BIG MIKE’S FREIGHT & RATES REPORT | JULY 2026
Week Ending June 28, 2026
Forget the national average.
Forget what somebody’s cousin posted on Facebook.
Here’s what 109 actual Voyager loads looked like this week.
Fleet Numbers
Average load value: $2,142
Average loaded RPM: $3.76 (excluding local 1-mile yard moves and repositioning loads)
That tells me one thing.
There is still plenty of money in trucking…
If you’re willing to say NO to garbage.
Garbage Load of the Week
Denver, CO → Forest Park, GA
1,409 loaded miles
$2,400 gross
$1.70 per mile
This is exactly the kind of load that makes drivers brag…
“I ran 3,000 miles this week.”
Congratulations.
You probably made less than the guy who stayed in Pennsylvania.
Miles don’t pay bills.
Revenue does.
Freight Unicorn
Ayer, MA → Saco, ME
108 loaded miles
$1,000
$9.26 per mile
No, these don’t grow on trees.
But notice something…
The Northeast continues producing opportunities that most carriers ignore because they’re afraid of tolls, traffic and tight docks.
Sometimes inconvenience pays.
Markets That Got My Attention
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania quietly had another strong week.
Not flashy.
Just consistently profitable.
If I had trucks available Monday morning, Pennsylvania would absolutely be on my shopping list.
Virginia
Virginia continues producing excellent reload opportunities.
One load:
Harrisonburg → Federalsburg
229 miles
$1,500
$6.55 per mile.
You don’t need 1,500-mile runs when freight like this exists.
Georgia
Georgia stayed productive again.
Atlanta → York, SC
231 miles
$1,900
$8.23 per mile.
Short.
Fast.
Home tomorrow.
Cash in the bank.
Texas
Texas continues being…
Texas.
Good money getting in.
Coin flip getting out.
If you don’t already have an exit strategy before crossing the state line, you’re gambling—not dispatching.
Colorado
This week reinforced something we’ve preached for years.
The load INTO Colorado isn’t the problem.
It’s what happens AFTER.
Running over 1,400 miles back east for $1.70 isn’t a strategy.
It’s damage control.
What I’d Chase Next Week
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Maryland
Georgia
Northeast regional freight under 500 miles
Those markets continue proving that shorter doesn’t mean smaller.
Sometimes it means smarter.
What I’d Be Careful With
Long western reloads.
Freight that looks good because of total revenue.
Anything over 1,000 loaded miles without already knowing your reload.
Too many owner-operators buy loads with their eyes.
Professional dispatchers buy them with calculators.
Big Mike’s Take
The market isn’t paying more.
It’s paying smarter.
There are still carriers accepting freight because they’re afraid of saying “no.”
That fear is expensive.
Our job isn’t to keep trucks moving.
Our job is to make sure every mile has a purpose.
Sometimes the most profitable dispatch of the day…
…is refusing the wrong load.
Thinking About Switching Carriers?
At Voyager Nation, we don’t promise miracle rates.
We promise disciplined dispatching.
We negotiate every load like it’s our own truck because, in many ways, it is. Our business only grows when our owner-operators stay profitable.
If you’re tired of chasing cheap freight, dispatching yourself into bad markets, or feeling like just another truck number, maybe it’s time for a different approach.
100% Owner-Operator Fleet.
No forced dispatch.
Experienced dispatchers.
Transparent settlements.
Real people fighting for your business every day.
863-342-5171
Drive less. Earn smarter.
We’ll handle the fight for the freight.