FreightWaves: US-Mexico truck volumes surge 1000%

FreightWaves reported on August 31 that one U.S.-Mexico freight corridor around Laredo, Texas, is handling far more truck traffic than it did two years ago, adding a fresh data point to the nearshoring boom in northern Mexico. The company said daily truck movements at the Colombia-Solidarity International Bridge had risen from roughly 800 loads a day in 2022 to more than 10,000, citing Nuevo León Governor Samuel García. FreightWaves co-founder Craig Fuller then compared that bridge-level claim with SONAR market data covering broader cross-border contract freight. His conclusion was narrower than the headline number but still pointed to an unusually tight market in 2026. ### Where did the 1,000% figure come from? The 1,000% figure came from Samuel García, the governor of Nuevo León, who said daily freight movements at the Colombia-Solidarity bridge in Laredo climbed from about 800 in 2022 to more than 10,000 now. FreightWaves said authorities project that traffic could double again within four years. (freightwaves.com) FreightWaves also noted that its own SONAR data does not provide bridge-specific counts for that crossing. Instead, the company used SONAR to test whether the broader U.S.-Mexico market was showing the same direction of travel. Julie Van de Kamp, speaking in the FreightWaves segment, said García’s figures came from official government statements and had shifted over time, but that carriers and other market participants were reporting the same broad pattern on the ground. (freightwaves.com) ### What did SONAR show beyond that single bridge? Craig Fuller said SONAR data showed U.S.-to-Mexico contract freight volumes rising more than 200% from their low point to recent peaks, reaching 387% during the measured period and as high as 700% in June. Mexico-to-U.S. volumes were up about 79% over the same span, he said. (freightwaves.com) Fuller said “2026 has been the tightest cross-border capacity year in recent memory,” tying the imbalance to stronger southbound demand. SONAR describes its platform as a source of high-frequency freight data tracking tender volumes, rejections, rates and other market signals used by carriers, brokers and shippers. (freightwaves.com) ### Why is the southbound lane moving faster? Nuevo León and Laredo sit at the center of the nearshoring trade that has pushed more manufacturing into northern Mexico. FreightWaves said Fuller and Van de Kamp both identified nearshoring into Nuevo León as the main structural driver behind the increase in cross-border freight. (freightwaves.com) FreightWaves said key commodities moving through the corridor include fresh produce and auto parts. The outlet also said those flows have expanded as shippers diversify away from some trans-Pacific routes facing tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty. That framing is FreightWaves’ characterization of the trade shift, based on the participants it cited. (freightwaves.com) ### How much are fuel and freight costs adding to the pressure? AAA listed the U.S. national average diesel price at $5.6879 a gallon on September 2, up from $5.6325 a day earlier. The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s weekly diesel survey, released September 1, remains the federal benchmark update for the market. The August Logistics Managers’ Index came in at 66.6, down from 68.9 in July but still showing expansion, with transport prices at 90.0 and transport capacity at 40.0, indicating continued tightness. (freightwaves.com) That combination helps explain why a rise in cross-border demand can translate quickly into higher trucking and logistics costs. (gasprices.aaa.com) ### What should readers watch next? September 9 is the next scheduled release for the EIA’s diesel price update, a weekly marker closely watched by carriers and shippers. FreightWaves’ own SONAR indicators will also show whether the June peak in U.S.-to-Mexico contract volumes was a one-off spike or part of a longer late-summer pattern. (eia.gov) (mhwmag.com)