WEEKLY MARKETFIT UPDATES: 03.30.2026: ST. CLOUD, MN SHOWS STRONG WEEK-OVER-WEEK MOMENTUM WITH EMERGING HEADHAUL ADVANTAGE AND ELEVATED REJECTION LEVELS
Each week, MarketFIT™ from Express Freight Finance analyzes real-time freight market data to surface the most favorable and competitive markets across the country.
Rather than reacting to yesterday’s trends or generic load board averages, MarketFIT helps carriers and brokers make smarter decisions in the moment — from where to drive next, to how to price lanes, to when to push for stronger rates.
MarketFIT Platform Overview
With MarketFIT, Express Freight Finance clients gain access to in-depth dashboards covering 125+ U.S. markets and thousands of active freight lanes, all updated continuously to reflect real-world conditions.
If this is your first time here, watch our short overview below featuring Dan Hadley, President & CEO of Express Freight Finance, to see how MarketFIT turns raw data into actionable strategy inside your business.
What This Week’s Data Shows
Below is a snapshot of this week’s live MarketFIT data, highlighting key shifts in demand, capacity, and pricing across top U.S. freight markets.
St. Cloud, MN records a solid week-over-week improvement, with the Overall Fit Score increasing by 14.40 points to 39.30, signaling strengthening freight market conditions. The recent upward trend reflects growing momentum, with conditions becoming increasingly favorable for carriers as the market tightens.
Outbound Tender Volume stands at 11.9, exceeding Inbound Tender Volume at 10.3, resulting in a Head Haul Index of 1.6. This indicates St. Cloud is functioning as a headhaul market, where outbound demand outpaces inbound supply. This imbalance suggests underlying structural tightness, as more freight is leaving the market than entering, putting pressure on available capacity.
The Outbound Tender Reject Index (OTRI) is elevated at 36.73, highlighting a high level of carrier rejection activity. This suggests carriers are being selective and likely prioritizing higher-yield opportunities, reinforcing the tightening capacity environment.
Overall, St. Cloud is exhibiting clear signs of a tightening market driven by both a developing headhaul imbalance and sustained high rejection rates. With improving Fit Score and strengthening outbound demand dynamics, the market is likely to see continued carrier leverage and potential upward pressure on outbound rates if these trends persist.
The Outbound Tender Reject Index (OTRI) registers at 34.19, signaling elevated carrier rejection activity and tightening capacity conditions. Despite the balanced freight flows, this high rejection level indicates carriers are becoming increasingly selective, potentially favoring higher-paying freight and contributing to rising pressure on load acceptance.
Overall, Augusta is showing clear signs of tightening market conditions driven primarily by elevated rejection behavior and a sharply improving Fit Score, even in the absence of a strong headhaul imbalance. If current trends persist, the market could experience increasing carrier selectivity and upward pressure on outbound rates in the near term.
Carriers Continue To Ramp Up Profits With These Lanes:
- Chicago, IL → Detroit, MI - Avg. Rate per Mile: $3.69
- Los Angeles, CA → Phoenix, AZ - Avg. Rate per Mile: $3.50
- Ontario, CA → Tucson, AZ - Avg. Rate per Mile: $3.10
These lanes remain well-supported as pricing stays firm across established Midwest and Northeast freight corridors.
Load Availability & Lane Rates Intelligence
Zero in on where freight is actually moving right now — highlighting lanes with rising demand, tightening capacity, and improving rate potential.
Use this MarketFIT data to spot pockets of opportunity as they emerge, compare lanes side by side, and prioritize routes that offer the best balance of volume and pricing — before conditions shift.
Below is a snapshot of this week’s load availability and lane rate data across key markets.
You can learn more about MarketFIT and request a demo by visiting MarketFIT.