A handful of markets are clearly waking up mid-pack while the top stays locked in.

On the flip side, Bismarck sits at #2 but still shed nearly 13% on the day, proof that even the leaders aren’t immune to a rough 24 hours. Duluth dropped almost 8%, Fresno fell over 7%, and Quincy slipped 7% as well. The board gave and took in equal measure again this week.

Avoid: Cape Girardeau, Indianapolis, Jefferson City, and Cedar Rapids are all parked near the bottom, with little to suggest a turnaround is close.

Flatbed Hot Markets: Bowling Green keeps the #1

Bowling Green held onto its spot at #1, and it’s not close. Huntington, WV comes in at #7, with Lexington, Louisville, and Evansville all rounding out the top of the board. The Southeast is still running the flatbed show, same as it has been for weeks.

The headline number this time is Jefferson City, MO, up nearly 24% in a single day, easily the biggest move on the entire flatbed board. That’s not a market you’d expect to make that kind of jump, so it’s worth watching to see if it sticks or fades back next week.

The overall flatbed market is essentially flat week over week, same story as the past few weeks. Steady, consistent, and still the most reliable of the three modes right now.

What Is the Spotter Index?

The data in this breakdown comes from the Spotter Index, which measures profitability per hour by freight market in real time. It accounts for rate, load characteristics, and time — giving a cleaner read on where trucks actually make money compared to rate-per-mile alone.

The snapshot used here was pulled on the morning of August 24. Markets move throughout the day, but the broad regional trends tend to hold.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often is this market report published?

This 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

Dry van: Midwest and Plains. Amarillo, Fargo, Duluth, Hutchinson — that’s where the top of the board is right now. California is still viable but it’s not leading anymore.

Reefer: Plains at the top, but keep an eye on Reno, San Antonio, and Laredo — those markets had big days and could be building momentum.

Flatbed: Southeast, same as always. Memphis, Bowling Green, N. Charleston. The board is green and the demand is steady.

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