Texas Amazon Relay Facilities & Loads for Fleets & Operators
- Michael Carter
- Sep 1, 2025
- 5 min read
Texas is built for trucking, and most carriers assume the real money comes from long hauls.
The top earners aren’t chasing miles; they’re stacking short Amazon Relay facility runs across Texas.
Success comes down to knowing which facilities to target, how to link runs efficiently, and how to protect your performance score.
How to Make Texas Cross-Town Runs Profitable
In Texas trucking, it’s not the miles that matter, it’s the money per mile. While long hauls eat up your clock and your fuel, short cross-town Relay runs stack profits faster and keep you moving.
OTR hauls grind slowly upfield, while Texas short-hauls are the quick touchdowns that keep you winning.
Here’s why cross-town facility loads across DFW, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio pay off:
Stronger rates per mile: Local runs average $1.50–$2.50/mi (sometimes $3+), while many long-hauls hover near $1.25/mi.
Multiple trips per shift: Instead of one 600-mile haul, you can run 3–5 short loops and gross just as much, or more.
Lower costs: Less fuel burned, fewer maintenance miles, no overnight expenses.
Better quality of life: Stay close to home and still hit strong daily gross numbers.
For Texas owner-operators and fleets, cross-town runs deliver the best balance of profit, predictability, and lifestyle in 2025.
Where the Best Texas Facility Runs Are
The secret to making cross-town runs profitable is knowing where the freight density lives.
Texas has one of Amazon’s largest footprints in the U.S., with clusters of fulfillment centers, sortation hubs, and delivery stations packed around its major metros, and specialized lanes like Amazon Prime 53-ft Chicago rails for carriers operating beyond Texas).
Here’s where the short-haul money really moves:
Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex – Anchored by FTW9 (Haslet), DAL9 (Coppell), and Mesquite. Carriers can link loops across the Metroplex with minimal deadhead.
Houston – With hubs like HOU3 and IAH5, Houston is full of 20–50 mile facility transfers, perfect for stacking multiple loads in a day.
Austin / Pflugerville (AUS2) – Central Texas runs connect AUS2 with San Antonio and Temple, creating steady mid-range shuttles.
San Antonio – A growing Amazon presence that feeds South Texas and provides short hops north to Austin.
Regional Facilities – Waco, El Paso, Amarillo, and other smaller cities serve as feeders, offering short regional runs that tie into the bigger hubs.
Why these clusters matter: dense facilities mean higher load frequency, less deadhead, and the ability to build profitable “loop days” without ever leaving Texas.
Why the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex Is Texas’s Profit Center
When it comes to Amazon Relay short-hauls, no market in Texas matches the density and profitability of the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
The DFW Metroplex is home to 33 Amazon fulfillment centers, sortation hubs, and delivery stations, often located just 5–20 miles apart.
That tight clustering creates the perfect setup for cross-town loops where carriers can rack up multiple turns in a single shift.
Key Hotspots in DFW:
FTW9 (Haslet) – One of the biggest anchors in North Texas, connecting to FTW7 (1.7 mi), DAL2 (10 mi), and RBD5 (10 mi).
DAL9 (Coppell) – A major hub in the northwest suburbs, with quick runs to FTW1 (6 mi), IAH1 (8 mi), and Mesquite (21 mi).
XDA2 (Fort Worth) – Perfect for short connections, only 4 mi from downtown, with fast links to AFW1 and DDW7.
Mesquite – East of Dallas, strategically positioned for 15–20 mi runs into FTW and IAH facilities.
Coppell & Irving Cluster – DAL3, Coppell, and nearby yards create constant 7–15 mi loops that carriers love.
Why DFW Runs Outperform Long Hauls:
Short distances, high frequency → More trips per day.
Rates average $1.75–$2.50/mi → Better than many OTR lanes.
Dense hub connections → Less deadhead between loads.
Predictable schedules → Easier for small fleets to plan profitable loops.
DFW is where Texas carriers make money daily without ever leaving the Metroplex.
Roadblocks Texas Carriers Face
Even in a market as strong as Dallas–Fort Worth, short-haul freight comes with its own set of headaches. The profits are real, but so are the roadblocks:
Congestion Everywhere – From I-35 traffic through Fort Worth to I-635 around Dallas, rush hour delays can turn a 10-mile run into an hour-long crawl.
Facility Bottlenecks – Busy yards like FTW9 and DAL9 often back up during peak hours, forcing drivers to sit unpaid at the gate.
Last-Minute Cancellations – Loads can disappear with little notice, and without backup dispatch planning, drivers lose valuable hours.
Relay App & Check-In Errors – Even when drivers arrive on time, missed scans or app glitches sometimes flag loads as late or incomplete.
Performance Score Risks – With Amazon’s stricter 2025 rules, a single 4× penalty from being late or canceling can tank a carrier’s score for weeks.
For fleets and owner-operators, these issues can mean the difference between a profitable day and breaking even.
Expert Dispatch Tips for Texas Facility Runs
Profit on Texas Relay loads isn’t just about miles, it’s about smart planning. Here’s what works best:
Cluster smartly: Run DFW or Houston facilities in tight loops to cut deadhead.
Schedule with cushion: A 15–20 min buffer prevents costly 4× late penalties.
Protect your score: Dispute every unfair rejection fast with clear proof.
Stay consistent: Daily short-hauls beat chasing long-haul scraps.
Use dispatch support: AI planning + expert dispatchers = steady premium loads.
Need Help Securing Profitable Texas Facility Loads?
At Amazon Relay Dispatch Services, we don’t just support carriers, we specialize in turning Texas cross-town runs into predictable profits.
With years of experience inside Relay’s system, we know exactly how to target the highest-paying lanes, plan efficient loops, and protect your performance score so you never miss out on premium freight.
Here’s how we help Texas carriers turn short-hauls into steady profits:
Securing premium DFW and Texas loops with minimal deadhead
Fixing rejections and penalties, even driver-related ones
Handling cancellations, detention, and layovers
Monitoring your score to unlock early access to premium loads
AI-powered planning to stack multiple runs and grow your business
We’ve proven that the right strategy + expert dispatching is the difference between missing opportunities and locking in premium short-haul freight every day.
FAQs About Texas Amazon Relay Facility Loads
1. How much do Amazon Relay short-haul runs in Texas pay?
Most facility-to-facility runs in DFW and Houston average $1.50–$2.50 per mile, with some lanes reaching $3+ during peak demand.
2. Can I run multiple Amazon Relay loads in a day in Texas?
In dense markets like Dallas–Fort Worth, many carriers run 3–5 short loops per day, grossing as much as a long-haul while still being home nightly.
3. Does Amazon pay if a load gets canceled in Texas?
Typically, yes. If Amazon cancels within two hours of pickup, carriers are usually compensated with a $175 cancellation fee.
4. What do I need to qualify for Amazon Relay loads in Texas?
Carriers must have an active DOT/MC authority (180+ days old), $1M auto liability, $100k cargo insurance, and at least one tractor. Many Texas facility runs are power-only, so you won’t need your own trailer.
5. How do I avoid performance penalties on Texas cross-town runs?
Build buffer time into routes, always use the Relay app correctly, and dispute any unfair penalties (like app glitches or facility delays). Even if a driver made a mistake, many rejections can still be overturned.
6. What’s the most profitable market for Amazon Relay in Texas?
The Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex is the strongest profit center, thanks to 30+ clustered Amazon facilities within short distances, allowing carriers to stack multiple loops daily with minimal deadhead.