Where the Texas freight is
- The Texas Triangle. Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin, tied together by I-35, I-45 and I-10. TxDOT treats it as the state's main freight corridor, with I-35 running on to Laredo.
- Laredo. The busiest truck crossing on the Mexican border by a wide margin, according to BTS border crossing data. Cross-border freight gets transloaded and heads north up I-35.
- McAllen and Pharr. DAT calls McAllen a major gateway for Mexican tomatoes, limes, mangoes and avocados. That's reefer freight going north and east.
- Houston. Port and petrochemical freight, plus a big metro full of distribution centers.
- El Paso. Another major border crossing, but a long way from everything else in Texas.
Reloads and deadhead in Texas
The big metros and the border usually have more outbound freight than a truck can haul, so they're good places to deliver. The danger is the space between them. A load into Midland, Lubbock or Amarillo can pay well and still leave you deadheading hundreds of miles to the next one.
That's why we judge every load on rate per total mile, deadhead included. A $2,400 load that leaves you 250 miles from the next pickup isn't the same as a $2,200 load that delivers in Dallas. Before we book a load into thin country, we look at what comes out of there.
Seasons that move Texas rates
- Spring produce from Mexico. DAT reports Mexican import volumes building into the spring, which can make South Texas the tightest produce market in the country. Good for reefers, and it pulls trucks south.
- Fall slowdown on the border. DAT has noted fall as the slow period for Mexican produce imports. Reefer rates out of the Valley can soften.
- Hurricane season, June through November. A Gulf storm can shut down coastal freight for days, and the cleanup can bring a rush of relief loads after. Know where your truck is when a storm is forecast.
Texas costs and rules to know
- Texas-to-Texas loads. Texas requires TxDMV registration for intrastate carriers, and a regulated trip that starts and ends in Texas can count even if you mostly run interstate. Check your status before you take one.
- Diesel. EIA's Gulf Coast average was $5.81 for the week of October 12, 2026, under the $6.18 US average. Plan fuel stops so you fill up in cheaper regions when you can.
- Distance. El Paso to East Texas is a long day and then some. Make sure the rate on cross-state loads covers the miles, not just the loaded ones.
- Border freight paperwork. Cross-border and transload loads can carry customs and seal requirements. We read them on the rate con before you roll.
How TenFour dispatches Texas trucks
Every truck gets its own dispatcher who knows your lanes, your minimum and your home time. We book at or above your minimum, count the empty miles out of West Texas in every load's rate per total mile, look at where a load leaves you before we book it, and read every rate con before you roll. Run your numbers in the cost per mile calculator first so you know your floor. Brokers pay you directly, and we never touch your freight money.
Questions
Do I need Texas authority to haul a load from Dallas to Houston?
Possibly. Texas wants carriers doing intrastate hauls registered with the TxDMV, and federal authority alone may not cover a regulated trip that both starts and ends in Texas. Check with the TxDMV Motor Carrier Division before you take Texas-to-Texas freight.
Is Texas a good place to be empty?
Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and the border crossings usually have plenty of outbound freight. West Texas and the Panhandle are a different story: long miles and fewer loads, so plan the way out before you deliver there.
When does Rio Grande Valley produce pick up?
DAT tracks Mexican imports building into the spring, when South Texas can be the tightest produce origin in the country. Fall is usually the slow stretch for Mexican produce.
Is diesel cheaper in Texas?
Usually a bit. For the week of October 12, 2026, EIA's Gulf Coast average, the region that includes Texas, was $5.81 a gallon against a $6.18 US average.
Want a dispatcher who works for your margin?
Every truck gets its own dispatcher. We judge every load on rate per total mile, deadhead included, and never book under your minimum. Brokers pay you directly.