The produce season is a period of peak activity in the freight industry driven by the harvesting of fresh fruits and vegetables across North America. This seasonal surge creates a high demand for refrigerated trucking capacity, leading to a significant increase in market rates. The influx of freight volume and the concentration of carriers in agricultural regions tighten capacity and elevate pricing across the entire truckload market. This annual event influences planning and operational decisions for carriers, brokers, and shippers of all commodities.
What Produce Season Means for Trucking
Produce hauling is a specialized segment of transportation that requires temperature-controlled equipment, primarily refrigerated trailers known as reefers. These units maintain the cold chain and prevent spoilage of perishable goods during transit. The operational tempo for produce shipments demands precision and speed, as the limited shelf life of fresh produce necessitates quick loading, transit, and unloading.
The nature of this freight differs substantially from standard dry van operations. Carriers participating in the produce rush must manage complex equipment that requires more maintenance to ensure continuous temperature control. This period also involves the application of agricultural waivers, notably the Hours of Service (HOS) exemption. This exemption allows drivers to operate without standard HOS regulations within a 150 air-mile radius of the source of an agricultural commodity during harvest, facilitating the rapid movement of newly harvested goods.
The Broad Timeline of Produce Season
The chronological flow of the produce season is predictable, dictated by climate and the northward progression of warmer weather across the continent. The season commences in the late winter and early spring months within the southernmost agricultural regions of the United States. States like Florida, Texas, and Southern California initiate the first major waves of harvesting activity.
As spring transitions into summer, harvesting activity gradually shifts to the central and western parts of the country. This movement continues until the peak summer months, when nearly all temperate regions are actively producing and shipping goods. The season typically concludes in the late fall, as the final harvests of storage crops in the northern and western states are completed. This migration of freight demand establishes the framework for capacity and rate fluctuations throughout the year.
Detailed Schedule of North American Produce Hauls
Early Spring (February–April)
The season begins with significant volume coming out of the Sun Belt, establishing the first major demand shock for refrigerated capacity. The Florida citrus and vegetable harvests are in full swing, moving commodities like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. Simultaneously, Texas experiences its early peak with crops such as onions, while the Yuma region and Southern California deserts focus on high-volume leafy greens, including lettuce. This early concentration of volume pulls a large number of reefer trucks into these markets.
Late Spring/Early Summer (May–June)
Activity begins to shift eastward and into the Central Valley of California as temperatures rise. Georgia and the Carolinas become major outbound markets, harvesting peaches and blueberries and generating substantial temperature-controlled freight. Central California sees its first major peak with berries and cherries, while melons begin to move out of Arizona. This period marks a critical transition where freight volumes spread to more regions, intensifying competition for available trucks.
Peak Summer (July–August)
The summer months represent the absolute peak of the produce rush, with multiple major agricultural regions active simultaneously. Central Valley of California operates at maximum capacity, shipping a diverse range of commodities from nuts to stone fruits and vegetables. In the Pacific Northwest, Washington State begins its heavy cherry and early apple harvests, while Idaho contributes significant volumes of potatoes. The Midwest also joins the peak, with corn, tomatoes, and other vegetables creating localized capacity crunches across states like Ohio and Michigan.
Fall Harvest (September–November)
As the season winds down, the focus shifts to storage crops and late-season fruits in northern latitudes. The Pacific Northwest continues to dominate with its major apple and potato harvests, which are intended for long-term storage and distribution throughout the winter. Northeast states, such as New York and Pennsylvania, see their seasonal peaks with crops like pumpkins, squash, and root vegetables. This final phase involves the last major surge in outbound volume before the freight market returns to typical winter patterns.
Operational Challenges During Peak Season
The high volume and time-sensitive nature of produce creates significant operational pressures for carriers and brokers. Rate volatility is an immediate effect, where spot market prices in origin regions can increase rapidly by 30 to 50 cents per mile as demand outstrips the available supply of refrigerated trucks. This rapid price increase draws carriers into the region, but makes budgeting and planning for other freight shippers difficult.
Capacity crunch is another major pressure point, as the concentration of trucks in growing regions creates a scarcity of equipment for other lanes and commodities. Carriers also face a heightened risk of detention time at packing facilities and cold storage warehouses. The sheer volume of trucks attempting to load or unload can overwhelm facilities, leading to drivers waiting beyond the standard two-hour free time, which reduces driver efficiency. Increased volume also contributes to higher potential for inspection delays, particularly at border crossings, where the surge in perishable goods can bottleneck traffic and delay transit times.
Maximizing Success During the Produce Rush
Carriers and owner-operators can proactively position themselves to capitalize on the season by focusing on preparation and strategic planning.
- Secure contract freight with reliable shippers before the season begins to offer a stable revenue base and predictable load volume, insulating against extreme spot market fluctuations.
- Perform precision equipment maintenance, involving pre-trip inspections and scheduled servicing of reefer units to prevent costly breakdowns when hauling perishable goods.
- Track the harvest progression and use load boards effectively to position trucks in markets just before the major peaks occur, maximizing rate negotiation leverage.
- Account for the increased risk of detention when negotiating, demanding fair compensation for any time spent waiting beyond the free period.
- Utilize the agricultural HOS exemption for local movements, preserving the driver’s full hours for the longer haul portion of the trip.