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Salt Lake City Freight Shipping Quotes
Freight Shipping in Salt Lake City
According to information provided by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, in 2017 the state of Utah saw $98,280 million worth of freight shipped into the state, $50,116 million worth shipped within Utah, and $80,711 million worth of goods shipped outbound. Utah is in the bottom 10 states for shipping flatbed loads, with 71,163 flatbed loads on average in 2020.
Utah is a state with a free port law, meaning goods are taxed very lightly and sometimes not at all in order to help stimulate the economy. This makes Salt Lake City an ideal port for exporting and importing goods, since the state is not required to follow regular customs duty laws and federal excise taxes.
In addition to port shipping, the Salt Lake City International Airport and Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railways play a crucial role in moving goods within the state and across the country.
Salt Lake City’s central-western location makes it an important hub for shipping to and receiving goods from the major West Coast ports, as well as Mexico and Canada. With Utah’s wide expansive roadways, some may consider it a trucker’s dream — minimal traffic (Utah’s average commute time is lower than the national average) and interstates with some of the highest speed limits in the country.
Major Industries and Commercial Activity in Salt Lake City
Although Salt Lake City started out as a leading farming and mining community, when it comes to major industries in Salt Lake City today, health care and social services make up the most dominant sector. Other major industries include computer services, government employment, banking and finance, retail and wholesale, and construction.
Salt Lake City is the international headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS). No Fortune 500 companies currently call Utah home, but large companies located there include Autoliv, Intermountain Healthcare, Nu Skin Enterprises, Alsco, and SkyWest.
Goods produced in Salt Lake City include freight in the following categories:
- Petroleum products
- Missiles
- Prepared foods and beverages
- Gold
- Medical chemical reagents
- Electronics
In Utah, produce season is heaviest from July through September, during which time carrier capacity might be impacted.
Utah’s major interstate trading partners are California, Nevada, Texas, and Idaho.
How Weather Impacts Freight Shipping in Salt Lake City
With moderately cold winters and warm, dry summers, Utah has distinct seasons without usually seeing any extremes. In July of 2002, Salt Lake City experienced a record-breaking heat wave with a high of 107 degrees Fahrenheit, and in February of 1933 saw a low of negative 30 degrees.
Utah is not typically prone to extreme weather, although in 1999 it was hit with an F2 tornado that caused over $170 million in damages. Despite Utah being fairly temperate, keep in mind that the thunderstorm season starts in May and ends in mid-August, and the state is prone to windstorms throughout the year as well as heavy snowfall.
Freight Carriers in Salt Lake City
Up until recently, truck driving was the most common job in Utah. Computer software development has replaced truck driving as No. 1, but Salt Lake City continues to offer a wide variety of options when it comes to freight shipment carriers.
With a digital freight network that includes over 25,000 trucks serving approximately 200 facilities in the Salt Lake City area, Convoy makes it easy to connect with the most reliable freight carriers.