Estados Buenos Para Entrar vs Estados Buenos Para Salir

📖 11 min lectura 🎓 Módulo 3 - Lección 2

🔄 EL CONCEPTO DE "DIRECCIÓN DEL FLUJO"

No todos los estados son simétricos. Algunos son:

  • ✅ Excelentes para RECIBIR freight (buenos rates entrando)
  • ❌ Terribles para SALIR (malos rates, poco freight saliendo)

Y viceversa.

📊 LA MATRIZ DE FLUJO

Categoría Característica Ejemplos
BALANCED 🟢🟢 Buen freight IN & OUT
Best case scenario
Illinois (Chicago), Georgia (Atlanta), Texas (Dallas/Houston), Michigan (Detroit), Ohio
IMPORT-HEAVY 🟢🔴 Good freight IN
Poor freight OUT
California (LA ports), Florida (consumer goods), Arizona (Phoenix distribution)
DEAD ZONES 🔴🔴 Poor freight IN & OUT
Avoid unless premium
Montana, Wyoming, West Texas (Laredo, El Paso), Rural Midwest

STRATEGY:

  • Balanced: Build circuit around these
  • Import-heavy: Charge premium going IN, have backhaul plan
  • Dead zones: Only go if rate compensates repositioning + wait

🗺️ FREIGHT FLOW PATTERNS

WEST → EAST (Import dominance)

  • LA/Long Beach ports → Midwest/East Coast
  • High rates westbound (empty returns)
  • Lower rates eastbound (competitive)
  • Strategy: Favor eastbound loads

HUBS (Balanced in all directions)

  • Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas
  • Consistent freight 360°
  • "Safe haven" zones
  • Strategy: Always profitable to position here

📍 ANÁLISIS ESTADO POR ESTADO

🟢🟢 TIER 1: BALANCED STATES

ILLINOIS (Chicago)

  • IN: 🟢🟢 Manufacturing, ag, distribution
  • OUT: 🟢🟢 Consumer goods, auto parts
  • Avg rate IN: $1.55/mi
  • Avg rate OUT: $1.50/mi
  • Note: Weekend freight slower

GEORGIA (Atlanta)

  • IN: 🟢🟢 Distribution, imports via Savannah
  • OUT: 🟢🟢 Manufacturing, distribution
  • Avg rate IN: $1.60/mi
  • Avg rate OUT: $1.55/mi
  • Note: Q4 is insane for outbound

MICHIGAN (Detroit)

  • IN: 🟢🟢 Auto parts, manufacturing
  • OUT: 🟢🟢 Automotive, ag
  • Avg rate IN: $1.65/mi
  • Avg rate OUT: $1.60/mi
  • Note: Q1 retooling = golden period

🟢🔴 TIER 2: IMPORT-HEAVY

CALIFORNIA (LA/Oakland)

  • IN: 🟢🟢 High demand, ports busy
  • OUT: 🔴 Expensive, competitive
  • Avg rate IN: $1.70/mi
  • Avg rate OUT: $1.10/mi (ouch)
  • Note: Charge premium IN unless backhaul to AZ/NV

FLORIDA (Miami/Orlando/Tampa)

  • IN: 🟢 Consumer goods, seasonal
  • OUT: 🔴 Limited manufacturing
  • Avg rate IN: $1.50/mi (seasonal $1.80 in winter)
  • Avg rate OUT: $1.05/mi
  • Note: Q1 snowbird season = good IN rates

🔴🔴 TIER 3: DEAD ZONES

WEST TEXAS (Laredo, El Paso)

  • IN: 🔴 Border towns, low freight
  • OUT: 🔴🔴 Terrible backhaul
  • Avg rate OUT: $0.85-1.10/mi
  • Wait time: 48-96 hours
  • Strategy: Charge $1.80+ to go there, plan repositioning

💰 ESTRATEGIA DE PRICING POR DIRECCIÓN

De → A Strategy
Balanced → Balanced Standard rates ($1.40-1.60/mi)
Balanced → Import-Heavy Premium +$0.20/mi (compensate bad backhaul)
Import-Heavy → Balanced Can accept lower ($1.20-1.35) - escaping dead zone
Balanced → Dead Zone Premium +$0.35-0.50/mi (compensate reposition + wait)
Dead Zone → Anywhere Break-even acceptable (just getting out)

🎯 LANE STRATEGY

No solo zonas, sino RUTAS balanceadas:

Lane Both Ways? Avg Rate
Detroit ↔ Chicago YES ✅ $1.60/mi
Chicago ↔ Atlanta YES ✅ $1.55/mi
Atlanta ↔ Charlotte YES ✅ $1.50/mi
Detroit → LA ONE WAY 🔴 $1.75/mi IN
LA → Detroit ONE WAY ✅ $1.20/mi OUT
Anywhere → Laredo ONE WAY ⚠️ $1.80/mi IN
Laredo → Anywhere ONE WAY 🔴 $0.95/mi OUT

💡 CONCLUSIÓN CLAVE

No todos los estados son iguales

Algunos son highways, otros son dead-ends

REGLA DE ORO:

  • Build circuit around BALANCED states
  • Charge PREMIUM to go to import-heavy states
  • Have EXIT PLAN before entering dead zones
  • Favor LANES (not just destinations)

Think in CYCLES, not one-way trips