Alabama Truck Dispatch: Steel, Lumber and the Port of Mobile
Alabama truck dispatch is built on manufactured freight: steel, pipe, lumber, auto parts and Port of Mobile cargo, mostly on short runs to neighboring states. We book Alabama loads remotely for a flat 6% or 8% of weekly gross.
Figures and rules checked October 30, 2026
Alabama builds things. Auto assembly plants, steel mills, pipe makers, paper mills and sawmills ship freight out of the state every day. The Port of Mobile connects them to the world. For owner-operators, especially flatbedders, Alabama is a steady source of manufactured freight with short runs to Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and Mississippi.
Its truck freight is almost perfectly balanced. Trucks carried about 58 million tons from Alabama to other states in 2022 and brought about 59 million back. Georgia was the biggest partner in both directions.
Alabama's freight, by type
| Freight | Truck tons from Alabama, 2022 | Equipment |
|---|---|---|
| Nonmetal mineral products | About 22 million | Flatbed, bulk |
| Wood products | About 15 million | Flatbed for lumber, van for finished goods |
| Base metals (steel, pipe) | About 12 million | Flatbed |
| Animal feed | About 12 million | Bulk and van |
| Other foodstuffs | About 6 million | Reefer, dry van |
| Paper and motorized vehicles | About 4.5 and 4.3 million | Dry van |
Source: FAF6, truck tons originating in Alabama, leaving out sand, gravel, fuels and logs. Wood and steel together make Alabama one of the better flatbed states in the Southeast.
Where the freight is
- Birmingham: steel, pipe and metal products, plus distribution where I-20, I-59, I-65 and I-22 meet.
- Huntsville and north Alabama: auto assembly, aerospace and manufacturing along I-565 and I-65.
- Montgomery and central Alabama: auto assembly and parts suppliers along I-65 and I-85.
- Mobile and the Gulf Coast: the port, shipbuilding, chemicals and distribution along I-10 and I-65.
- The Black Belt and south Alabama: forest products, poultry, peanuts and cotton.
The Port of Mobile
The Alabama Port Authority calls Mobile the deepest container port in the Gulf, with a 50-foot channel and rail transfer at the container terminal. Container volume is smaller than the big Atlantic and Pacific ports. Still, the port handles a lot of steel, forest products, coal and other bulk cargo. For truckers, it means import and export freight on I-65 north toward Birmingham and the Midwest, and on I-10 along the coast.
Lanes and reloads
- I-65 is the spine, from Mobile through Montgomery and Birmingham to Nashville. Most north-south freight uses it.
- I-20 and I-59 connect Birmingham with Atlanta to the east and Meridian and Jackson to the west.
- I-85 runs from Montgomery toward Atlanta through the auto supplier belt.
- Birmingham reloads best for flatbed and van. Rural south Alabama can be slow, so plan reloads before delivering there.
By FAF6 tonnage, Alabama trucks deliver most to Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and Mississippi. Most loads are short and regional.
Alabama freight by the numbers
| Measure | Alabama |
|---|---|
| Truck freight starting in the state (2022) | About 219 million tons, 74% delivered in-state |
| Truck freight to other states | About 58 million tons |
| Truck freight from other states | About 59 million tons (about balanced) |
| Top destination states | Georgia, Tennessee and Florida |
| Top states sending trucks in | Georgia, Mississippi and Florida |
| Diesel tax, IFTA, 4th quarter 2026 | 31 cents a gallon |
| State rule to check first | No special state tax beyond IFTA; check plant safety rules |
Tonnage from the BTS Freight Analysis Framework (FAF6, base year 2022). Diesel tax from the IFTA, Inc. rate matrix.
Which trailers stay busy in Alabama
| Equipment | Where it fits |
|---|---|
| Flatbed | Steel, pipe, lumber and building materials from Birmingham and the south |
| Dry van | Auto parts, paper and packaged goods |
| Reefer | Poultry and food plants |
| Hotshot | Expedited auto parts and equipment between plants in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee |
| Power only | Trailer moves for auto suppliers and distribution centers along I-65 |
A flatbed week: Birmingham pipe to Houston and back
Pipe goes out to Texas early in the week, and lumber and steel bring the truck back toward Birmingham by Friday.
| Day | Load | About |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Pipe from a Birmingham area mill to a Houston area yard on I-20, I-59 and I-10 | 670 miles |
| Tuesday | Deliver, then building materials from Houston toward Baton Rouge | 270 miles |
| Wednesday | Lumber from a south Mississippi or south Alabama mill to Atlanta | 350 miles |
| Thursday | Steel from the Atlanta area back to Birmingham on I-20 | 150 miles |
| Friday | A short local steel move or home time |
An example of how a week can be planned, not a promise of loads, rates or miles. Distances are rounded.
Steel and pipe loads have their own securement needs. Check your count with the tiedown calculator before you roll.
Storms, harvest and hurricane season
- Spring: Severe storms and tornadoes, especially in north and central Alabama. Construction freight picks up.
- June to November: Hurricane season on the Gulf Coast, which can close the port and I-10.
- Fall: Peanut and cotton harvests in the south, and the holiday build at distribution centers.
- Winter: Mostly mild, with occasional ice in the north.
See how these fit the national calendar in our seasonal freight guide.
Fuel tax and free interstates
- Fuel tax. Alabama diesel is taxed at 31 cents a gallon on the IFTA matrix for the 4th quarter of 2026, close to the middle of the pack. Run your quarter through the IFTA calculator to see what Alabama miles add.
- Few tolls. Alabama's interstates are mostly toll-free, which keeps short regional runs cheap to operate.
Where to reload in Alabama
| City or area | Why trucks go there | Reload outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | Steel, pipe, distribution at the I-20, I-59, I-65 and I-22 junction | Strong for flatbed and van |
| Huntsville | Auto assembly, aerospace and manufacturing | Good, mostly regional |
| Montgomery | Auto plants and suppliers on I-65 and I-85 | Good for van and power only |
| Mobile | Port cargo, shipbuilding, chemicals | Good, but check port versus warehouse pickups |
| Dothan and the Wiregrass | Peanuts and farm freight | Thin outside harvest |
Alabama load checklist: mills, port and spring storms
- On steel and pipe pickups, confirm your securement gear, edge protection and the shipper's own rules.
- Ask about plant safety orientation and gear requirements at Birmingham area mills.
- On Port of Mobile loads, confirm whether the cargo is at the port or an off-port warehouse.
- In spring, check storm forecasts before routing through north and central Alabama.
- Plan the reload before delivering in rural south Alabama.
Booking Alabama freight with us
Most Alabama freight goes one state over, so your dispatcher plans short loops: a Birmingham steel load toward Atlanta or Nashville, then the next load back toward the mills. Flatbed loads are matched to the tarps, chains and edge protection you carry.
Same terms in every state. We work online and are registered in New York. There's no local office, so your dispatcher works with you by phone, text and email.
- A flat 6% of weekly gross for dry van, reefer, flatbed and power only, and 8% for box truck and hotshot
- No fee on loads picked up in your first 3 days
- No upfront or setup fees and no long-term contract
- Setup within about 24 hours of getting your documents
Here's how our fee works and what you need to get set up.
Freight tonnage on this page comes from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics Freight Analysis Framework (FAF6, base year 2022).
Georgia is Alabama's biggest freight partner, so see our Georgia page too. Loads also cross often into Tennessee, Mississippi and Florida.
Alabama truck dispatch questions
Is Alabama good for flatbed?▾
Yes. Steel and pipe from Birmingham and lumber from the south make Alabama one of the better flatbed states in the Southeast.
How deep is the Port of Mobile?▾
The Alabama Port Authority calls Mobile the deepest container port in the Gulf, with a 50-foot channel.
Where do Alabama loads usually go?▾
Mostly to Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and Mississippi. Most Alabama freight moves on short regional runs.
When is hurricane season on the Alabama coast?▾
June through November. A storm can close the Port of Mobile and I-10 along the coast.
Ready to get your truck loaded?
Talk to a dispatcher today. Your first 3 days are free, with no upfront dispatch fees.