Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
Various citrus items are now being shipped from California, Arizona, Texas 
and Florida. No major freeze damage or quality problems have been reported from the major shipping areas, so this should reduce your chances of claims at destination.
In California and Arizona, loadings of items ranging from oranges to lemons are pretty normal…In the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas overall loadings of grapefruit, which accounts for about 75 percent of the citrus volume, are expected to be off about 20 percent from a year ago….Florida continues shipping product ranging from oranges to grapefruit and tangerines.
Note: It’s okay mixing citrus together in reefer units ranging from oranges to tangerines, mandrians an clementines. But mixing these items with products such as lettuce, broccoli and other veggies available in the same region can result in loss of quality and claims, especially on longer hauls.
California citrus — grossing about $4800 to Atlanta.
Texas citrus – about $2300 to Chicago.
Florida citrus – about $2400 to New York.
There’s been some freeze damage to fresh produce in the West this month, but overall it should not have a big affect on your loading opportunities. The biggest event will be the cold of January 16-17 slowing the growth of some items, which in turn reduces volume for shipping.
There’s been pretty good movement of Iceberg lettuce and romaine out of the Yuma District, but expect reduced shipments beginning in early Februrary….In the nearby Brawley and El Centro areas of the Southern California desert broccoli escaped freeze damage, but again, shipments will eventually decline for a period while the product rebounds from the cold.
As for strawberries, it looks like Oxnard and Orange County in California dodged the freeze bullet, but product out of Santa Maria will have lighter than normal loadings through the middle of February.
Yuma lettuce – grossing about $6000 to New York City.
In the San Joaquin Valley, oranges apparently escaped freeze damage, while mandrains were not so lucky, especially from areas north of Fresno.
We’re starting to get a little more information on that Florida freeze that hit the night of January 3rd, particularly in regards to how it might affect loading opportunities for tomatoes. The Immokalee area is the primary winter production site for winter tomatoes in the state. As is often the case, some fields and areas got colder than others, or stayed below freezing for more hours.
There’s about 100 loads a week of mature green and plum (roma) tomatoes being shipped a week. However, plants affected by the early January freeze are expected to produce a lot less next month. So expect Immokalee tomato loading opportuities to plung for a couple of weeks starting in mid February.
Mostly mixed loads due to light volume this time of the year from Florida. So you can expect multiple pick ups that may range from tomatoes, to various veggies, strawberries and citrus. Be sure and add 0nto the freight rate for mulitple picks and drops.
Florida produce grossing about $3000 to Boston.
Peaches, nectarines, plums and table grapes from Chile are now arriving at ports by boat on both the East and West coasts. That fruit is distributed all over North 
American via truck. The stone fruit arrivals should start arriving in larger volume by the end of January….The heaviest volume for grapes should begin by late January as well and continue through March, when a seasonal decline will start, with the season ending by May.
The East Coast ports at Wilmington, N.C. and Philadephia receive a majority of the Chilean produce. The primary port on the West Coast is at Long Beach, CA.
California, Arizona and Texas are all importing winter produce from Mexico. There are Baja tomatoes coming into California. The biggest change is happening in Arizona where various types of veggies and melons are crossing
the border at Nogales. Volume is building and plenty of action should be taking place at the many distribution loading docks on this side of the border between now and the next three months or so….Still overall produce loads are not nearly as plentiful as other times of the year in the U.S. Too often produce truckers are facing multiple picks ups starting in Southern California, then proceeding to Yuma, AZ and possiblity even Nogales.
Mexico produce in crossing the border at McAllen, TX ranging from various veggies to citrus and tomatoes. You might have to fill out the load with Lower Rio Grande Valley citrus or cabbage from the Winter Garden District, just south of San Antonio.
Texas produce – grossing about $2600 to Chicago.
Nogales mixed loads – around $5500 to New York City;
$3500 to Chicago.
Oranges, potatoes and sweet potatoes are among the larger volume produce items shipped during the bleak, cold winter months. In a 
recession (or is it a depression?) that has been going on for at least three years, big crops of potatoes mean good movement (loading opportunities) as cash strapped consumers look for something less expensive to eat.
Idaho easily leads the nation in potato shipments. Rails haul a lot of them, but there are only so many rail cars and tracks, so big rigs are still hauling the marjority of the product. Idaho potato shipments are expected to be up 6%, while the nation as a whole is up 7%…..As for sweet potatoes, eastern North Carolina has the most shipments, with loadings also available from California, Louisiana and Mississippi. Total loads are forecast to be up 13% over a year ago.
As for oranges, Florida expects to ship 147 million boxes compared to 58 million boxes for California. Florida is up some from the previous season, while California is down slightly. Florida’s forecast could eventually be reduced some if a recent freeze damages some of the citrus.
California sweet potatoes – grossing about $4800 to Atlanta.
North Carolina sweet potatoes – $2200 to Detroit.
Florida citrus – $2000 to Baltimore.
Idaho potatoes – $3400 to Dallas.
Strawberry loading opportunities are now available from three regions, 
Florida, Mexico and California. Currently, the heaviest volume, which isn’t that heavy, is out of the Plant City are of Florida, averaging around 250 truck load equivalents per week. Volume is much less right now with strawberries crossing U.S. borders from Mexico, as well as from the Oxnard district of California. Volume is less than half of Florida’s from these other two areas. Strawberries from California’s Santa Maria District is at a trickle, but will be increasing in coming weeks along with its sister district at Oxnard. California shipments should be in good volume leading up to Easter Sunday (April 8), barring unforseen adverse weather. Strawberry shipments tend to pay better than many other produce items due to their perishablity.
Berry and citrus from Southern California – grossing about $6500 to Boston.
A large crop of pears should translate into good loading opportunties in the months ahead, especially since there’s also a big apple crop as well.
Pears (and apples) are coming out of Washington state – Yakima and Wanetchee vallies. The quality of the pears are reported good, but my only concern is shippers have had trouble selling the crop, in part because of the holidays where Christmas favorites such as citrus seem to be preferred. While this may change with the New Year, Washington pear shippers will to start having to move the crop one way or the other. If it gets serious enough some consignment shipments are possible. In other words rolling product on a truck to a destination while still looking for a buyer. That’s not good for the shipper, whose likely going to take a price beating. It could be just as bad for a trucker hauling it. Imagine you’re told you’re taking the load to Philly, but on the way you’re asked to devert to another city after a buyer is finally found. This could possibily add hundreds of miles to your haul. Then comes the question of getting paid fairly for those additonal miles. Even worse, what if you’ve committed to picking up another load in the original city to which you were destined?
I’m not saying this will happen, but just be aware. Plus, if you’re combining pears with something such as apples (which are in hot demand), it should reduce these chances of something going wrong.
It got pretty nippy January 3 and 4 in Florida and while there apparently was some freeze damage to winter vegetables, it doesn’t sound too serious. Produce truckers do not have great loading opportunties in Florida this time of year anyway due to the light volume. The full extent of damage will not be known for another week or so. Temperatures in the Immokolee area dipped into the mid to upper 20s, affecting some tomatoes, bell peppers and squash….Light loading opportunties should be unaffected until early February, when damaged product would have started maturing. When loading these items starting next month keep an eye out for quality and scarring and make sure your receiver knows what is being loaded, to help avoid claims at destination. Florida tomatoes are among the heaviest volume items this time of year coming out of Southwest Florida and the Homestead areas. Strawberry volume from the Plant City district apparently escaped any freeze damage.
It’s the slowest time of the year for produce shipments, but as usual, California which accounts for about 50% of the nation’s loads a year is your best best. So far, citrus from the San Joaquin Valley (as well as in Florida) have dodged damaging freezes. California has light shipments of strawberries from Oxnard, Santa Maria and Orange County. There also are light loadings of Mexician tomatoes crossing into Southern California….Western Arizona (Yuma area) is providing the best loading opportunities with head lettuce and romaine, and to a lesser extent with broccoli and cauliflower….In the Midwest, the Stevens Point, WI area may be your best bet with potatoes….In the Southeast, it’s pretty slim pickings, but check out mixed veggies from Southeastern Georgia, and citrus and strawberries from Central Florida.
Yuma lettuce – grossing about $6400 to New York City.