Shipping from Houston
Houston, Texas freight rates Whether by sea, highway or rail, a major portion of the country’s freight passes in and out of the Houston region. The region is home to the ports of Houston, Galveston, Freeport and Texas City. The Port of Houston ranks first in the U.S. in foreign tonnage and is the largest container port in the Gulf Coast, handling 66 percent of Gulf Coast container traffic in 2013. A recent expansion of the Panama Canal to allow larger ocean freighters should increase port traffic. As one of the nation’s busiest rail centers, the Houston region has a rail network of more than 800 miles of rail line and 21 miles of railroad bridges. Additionally, 10 major rail companies serve the Houston region and 150 trucking lines connect the Port of Houston to the continental U.S., Canada and Mexico. Houston is the crossroads for Interstate Highways 10 and 45, as well as several state highways.
Shipping to Minneapolis
Minneapolis, MN freight rates Leaders in the Minneapolis area believe the transportation infrastructure of the Twin Cities is a leading factor to why the region is considered the second least stressful city in the nation. That means shipping in and out of the Greater MSP region should be relatively stress-free as well. Highway access is provided by I-35 and I-94. Four Class I railroads serve the area. The Minneapolis area also has convenient access to two major bodies of water that provide efficient shipping options. Just to the north is the Port of Duluth on Lake Superior, which connects the region’s businesses to ocean-going cargo ships. To the south, there are three ports on the Mississippi River for hauling products to the Gulf of Mexico. Minneapolis freight rates are usually higher than most because there are not many cities or urban areas surrounding the area or within the state. Rates can also peak in the summer.