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Spring Florida produce shipments are shifting towards high gear!
Florida produce shipments for this spring are shaping up to be a good one for produce haulers because of excellent weather and growing conditions.
Vegetables being harvested in the Sunshine State range from tomatoes to snap beans, sweet corn, cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, radishes, celery, squash, lettuce and other leaf vegetables. Florida citrus shipments continue, while the strawberry harvest has concluded, but blueberry loadings are ramping up.
The state grows and ships over 350 commodities.
Weather didn’t pose any significant obstacles to growers this season as the state has experienced a mild winter.
Tomato shipments for both grape and cherry tomatoes from the Palmetto/Ruskin areas of Florida should get underway about April 10th, while romas and rounds should follow around April 17-20.
Tomato shipments should reach seasonal norms the week of April 6 or the week of April 13.
South Florida fresh potato shipments commenced in early February and will continue until early to mid-May. Peak Florida potato shipments are occuring during March and April.
Florida red, yellow and white potatoes – grossing about $2975 to Dallas.
Florida mixed vegetables – grossing about $3400 to New York City and about $3100 to Chicago.
If you are planning on hauling strawberries and vegetables grown south of San Diego and across the border on the Baja pennisula, you probably will be better off going elsewhere.
Mexican strawberries and vegetables grown in Baja California are facing supply disruptions because of a strike by farm workers.
The extent of the effect on supplies remains unclear, but there are definately fewer loads available at San Diego area warehouses, which are distributors for the produce items destined for markets in much of North America. Losses on strawberries are reported to be substantial, causing millions of dollars in losses.
The strike began March 17 in Baja’s San Quintin valley, where workers are seeking an increase on current eight-hour pay from the U.S. $7.94 to $8.60 range to about $19.84, or 300 pesos. San Quintin is 118 miles south of Ensenada.
Strawberry shipments crossing the border through the Otay Mesa district in the San Diego area have been very low. About 27 percent of Mexico’s strawberry harvest comes from Baja California. Vegetable shipments from other crops produced there include tomatoes, green onions, squash, carrots, peas and broccoli.
Meanwhile, until the labor issues are resolved produce truckers should have better luck obtaining loads with Southern California avocados, or perhaps various berries and vegetables out of Ventura County.
Oxnard (Ventura County) lettuce, cabbage, celery and berries – grossing about $4800 to Chicago.
Relating to produce shipments originating on the East Coast this time of year, Florida deservedly is receiving the most attention as vegetable volume is rapidly increasing. However, this is more of a report on other Eastern areas that are shipping.
If you want more info on Florida vegetable shipments, there have been a few recent posts that go into more detail, plus an update is coming this Wednesday, April 1st – and this is not an April fool’s joke!
New York Produce Shipments
The state’s biggest volume is with storage onions, most of it coming out of Orange County. averaging about 125 truck loads per week…..The next biggest mover is with apples coming out of the Hudson and Champlain Valleys, as well Central and Western areas of the state. New York is a leading cabbage shipper, but volume is now in a seasonal decline.
Hudson Valley apples – grossing about $3100 to Orlando.
Maine Potato Shipments
Aroostrook County in northern Maine is shipping about 150 truck loads of potatoes weekly.
Maine potatoes – grossing about $1400 to Boston.
Appalachian Apple Shipments
Volume is light, but apples are being loaded in the district comprised of portions of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
North Carolina Sweet Potato Shipments
With Easter closing in on April 5th, sweet potato shipments from the Eastern areas of the state are increasing, now surpassing 300 truck loads per week.
NC sweet potatoes – grossing about $2500 to New York City.
South Carolina Vegetable Shipments
There certainly are not any truck loads here, but the Lexington area has very light volume with greens and green onions.
Georgia Vegetable Shipments
From Southern Georgia there are light shipments of broccoli, carrots and greens.
Chiquita Brands International Inc. is still moving containers through the Port of Gulfport even after relocating its shipping operations to the Port of New Orleans.
The (Biloxi, Miss.) Sun Herald reports congestion in New Orleans is keeping the Charlotte, N.C.-based Chiquita operating in the Mississippi port.
After a 40-year absence, Chiquita in October returned to the Port of New Orleans.
Chiquita had planned to end its containerized goods handling at Gulfport by December 31, but Gulfport tenant Crowley Maritime Corp. Inc., Jacksonville, Fla., was still shipping northbound Chiquita produce containers into the port, according to the Sun Herald.
Gulfport director said the two ports are working to “alleviate congestion issues at the port of New Orleans,” according to the report.
Chiquita’s transition to New Orleans remains on schedule and Chiquita was expected to continue moving some cargo through Gulfport while the New Orleans port makes improvements, a New Orleans port official said in the report.
For Chiquita, the New Orleans port planned to invest $2.2 million in improvements in refrigerated-container electrical infrastructure and at a distribution and ripening facility leased to Chiquita. Imported bananas provide huge volume from Chiquita throughout North America.
More than three million heavy-duty Class 8 trucks move 9.2 billion tons of freight annually along America’s arterial highways, according to the American Trucking Associations. It takes over 37 billion gallons of diesel fuel to move this freight, costing over $121 billion. Fuel costs are the largest variable cost in trucking. How can you control this? Invest in simple technology to boost mpg.
One man is doing exactly that. Meet Daniel and his wife, Phyllis Snow, of Snow Trucking who are adopting the latest technology to slash fuel costs and become more competitive in the dry freight business.
By employing a methodical, almost scientific, approach to evaluating new technologies, the husband and wife team have transformed their 1996 freightliner classic XL with over 1.8 million highway miles from a 4.8 mpg vehicle to 7.5.
Two years later, the couple has documented savings of $30,000 in diesel fuel costs for the truck they affectionately refer to as “the Goose.” If every operator was as progressive as the Snow’s, the industry would save billions in fuel, not to mention the positive impact on the environment.
Targeting Fuel Costs
In 2012, the husband-and-wife team made the move from hauling livestock on a regional basis to dry freight runs throughout the Central and Southern United States. Facing stiff competition, they quickly realized that they needed to re-think their fixed and variable costs.
“The very first thing to know in any business, including trucking, is your operating costs,” emphasizes Daniel Snow. “Once you determine that, you discover that fuel is eating you up when it’s over 32%.”
At the time, fuel costs for the Goose was a whopping 48% of their total expenses. So the couple decided to marry their old school professionalism and service with a commitment to apply new technologies that could drive down fuel costs.
Team Snow was determined to look beyond OEM claims of fuel savings and instead consider all available aftermarket products. Snow arrived at this conclusion by meticulously examining his own fuel consumption data, quickly discovering that “a lot of time, the data [from manufacturers] appeared skewed.”
“Our major goal over these last two years was to find real raw data, highway data, that is not manipulated in any way.”
To accomplish this, Snow engaged in a step-by-step approach to document fuel consumption and any associated savings. They identified and installed various fuel saving devices and then kept detailed notes and calculations. No two devices were applied at the same time.
“Just about everything we do, we do in phases. That way we know exactly what each individual product is doing for us,” says Snow.
Gauge Tuners to Improve Engine Performance
At the top of Snow’s list was investigating high-performance gauge tuners that help reduce fuel consumption and improve engine performance.
While not all gauge tuners are equal, these devices typically focus on tuning the engine control module (ECM) to improve performance and then some provide additional features such as a driving coach or diagnostic reader.
Besides the obvious discriminator of wanting the tuner that optimized fuel savings the most, Snow insisted on being able to upload the tune himself and not mail away his ECM, which would result in significant big rig down time and lost revenue. “We wanted to buy the tuner, not just a tune,” says Snow.
All of a sudden, the list of options became very thin. In fact it melted away to one – the Heavy Duty Gauge Tuner (HDGT), a Bully Dog product from Derive Systems.
Snow installed the device on the Goose’s 60-series Detroit Diesel in January of 2013.
Describing himself as “mechanically inclined, but not computer inclined” he was able to plug it in, follow the prompts on the screen, and complete a short download in less than 15 minutes.
“I was really impressed with how simple it was to plug-and-play,” says Snow.
The unit was installed, while he and his wife were on the road, at a shipper’s facility in Atlanta, Georgia. This was significant, because the couple had recently completed three identical runs from Atlanta to the final destination in Texas.
“We had completed that run several times, so we knew exactly what that load cost us,” explains Snow.
The initial test run of the engine programmer yielded an immediate saving of $174.
Snow then began calculating the fuel savings every 1,000 gallons of fuel; after calculating the results, the Goose had gained 1.4 mpg on average.
The next step was to take advantage of the HDGT’s unit’s “driving coach,” which offers tips that help develop positive driving habits to improve fuel economy.
“We started adjusting our driving habits using the monitor and gained another 0.7 miles per gallon, just by plain old driving better,” says Snow.
Over the past two years, Snow has traveled 236,000 additional miles with the engine tuning software and saved over $30,000.
“Other truckers will find that in a very short period of time the investment in the heavy duty gauge tuner will go from a ‘cost’ category and move across the page to the ‘income’ side,” says Snow. “For us it was after 4.5 months when the technology converted to a profit center.”
To squeeze out even more fuel savings, the couple also installed a SmartTruck Undertray system on their trailer to smooth the rig’s aerodynamic profile. This change netted an additional 0.4 mpg.
Finally, they installed another Bully Dog product from Derive Systems, a ceramic-coated exhaust manifold that added 0.2 mpg.
The grand total was an additional 2.7 mpg, boosting The Goose from 4.8 to 7.5 mpg.
More importantly, Snow says, “it took us from being non-competitive on what we were bidding on to being more efficient than most company-style trucks out on the road.”
Declining Diesel Prices Triggers Need for Efficiency
It may seem counterintuitive, but the recent decreases in diesel fuel prices actually makes increasing fuel efficiency even more critical.
Savings from the decrease in fuel prices are often offset by plummeting freight rates. Even if both were to drop proportionally, this doesn’t take into account the fixed costs of trucking – insurance, tags, and trailer payments – that don’t change.
So what does Snow intend to do with the money he saves? In addition to paying his personal bills and setting a little aside for retirement in the not-too-distant future, the couple would like to contribute more to charities, indulge in good food and add more chrome to the Goose.
“The more money we don’t have to put in the fuel tank, the better; and the more money we have for ourselves and others,” concludes Snow.
By Marissa Muller, Derive Systems.
Would you believe kale being served with a Big Mac?
Hum. Fast food giant McDonald’s is looking to add items with kale to its menu.
McDonald’s sources aren’t confirming the reports from dozens of media outlets, but it does appear that the trendy green may make its way to the Golden Arches.
Most of the hype stems from Janney Capital Markets analyst Mark Kalinowski, who cited an unnamed source: “Possibilities include kale for use in salads, or perhaps a kale smoothie.”
With the Oakbrook, Ill.-based chain losing market share in recent years, McDonald’s officials have said publicly that they’re open to anything to turn things around, including rethinking menu choices.
McDonald’s has noted it isn’t blind to Americans’ demand for more nutritious items, and kale has been one of the hottest trend items in U.S. restaurants, in general, over the past couple of years.
Kale-producing farms have nearly tripled from 2007 to 2012, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, and kale is featured on foodservice menus a whopping 400 percent more often today than it did in 2010.
However, McDonald’s seemed among the most unlikely candidates to add kale after a January McDonald’s TV ad campaign specifically vowed the chain would never serve kale, in fact chastising vegetarians and featuring footage of McDonald’s signature sandwich, the Big Mac.
“You can’t get juiciness like this from soy or quinoa,” a narrator says in the ad. “This is not Greek yogurt. Nor will that ever be kale.”
Most likely sweet onion shipments from the Vidalia onion district in Southeast Georgia that are labeled “Vidalias” will begin shipping April 27th. Unlabeled Vidalias should start sooner.
The Vidalia Onion Advisory Panel met with Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black March 23 and recommended an April 27 shipping start date this season for the state’s trademarked vegetable.
Under Georgia law, the ag commissioner sets the beginning of shipping each year. The commissioner is not bound by the advisory panel’s recommendation, but Black has followed it during his tenure in office.
Vidalia onions are maturing about 10 days later than usual because of weather conditions this winter.
Meanwhile sweet onion supplies out of Mexico and Texas have had consistency issues. Vidalias can be shipped prior to the official starting date, but cannot be labeled as Vidalia onions. No double some shipments from Vidalia will begin the first or second week of April.
In mid-March, despite a wet winter with 20 inches of rain in since mid-December, the Vidalia crop looks clean, but that could change if problems such as disease arise.
From the South Texas-Mexican border to the Canadian border, here is a look at produce shipments originating out of the central United States.
Lower Rio Grand Valley Produce Shipments
There are steady Texas grapefruit shipments, amounting to around 200 truck loads weekly, with about one-fourth this volume in oranges. Just south of San Antonio, cabbage shipments are increasing…..However, the biggest volume comes with Mexican produce shipments. There is everything from such tropical as mangos, papayas, and pineapples to watermelon, peppers, roma tomatoes, broccoli and carrots.
A word of caution. Although volume is very light with Mexican tomatillos and chayote, some quality problems are being reported.
Lower Rio Grand Valley/Mexican produce – grossing about $4800 to New York City.
Sweet Potato Shipments
Both Louisiana and Mississippi are shipping sweet potatoes, but volume is light.
Michigan Produce Shipments
Heaviest produce volume in Michigan remains with apples, primarily out of the Western area of the state, averaging about 175 truck loads per week…There are about 125 truck loads of potato loadings a week….Finally, there are still some storage onions left, but it is in a seasonal decline.
Michigan apples – grossing about $2400 to Atlanta.
Wisconsin Potato Shipments
Central Wisconsin is shipping over 300 truck loads of primarily russet potatoes weekly.
Wisconsin potatoes – grossing about $2200 to Houston.
Red River Valley Potato Shipments
Eastern North Dakota and Western Minnesota are shipping red potatoes in similar volume to that of Wisconsin.
Red River Valley potatoes – grossing about $1950 to Chicago.
Here’s an update on California strawberry shipments, plus a glimpse at the outlook for several other California fruit loadings.
As California strawberry shipments increase heading towards an April 5th Easter, acreage for 2015 is 37,438, which is about a 3 percent decrease from last year, but that may not result in less volume.
Newer varieties tend to yield better than older varieties, and weather factors can easily affect volume by at least 5 percent. Due to a mild winter and relatively dry spring, California growing conditions have been very good. This could result in total volume being near or above last year’s shipments of about 192 million trays.
The southern growing district of Orange County/San Diego, continues to lose acreage at a relatively fast clip. In 2012, those growers planted planted 1,446 acres, compared to plantings of 973 acre this year, nearly a 50 percent drop in four years. The region now represents only about 3 percent of the state’s total acreage, primarily due to urbanization and construction.
Another noteworthy trend is the increase in fruit planted in the summer for fall shipments. These plantings help California come very close to shipping year-round.
The Oxnard and Santa Maria areas now responsible for the increase in summer plantings. Growers are projecting summer plantings of over 5,700 acres. In 2011, 3,500 summer acres were planted. That jumped to more than 3,700 in 2012 and surpassed 5,000 acres for the first time two years ago. This year’s number represents a 10 percent increase over last year.
Ventura County berries and vegetables – grossing about $6500 to New York City.
Summer Fruit Shipments
California’s hot weather will likely affect most summer produce shipments, including blueberries, cherries, stonefruit and table grapes.
The first blueberry shipments typically kicks off in mid to late April, with stone fruit and table grapes following in early May, but could start a few days earlier this year.
The high temperatures began March 13th. However, the San Joaquin Valley is susceptible to hail damage and frosts as late as May, so anything can happen. We’ll keep you posted.
JUPITER, FL – A Louisville man accused of stealing an 18-wheeler filled with Yokohama truck tires in Fort Pierce, FL. has been apprehended with the help of Locus Traxx’s GO unit.
The Florida Highway Patrol was notified that the truck had disappeared Saturday in Louisville. It was headed south on the Florida Turnpike. Troopers were able to locate the semi at mile market 174, thanks to the GO’s location reporting capabilities, according to a Locus Traxx press release.
Marvin Napoles Manzano was then arrested and charged with cargo theft valued at over $50,000 and the grand theft of a vehicle, totaling over $110,000 in stolen merchandise.
The GO is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and is capable of sending temperature, location, and door security information straight to the grower via smart phone or computer, providing access to critical data at any time, from any location. With real-time data available at one’s fingertips, produce deliveries can be safely monitored to prevent any potential transportation problems.
Locus Traxx is a fast-growing company focused on improving food safety and security of food shipments.
The SmartTraxx monitoring system wireless reports the temperature, security and location of shipments on the road. The OverSight system delivers real-time Intelligent Alerts text and emails based on the incoming shipment data. These timely alerts make sure shipment damage, theft or tampering can be prevented. All shipment data is also available online as intelligent maps, interactive graphs, cusomizable reports or one-click downloads.
The company was founded in 2005. Its objective is to use leading edge technolgies and best practice approaches to provide a cost-effective way to ensure the safety and freshness of every food shipment.
Its customers are global leaders in the food industry including: transportation providers, growers, farmers, ranchers, distributors, retailers, and food service companies.
Spring Florida produce shipments are shifting towards high gear!
Florida produce shipments for this spring are shaping up to be a good one for produce haulers because of excellent weather and growing conditions.
Vegetables being harvested in the Sunshine State range from tomatoes to snap beans, sweet corn, cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, radishes, celery, squash, lettuce and other leaf vegetables. Florida citrus shipments continue, while the strawberry harvest has concluded, but blueberry loadings are ramping up.
The state grows and ships over 350 commodities.
Weather didn’t pose any significant obstacles to growers this season as the state has experienced a mild winter.
Tomato shipments for both grape and cherry tomatoes from the Palmetto/Ruskin areas of Florida should get underway about April 10th, while romas and rounds should follow around April 17-20.
Tomato shipments should reach seasonal norms the week of April 6 or the week of April 13.
South Florida fresh potato shipments commenced in early February and will continue until early to mid-May. Peak Florida potato shipments are occuring during March and April.
Florida red, yellow and white potatoes – grossing about $2975 to Dallas.
Florida mixed vegetables – grossing about $3400 to New York City and about $3100 to Chicago.
If you are planning on hauling strawberries and vegetables grown south of San Diego and across the border on the Baja pennisula, you probably will be better off going elsewhere.
Mexican strawberries and vegetables grown in Baja California are facing supply disruptions because of a strike by farm workers.
The extent of the effect on supplies remains unclear, but there are definately fewer loads available at San Diego area warehouses, which are distributors for the produce items destined for markets in much of North America. Losses on strawberries are reported to be substantial, causing millions of dollars in losses.
The strike began March 17 in Baja’s San Quintin valley, where workers are seeking an increase on current eight-hour pay from the U.S. $7.94 to $8.60 range to about $19.84, or 300 pesos. San Quintin is 118 miles south of Ensenada.
Strawberry shipments crossing the border through the Otay Mesa district in the San Diego area have been very low. About 27 percent of Mexico’s strawberry harvest comes from Baja California. Vegetable shipments from other crops produced there include tomatoes, green onions, squash, carrots, peas and broccoli.
Meanwhile, until the labor issues are resolved produce truckers should have better luck obtaining loads with Southern California avocados, or perhaps various berries and vegetables out of Ventura County.
Oxnard (Ventura County) lettuce, cabbage, celery and berries – grossing about $4800 to Chicago.
Relating to produce shipments originating on the East Coast this time of year, Florida deservedly is receiving the most attention as vegetable volume is rapidly increasing. However, this is more of a report on other Eastern areas that are shipping.
If you want more info on Florida vegetable shipments, there have been a few recent posts that go into more detail, plus an update is coming this Wednesday, April 1st – and this is not an April fool’s joke!
New York Produce Shipments
The state’s biggest volume is with storage onions, most of it coming out of Orange County. averaging about 125 truck loads per week…..The next biggest mover is with apples coming out of the Hudson and Champlain Valleys, as well Central and Western areas of the state. New York is a leading cabbage shipper, but volume is now in a seasonal decline.
Hudson Valley apples – grossing about $3100 to Orlando.
Maine Potato Shipments
Aroostrook County in northern Maine is shipping about 150 truck loads of potatoes weekly.
Maine potatoes – grossing about $1400 to Boston.
Appalachian Apple Shipments
Volume is light, but apples are being loaded in the district comprised of portions of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
North Carolina Sweet Potato Shipments
With Easter closing in on April 5th, sweet potato shipments from the Eastern areas of the state are increasing, now surpassing 300 truck loads per week.
NC sweet potatoes – grossing about $2500 to New York City.
South Carolina Vegetable Shipments
There certainly are not any truck loads here, but the Lexington area has very light volume with greens and green onions.
Georgia Vegetable Shipments
From Southern Georgia there are light shipments of broccoli, carrots and greens.
Chiquita Brands International Inc. is still moving containers through the Port of Gulfport even after relocating its shipping operations to the Port of New Orleans.
The (Biloxi, Miss.) Sun Herald reports congestion in New Orleans is keeping the Charlotte, N.C.-based Chiquita operating in the Mississippi port.
After a 40-year absence, Chiquita in October returned to the Port of New Orleans.
Chiquita had planned to end its containerized goods handling at Gulfport by December 31, but Gulfport tenant Crowley Maritime Corp. Inc., Jacksonville, Fla., was still shipping northbound Chiquita produce containers into the port, according to the Sun Herald.
Gulfport director said the two ports are working to “alleviate congestion issues at the port of New Orleans,” according to the report.
Chiquita’s transition to New Orleans remains on schedule and Chiquita was expected to continue moving some cargo through Gulfport while the New Orleans port makes improvements, a New Orleans port official said in the report.
For Chiquita, the New Orleans port planned to invest $2.2 million in improvements in refrigerated-container electrical infrastructure and at a distribution and ripening facility leased to Chiquita. Imported bananas provide huge volume from Chiquita throughout North America.
More than three million heavy-duty Class 8 trucks move 9.2 billion tons of freight annually along America’s arterial highways, according to the American Trucking Associations. It takes over 37 billion gallons of diesel fuel to move this freight, costing over $121 billion. Fuel costs are the largest variable cost in trucking. How can you control this? Invest in simple technology to boost mpg.
One man is doing exactly that. Meet Daniel and his wife, Phyllis Snow, of Snow Trucking who are adopting the latest technology to slash fuel costs and become more competitive in the dry freight business.
By employing a methodical, almost scientific, approach to evaluating new technologies, the husband and wife team have transformed their 1996 freightliner classic XL with over 1.8 million highway miles from a 4.8 mpg vehicle to 7.5.
Two years later, the couple has documented savings of $30,000 in diesel fuel costs for the truck they affectionately refer to as “the Goose.” If every operator was as progressive as the Snow’s, the industry would save billions in fuel, not to mention the positive impact on the environment.
Targeting Fuel Costs
In 2012, the husband-and-wife team made the move from hauling livestock on a regional basis to dry freight runs throughout the Central and Southern United States. Facing stiff competition, they quickly realized that they needed to re-think their fixed and variable costs.
“The very first thing to know in any business, including trucking, is your operating costs,” emphasizes Daniel Snow. “Once you determine that, you discover that fuel is eating you up when it’s over 32%.”
At the time, fuel costs for the Goose was a whopping 48% of their total expenses. So the couple decided to marry their old school professionalism and service with a commitment to apply new technologies that could drive down fuel costs.
Team Snow was determined to look beyond OEM claims of fuel savings and instead consider all available aftermarket products. Snow arrived at this conclusion by meticulously examining his own fuel consumption data, quickly discovering that “a lot of time, the data [from manufacturers] appeared skewed.”
“Our major goal over these last two years was to find real raw data, highway data, that is not manipulated in any way.”
To accomplish this, Snow engaged in a step-by-step approach to document fuel consumption and any associated savings. They identified and installed various fuel saving devices and then kept detailed notes and calculations. No two devices were applied at the same time.
“Just about everything we do, we do in phases. That way we know exactly what each individual product is doing for us,” says Snow.
Gauge Tuners to Improve Engine Performance
At the top of Snow’s list was investigating high-performance gauge tuners that help reduce fuel consumption and improve engine performance.
While not all gauge tuners are equal, these devices typically focus on tuning the engine control module (ECM) to improve performance and then some provide additional features such as a driving coach or diagnostic reader.
Besides the obvious discriminator of wanting the tuner that optimized fuel savings the most, Snow insisted on being able to upload the tune himself and not mail away his ECM, which would result in significant big rig down time and lost revenue. “We wanted to buy the tuner, not just a tune,” says Snow.
All of a sudden, the list of options became very thin. In fact it melted away to one – the Heavy Duty Gauge Tuner (HDGT), a Bully Dog product from Derive Systems.
Snow installed the device on the Goose’s 60-series Detroit Diesel in January of 2013.
Describing himself as “mechanically inclined, but not computer inclined” he was able to plug it in, follow the prompts on the screen, and complete a short download in less than 15 minutes.
“I was really impressed with how simple it was to plug-and-play,” says Snow.
The unit was installed, while he and his wife were on the road, at a shipper’s facility in Atlanta, Georgia. This was significant, because the couple had recently completed three identical runs from Atlanta to the final destination in Texas.
“We had completed that run several times, so we knew exactly what that load cost us,” explains Snow.
The initial test run of the engine programmer yielded an immediate saving of $174.
Snow then began calculating the fuel savings every 1,000 gallons of fuel; after calculating the results, the Goose had gained 1.4 mpg on average.
The next step was to take advantage of the HDGT’s unit’s “driving coach,” which offers tips that help develop positive driving habits to improve fuel economy.
“We started adjusting our driving habits using the monitor and gained another 0.7 miles per gallon, just by plain old driving better,” says Snow.
Over the past two years, Snow has traveled 236,000 additional miles with the engine tuning software and saved over $30,000.
“Other truckers will find that in a very short period of time the investment in the heavy duty gauge tuner will go from a ‘cost’ category and move across the page to the ‘income’ side,” says Snow. “For us it was after 4.5 months when the technology converted to a profit center.”
To squeeze out even more fuel savings, the couple also installed a SmartTruck Undertray system on their trailer to smooth the rig’s aerodynamic profile. This change netted an additional 0.4 mpg.
Finally, they installed another Bully Dog product from Derive Systems, a ceramic-coated exhaust manifold that added 0.2 mpg.
The grand total was an additional 2.7 mpg, boosting The Goose from 4.8 to 7.5 mpg.
More importantly, Snow says, “it took us from being non-competitive on what we were bidding on to being more efficient than most company-style trucks out on the road.”
Declining Diesel Prices Triggers Need for Efficiency
It may seem counterintuitive, but the recent decreases in diesel fuel prices actually makes increasing fuel efficiency even more critical.
Savings from the decrease in fuel prices are often offset by plummeting freight rates. Even if both were to drop proportionally, this doesn’t take into account the fixed costs of trucking – insurance, tags, and trailer payments – that don’t change.
So what does Snow intend to do with the money he saves? In addition to paying his personal bills and setting a little aside for retirement in the not-too-distant future, the couple would like to contribute more to charities, indulge in good food and add more chrome to the Goose.
“The more money we don’t have to put in the fuel tank, the better; and the more money we have for ourselves and others,” concludes Snow.
By Marissa Muller, Derive Systems.
Would you believe kale being served with a Big Mac?
Hum. Fast food giant McDonald’s is looking to add items with kale to its menu.
McDonald’s sources aren’t confirming the reports from dozens of media outlets, but it does appear that the trendy green may make its way to the Golden Arches.
Most of the hype stems from Janney Capital Markets analyst Mark Kalinowski, who cited an unnamed source: “Possibilities include kale for use in salads, or perhaps a kale smoothie.”
With the Oakbrook, Ill.-based chain losing market share in recent years, McDonald’s officials have said publicly that they’re open to anything to turn things around, including rethinking menu choices.
McDonald’s has noted it isn’t blind to Americans’ demand for more nutritious items, and kale has been one of the hottest trend items in U.S. restaurants, in general, over the past couple of years.
Kale-producing farms have nearly tripled from 2007 to 2012, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, and kale is featured on foodservice menus a whopping 400 percent more often today than it did in 2010.
However, McDonald’s seemed among the most unlikely candidates to add kale after a January McDonald’s TV ad campaign specifically vowed the chain would never serve kale, in fact chastising vegetarians and featuring footage of McDonald’s signature sandwich, the Big Mac.
“You can’t get juiciness like this from soy or quinoa,” a narrator says in the ad. “This is not Greek yogurt. Nor will that ever be kale.”
Most likely sweet onion shipments from the Vidalia onion district in Southeast Georgia that are labeled “Vidalias” will begin shipping April 27th. Unlabeled Vidalias should start sooner.
The Vidalia Onion Advisory Panel met with Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black March 23 and recommended an April 27 shipping start date this season for the state’s trademarked vegetable.
Under Georgia law, the ag commissioner sets the beginning of shipping each year. The commissioner is not bound by the advisory panel’s recommendation, but Black has followed it during his tenure in office.
Vidalia onions are maturing about 10 days later than usual because of weather conditions this winter.
Meanwhile sweet onion supplies out of Mexico and Texas have had consistency issues. Vidalias can be shipped prior to the official starting date, but cannot be labeled as Vidalia onions. No double some shipments from Vidalia will begin the first or second week of April.
In mid-March, despite a wet winter with 20 inches of rain in since mid-December, the Vidalia crop looks clean, but that could change if problems such as disease arise.
From the South Texas-Mexican border to the Canadian border, here is a look at produce shipments originating out of the central United States.
Lower Rio Grand Valley Produce Shipments
There are steady Texas grapefruit shipments, amounting to around 200 truck loads weekly, with about one-fourth this volume in oranges. Just south of San Antonio, cabbage shipments are increasing…..However, the biggest volume comes with Mexican produce shipments. There is everything from such tropical as mangos, papayas, and pineapples to watermelon, peppers, roma tomatoes, broccoli and carrots.
A word of caution. Although volume is very light with Mexican tomatillos and chayote, some quality problems are being reported.
Lower Rio Grand Valley/Mexican produce – grossing about $4800 to New York City.
Sweet Potato Shipments
Both Louisiana and Mississippi are shipping sweet potatoes, but volume is light.
Michigan Produce Shipments
Heaviest produce volume in Michigan remains with apples, primarily out of the Western area of the state, averaging about 175 truck loads per week…There are about 125 truck loads of potato loadings a week….Finally, there are still some storage onions left, but it is in a seasonal decline.
Michigan apples – grossing about $2400 to Atlanta.
Wisconsin Potato Shipments
Central Wisconsin is shipping over 300 truck loads of primarily russet potatoes weekly.
Wisconsin potatoes – grossing about $2200 to Houston.
Red River Valley Potato Shipments
Eastern North Dakota and Western Minnesota are shipping red potatoes in similar volume to that of Wisconsin.
Red River Valley potatoes – grossing about $1950 to Chicago.
Here’s an update on California strawberry shipments, plus a glimpse at the outlook for several other California fruit loadings.
As California strawberry shipments increase heading towards an April 5th Easter, acreage for 2015 is 37,438, which is about a 3 percent decrease from last year, but that may not result in less volume.
Newer varieties tend to yield better than older varieties, and weather factors can easily affect volume by at least 5 percent. Due to a mild winter and relatively dry spring, California growing conditions have been very good. This could result in total volume being near or above last year’s shipments of about 192 million trays.
The southern growing district of Orange County/San Diego, continues to lose acreage at a relatively fast clip. In 2012, those growers planted planted 1,446 acres, compared to plantings of 973 acre this year, nearly a 50 percent drop in four years. The region now represents only about 3 percent of the state’s total acreage, primarily due to urbanization and construction.
Another noteworthy trend is the increase in fruit planted in the summer for fall shipments. These plantings help California come very close to shipping year-round.
The Oxnard and Santa Maria areas now responsible for the increase in summer plantings. Growers are projecting summer plantings of over 5,700 acres. In 2011, 3,500 summer acres were planted. That jumped to more than 3,700 in 2012 and surpassed 5,000 acres for the first time two years ago. This year’s number represents a 10 percent increase over last year.
Ventura County berries and vegetables – grossing about $6500 to New York City.
Summer Fruit Shipments
California’s hot weather will likely affect most summer produce shipments, including blueberries, cherries, stonefruit and table grapes.
The first blueberry shipments typically kicks off in mid to late April, with stone fruit and table grapes following in early May, but could start a few days earlier this year.
The high temperatures began March 13th. However, the San Joaquin Valley is susceptible to hail damage and frosts as late as May, so anything can happen. We’ll keep you posted.
JUPITER, FL – A Louisville man accused of stealing an 18-wheeler filled with Yokohama truck tires in Fort Pierce, FL. has been apprehended with the help of Locus Traxx’s GO unit.
The Florida Highway Patrol was notified that the truck had disappeared Saturday in Louisville. It was headed south on the Florida Turnpike. Troopers were able to locate the semi at mile market 174, thanks to the GO’s location reporting capabilities, according to a Locus Traxx press release.
Marvin Napoles Manzano was then arrested and charged with cargo theft valued at over $50,000 and the grand theft of a vehicle, totaling over $110,000 in stolen merchandise.
The GO is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and is capable of sending temperature, location, and door security information straight to the grower via smart phone or computer, providing access to critical data at any time, from any location. With real-time data available at one’s fingertips, produce deliveries can be safely monitored to prevent any potential transportation problems.
Locus Traxx is a fast-growing company focused on improving food safety and security of food shipments.
The SmartTraxx monitoring system wireless reports the temperature, security and location of shipments on the road. The OverSight system delivers real-time Intelligent Alerts text and emails based on the incoming shipment data. These timely alerts make sure shipment damage, theft or tampering can be prevented. All shipment data is also available online as intelligent maps, interactive graphs, cusomizable reports or one-click downloads.
The company was founded in 2005. Its objective is to use leading edge technolgies and best practice approaches to provide a cost-effective way to ensure the safety and freshness of every food shipment.
Its customers are global leaders in the food industry including: transportation providers, growers, farmers, ranchers, distributors, retailers, and food service companies.