Newsletter Volume 1, Winter 2023
Current State of Freight and Seasonal Shifts
The West Coast market generally moves with the agricultural market. The easiest way to think of this is to assume that if harvesting is happening in an area then there will be elevated freight volumes which inflates prices. For this time of year Oregon, Washington, and Idaho are the hotspots. They will remain fairly busy into winter, with Arizona picking up in November as imports from Mexico start to increase. The lane example to the right demonstrates how this effects the trucking market. The best ways to avoid paying peak pricing is to give plenty of lead time, be flexible on scheduling, and avoid any unnecessary transit days
Lane Example:
Shipment– Pasco, WA to Phoenix, AZ
Timeframe– September or early October
Pricing– This will be an expensive shipment compared to a year-round average. The reason is that the PNW grows mainly fall harvest crops. At the same time, AZ has been too hot to grow anything, and they won’t see peak import loads from Mexico until mid- November. We are shipping from an area with lots of competition into an area with very few outbound loads which makes this load undesirable for carriers. As imports from Mexico increase, it will become more favorable for carriers.
Preston Fivecoat, Director of Operations
Trucks Want to be where the freight is
Area of low Freight volume > Area of high freight volume > Lower prices
Area of low freight volume > Area of low freight volume > Neutral/High prices
Area of high freight volume > Area of low freight volume > Higher prices
Area of high freight volume > Area of high freight volume > Neutral prices
Summer
- High freight volumes for CA, peaking around July 4th
- Very low freight volume in PNW, starting to pick up late summer
- Southwestern states have low freight volume, slow from August until mid-October
Fall
- High freight volumes in the PNW
- Low freight volume in SW
- CA begins to slow down, with low volume by winter
Winter
- High freight volumes in the Southwestern U.S due to farming and agricultural imports from Mexico
- Early winter will see elevated freight volumes from the PNW from fall harvest, tapering off in winter
- PNW can also see some elevated pricing due to winter weather creating dangerous road conditions
- Low freight volumes in Central and Northern California
Spring
- Freight volumes pick up through CA
- The PNW has low freight volumes
- Imports from Mexico decrease causing Southwestern states to slow down
Partner with SEND for expert guidance and reliable logistics this winter season. We’ll help you navigate every challenge so your food and beverage freight arrives on time and in top condition.