States Court Trucking Industry, Foreign Funding at SelectUSA

SelectUSA 2026 drew 5,500 attendees from 55 states and territories as well as some 100 international markets to National Harbor. (Noel Fletcher/Transport Topics)

OXON HILL, Md. — Many states represented at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s 2026 SelectUSA Investment Summit not only wanted to win business from foreign investors, but also from the nation’s trucking industry.

Deals were brokered May 3-6 at the annual event among the 5,500 attendees from 55 states and territories as well as some 100 international markets drawn to National Harbor.

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“We are proud to announce that participants at the 2026 Select USA Investment Summit committed $56 billion in new business commitments, strengthening and supporting thousands of high-paying American jobs,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said.

Among the 1,100 economic development organization representatives, several state officials touted freight-related advantages in their communities to attract trucking-related businesses.

Not only were states seeking foreign companies to invest in their cities, but they also wanted to ensure they have robust transportation to support new ventures.

Brownsville, Texas

Trucking is central to big changes taking place in Brownsville, one of the nation’s southernmost cities.

The port city in the Rio Grande Valley has traditionally been the site of bilateral trade between the U.S. and Mexico, but has been experiencing a population boom driven largely by its proximity to Elon Musk’s SpaceX development site.

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Salinas 

Some 200 trucks daily haul fuel back and forth to a nearby SpaceX site intended to rival Cape Canaveral, said Gilberto Salinas, president and CEO of Greater Brownsville Economic Development Corp.

Still known as a border-town logistics hub, Brownsville is being transformed into a space center. The SpaceX South Texas launch site is a private rocket production facility, test site and spaceport constructed by SpaceX.

The pace of investments is picking up in Brownsville. Rio Grande LNG Terminal is expanding along the Brownsville Ship Channel to be among the world’s largest LNG export sites. Last summer, Amazon announced it would build a 62,000-square-foot delivery station in Brownsville. The population is 200,000 and growing. U-Haul this year ranked Brownsville as the 10th-highest-growth city, Salinas said, adding that the civic leadership is very “pro-business and economic development” and offers various financial incentives to foster new growth.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is positioning itself as a multimodal hub where freight distributors can set up operations to transport goods through Texas without being located in the Lone Star state.

“Centrally located in the heart of the nation, Oklahoma offers unmatched access to markets across the country and around the world, making it an ideal hub for both domestic and international distribution,” said Jay Shidler, director of business recruitment at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

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Shidler 

He noted the state boasts the farthest-inland ice-free U.S. ports — Inola, Catoosa and Muskogee — all in the Tulsa area.

“When it comes to transporting raw materials and goods, these ports have had a major economic impact, around $300 million annually. Oklahoma ports combine river barge access, Class I rail service and easily accessible interstate highways, which played a critical role in the state landing the first aluminum smelter to be built in the U.S. in almost 50 years,” he added.

Interstates 35 and 40 cross directly through Oklahoma City, the state’s largest metro and a three-hour drive from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Shidler said the city’s location is “a great alternative for those wanting to avoid Dallas traffic. With Oklahoma’s expansive port system, distributors have the ability to bypass congested highways entirely and move freight directly by barge to the Gulf, creating a more efficient and cost-effective supply chain.”

He pointed to the city of Ardmore, 90 minutes from Oklahoma City or Dallas.

“Ardmore is quickly becoming a central hub for warehouse and distribution centers. Companies like Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Best Buy and Valero all have current operations in the Ardmore area,” Shidler said. “For two straight years, more people have moved from Texas to Oklahoma than the other way around. So naturally, we are seeing a lot of businesses migrate north along I-35 with that population shift.”

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SelectUSA 2026 attendees listen to a representative tout the benefits of investing in economic opportunities in North Carolina. (Noel Fletcher/Transport Topics)

North Carolina

Christopher Chung, CEO of Raleigh-based Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina Inc., underscored how his state is situated in the middle of the East Coast corridor.

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Chung 

“We are well-positioned to support both domestic and international supply chains, offering four international airports, two seaports, an inland port, more than 3,000 miles of freight rail, and one of the largest state-maintained highway systems in the country,” Chung said.

Another advantage the state offers is a skilled workforce, including community college and university graduates as well as military veterans.

Chung said the state has “the fourth-largest active military population in the country and, every year, 20,000 service members exit the military. The vast majority are looking to enter the civilian workforce, and many will find jobs in North Carolina.”

Chattanooga, Tenn.

Tennessee plans to be a leader in emerging quantum computing applications for industries such as logistics, energy and advanced manufacturing. The technology uses physics to process complex information.

Adam Myers, vice president of Economic and Talent Development at the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, sees cargo theft as a possible application of quantum computing since thieves use cyber tactics to gain access to and manipulate cargo.

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Myers 

“Quantum technology stands poised to upend all forms of digital security. This would naturally include digital threats like cargo theft. Chattanooga is in a particularly good position to engage on this front given our strength in both the quantum technology and logistics industries,” Myers said. “I’m not aware of anyone looking at cargo theft, specifically. However, we have several folks working on security more broadly, and their work could eventually provide solutions to cargo theft.”

Current security projects include:

• Quantum Key Distribution allows communication channels and information exchanges that can’t be intercepted without immediate notification.

• Quantum Secured Blockchain protects ledgers from being manipulated or exchanged.

• Quantum Sensors are better for tracking than GPS, which is subject to spoofing and masking.

“Quantum computing is still in early development. There are not many commercially available products yet,” Myers said. “I would encourage any companies interested in this topic to connect with EPB Quantum to explore partnerships.”

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A billboard at SelectUSA 2026 shows Ohio's potential marketing reach in the U.S. and Canada. (Noel Fletcher/Transport Topics) 

Cincinnati

One strength of Cincinnati is its ability to woo foreign companies to set up North American headquarters there, said Cierra Clymer, senior director of International Business Development and Inclusive Growth at REDI Cincinnati.

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Clymer 

REDI Cincinnati is a regional economic development group assisting companies seeking to invest in southwest Ohio, northern Kentucky and southeast Indiana.

Foreign companies are attracted by its logistics capabilities: rivers, interstates, two Class I railroads, a pair of active foreign trade zones and an international airport.

New companies need logistics partners to drive a robust supply chain network, she noted.

Interested freight-related companies are encouraged to contact REDI and also participate in the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, especially if they are seeking to enter the market there.