Skip to main content

Tucson, AZ

Freight hub guide — rates, shippers, parking, and opportunities for owner-operators in Tucson.

2,687

Carriers Based Here

Fair

Truck Parking

Southwest

Region

Who Operates Out of Tucson

2,687 active motor carriers are registered with a physical address in Tucson. Here is how that base breaks down by fleet size — useful for judging whether you would be competing against owner-operators or against fleets with dedicated freight locked up.

1,388

Owner-operators (1 truck)

809

Small fleets (2-5)

225

Mid fleets (6-20)

79

Large fleets (20+)

52% of carriers based here run a single truck, and 181 are registered to haul hazardous materials.

Source: FMCSA Motor Carrier Census (active carriers, US physical addresses), retrieved 2026-07-18.

Average Rates Per Mile

Equipment TypeRate / Mile
Dry Van$2.63
Reefer$3.02
Flatbed$3.31

Rates by Equipment Type

Key Highways

I-10I-19SR-77SR-86SR-210 (Barraza-Aviation Parkway)

Top Industries

Defense and aerospace
Cross-border trade
Mining
Logistics and distribution

Major Distribution Centers

Amazon TUS2 fulfillment center
Walmart DC
McLane Company

Top Shippers

R
Raytheon Missiles & Defense
A
Amazon
F
Freeport-McMoRan
C
Chamberlain Group

Nearby Ports

Nearest major port accessible via I-10

Truck Stops

Pilot Travel Center (I-10 Exit 264)
Love's #371 (I-10 Exit 268)
TA Travel Center (I-10 Exit 261)

Challenges

  • Extreme summer heat (110°F+) affects reefer performance and driver safety.
  • Seasonal produce surge strains capacity November-March.
  • Dust storms (haboobs) can close I-10 with zero visibility.

Opportunities

  • Cross-border NAFTA freight through Laredo and El Paso is enormous
  • Texas is the highest freight-generating state in the US
  • Year-round operations with minimal weather disruptions
  • Oil and gas industry creates premium-rate flatbed and hotshot demand

Seasonal Freight Patterns

Cross-border produce peaks January through April. Oil and gas freight follows rig counts year-round. Holiday retail surge runs September through December. Summer heat (June-August) requires attention to tire and equipment maintenance.

Trucking in Tucson — FAQ

Average rates per mile out of Tucson: Dry Van $2.63, Reefer $3.02, Flatbed $3.31. Rates vary by season, lane, and current market conditions.
Truck parking in Tucson is rated "fair." Popular stops include Pilot Travel Center (I-10 Exit 264), Love's #371 (I-10 Exit 268), TA Travel Center (I-10 Exit 261). Parking is manageable but can get tight during peak hours and weekends.
Top shippers operating in the Tucson freight market include Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Amazon, Freeport-McMoRan, Chamberlain Group. Key industries driving freight demand are defense and aerospace, cross-border trade, mining.
The biggest challenges for truckers in Tucson include: Extreme summer heat (110°F+) affects reefer performance and driver safety.; Seasonal produce surge strains capacity November-March.; Dust storms (haboobs) can close I-10 with zero visibility.. However, opportunities include cross-border nafta freight through laredo and el paso is enormous.

Nearby Freight Hubs

Other Cities in Arizona

Running freight in Tucson? Get dispatched.

Our dispatch team books loads, negotiates rates, and handles the paperwork so you can keep your wheels turning in and out of Tucson.