July week 2

BIG MIKE’S FREIGHT & RATES REPORT | July 2026

Another week in the books, and once again the market proved one thing: good dispatchers made money, lazy dispatchers blamed the market. This report is based on actual freight moved through our fleet during the week of July 6-12—not load board averages or government statistics.

 Market Snapshot

Overall market rating: 7.8/10

The market wasn't on fire, but it definitely wasn't dead either. Florida continued producing freight, the Southeast remained very stable, Texas stayed balanced, the Midwest offered solid reload opportunities, and the Northeast continued paying well coming out.

This Week's Numbers

• Lowest rate booked: $1.64/mi • Most long-haul freight: $2.70-$3.50/mi • Premium freight: $3.80-$5.50+/mi • Highest legitimate RPM booked: $11.90/mi

Remember... nobody builds a business around $11.90 freight. You haul it, smile, cash the check, and go find the next load.

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 Regional Breakdown

 Florida

Florida keeps surprising people.

Strong outbound freight moved into: • Georgia • Carolinas • Virginia • Ohio • Mississippi • Missouri • Oklahoma

Inbound freight remained healthy from: • Ohio • Pennsylvania • Illinois • Wisconsin • Minnesota • Missouri • Texas

That's exactly what we like to see—not only freight leaving Florida, but freight bringing trucks back home.

 Southeast

Probably the strongest region again this week.

Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky and both Carolinas continued producing steady freight without major swings.

Not exciting...

Just consistently profitable.

 Midwest

Mixed market.

Some cities paid extremely well while others struggled.

Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa all continued producing quality reload opportunities for trucks that entered with a plan.

 Texas

Texas stayed... Texas.

Huge volume. Good freight. Terrible freight.

Dispatchers who knew exactly where they wanted to position their truck made excellent money.

Everyone else chased cheap freight.

 Northeast

Still expensive to enter.

Still pays well coming out.

Nothing has changed.

Don't fear the Northeast.

Fear going there without an exit plan.

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 CHECKMATE OF THE WEEK

Florida → Charlotte → Texas → Florida

Simple.

Minimal deadhead.

Consistent freight.

Strong revenue on every leg.

Driver keeps moving.

Dispatcher sleeps better.

That's dispatching.

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 FREIGHT UNICORN OF THE WEEK

The craziest legitimate freight this week paid an incredible $11.90 per mile.

Before Facebook dispatch experts lose their minds...

No, you won't find loads like this every day.

No, this isn't the market average.

But yes...

Sometimes short-haul freight pays absolutely ridiculous money.

When those opportunities appear, your dispatcher better already be on the phone.

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 DEAD FREIGHT CEMETERY

Markets I'd avoid next week if possible:

 Rural Arkansas without reload planned 

 Deep South Florida local freight 

 Blind trips into North Dakota 

 Random Missouri freight hunting 

 Long repositioning into rural Oklahoma

There's freight...

Just not enough to gamble.

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 BIG MIKE'S HOT TAKE

Every week somebody tells me:

> "The market sucks."

Then I look at dispatch.

One truck averaged barely over $2.00 per mile.

Another truck averaged well over $4.00 per mile.

Same week.

Same economy.

Same freight market.

The difference?

One dispatcher accepted the first offer.

The other negotiated.

The market isn't perfect.

But lazy dispatching is still expensive.

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 LANE TO WATCH NEXT WEEK

If I were positioning trucks today, I'd be watching:

 Florida → Carolinas 

 Florida → Georgia 

 Georgia → Texas 

 Carolinas → Midwest 

 Ohio → Florida 

 Indiana → Florida 

 Texas → Florida

Those lanes continue producing steady freight with solid reload opportunities.

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 DISPATCH LESSON OF THE WEEK

Stop chasing the highest RPM.

Start chasing the highest weekly revenue.

Here's why.

Truck A hauls one load paying $4.40 per mile...

...then sits for two days.

Truck B runs four consecutive loads averaging around $3.00 per mile...

...and never stops moving.

Guess who makes more money Friday afternoon?

Truck B.

Professional dispatchers build revenue chains.

Amateurs chase screenshots.

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 BROKER EXCUSE OF THE WEEK

Broker:

> "I'd love to pay more, but my customer is really sensitive."

Translation:

"My customer paid me just fine...

I'm the sensitive one."

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 OWNER-OPERATOR IQ TEST

Your truck delivers Monday morning in Atlanta.

Which load do you take?

Option A

Atlanta → Chicago 800 miles $3.85/mi

No reload booked.

Option B

Atlanta → Charlotte 250 miles $3.10/mi

Charlotte → Dallas $3.40/mi

Dallas → Lakeland $2.95/mi

What's your move?

...

...

...

 Correct Answer

Option B.

Why?

Because trucking is not a one-load business.

It's a weekly revenue business.

Three profitable loads with almost zero downtime usually beat one great-looking load that strands your truck.

Think like a fleet owner.

Not a screenshot collector.

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 FINAL THOUGHTS

This week rewarded disciplined dispatching. Most quality long-haul freight landed between $2.70 and $3.50 per mile, premium freight consistently broke into the $4.00+ range, and a few true unicorn loads reminded everyone why staying available for the right opportunity matters. Florida remained one of the strongest freight-producing regions in our network, with healthy inbound freight helping trucks cycle back home instead of getting stranded.

The freight isn't perfect. It never is. The difference between an average week and a great week is usually the dispatcher—not the market.