Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
Upstate New York state is accounting for more produce shipments than the rest of the Northeast combined. New York’s biggest volume is with apples out of the Hudson Valley, as well as areas in the Central and Western part of the state. The Western half of New York also is significant for cabbage. Orange County New York has a moderate volume of onions, as does the Oswego area in the Central part of the state….There is also light shipments of apples from the Applachian District of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virgina….Aroostock County Maine is in the far northern part of the state and is shipping around 250 loads of potatoes a week. Overall, the Northeast certainly isn’t a hotbed of loading opportunities, but if you are needing a load, all options should be considered.
Maine potatoes – grossing about $2100 to Philadelphia.
Western New York cabbage – $2200 to Atlanta
When it comes to getting produce loads out of the Northwest this time of the 
year, we’re looking primarily looking at apples, pears, potatoes and onions. The fruit is primarily in Washington state, while the potatoes and onions are not only in Washington, but in Idaho and Oregon. When talking truck load equivalents, keep in mind this includes loads by rail, which are heavier from this region than most. In the Yakima and Wantchee valleys about 4,300 truck load equivalents of apples and pears are being shipped weekly. In Washington’s Columbia Basin and the Umatilla Basin in Oregon, both spuds and onions are being loaded. Potato movement from the Twin-Falls-Burley area of Idaho is around 2,000 truck load equivalents per week.
Idaho potatoes – grossing about $5700 to New York City.
Washington fruit – about $4100 to Chicago.
Washington potatoes – about $2300 to L.A.
Washington State apple shipments should be huge this season which continues through summer from storages when the new crop starts coming on in late
July or August. Over 104 million boxes are expected to shipped during the 2011-2012 season, primarily from the Yakima and Wantechee valleys. During the last week of December alone, 3.2 million 42-pound boxes of apples were shipped. Typically when you have a large fruit crop, it results in smaller sizing, but quality is reported as quite good. Shipments have been really heavy since the crop from the previous season had all been moved, leaving a gap between it and the new season. Thus, demand for apples has been strong.
Washington apples – grossing about $6400 to New York City.
Washington (Columbia Basin) potatoes and onions – about $4400 to Detroit
California citrus has dodged a winter weather “bullet” over the holidays as 
frost hit the San Joaquin Valley. While oranges and lemons loads should not be affected, it could be mid January or so before clementines and mandrins are evalulated for possible frost damage. Those latter items have a thinner skin and are more susceptable to freezes. The good news is that citrus escaping freeze damage tends to toughen up and be more freeze resist, plus have better color. California expects to ship around 88 million cartons of navel oranges during the 2011-2012 shipping season. That’s a respectable volume, although it falls short of the 96 million boxes shipped last year, which was a record. Only about 15% of the crop has been harvested so there will loading opportunties for months and months to come.
California citrus – grossing about $4000 to Chicago.
We are still four months away from Florida’s heaviest time of the year with spring produce loadings, but here are your best bets if in the Sunshine State. 
Central Florida tomatoes, whether mature greens, cherry, or grape tomatoes are averaging about 1,000 truck loads a week. Strawberry volume out of the Plant City area are increasing in volume. There’s also citrus ranging from oranges, to grapefruit, tangerines and tangelos. Potatoes from south Florida are still several weeks away from diggings and shipments…..Don’t necessarily be looking for freight to Florida this time of year, because overall loadings are scarace out of Florida. If it helps, South Georgia is shipping a few mixed veggies to help fill your load.
Central Florida Produce – about $1700 to New York City
The recession of the past four years has presented its challenges for produce haulers, as well as the trucking industry in general. Hopefully 2012 will result in the economy headed in the right direction, but no one is predicting a rousing rebound. When economic conditions start to improve, freight movement increases, resulting in a demand for more equipment and drivers to move it. The U.S. needs to take actions to become less dependent on foreign oil (how long have we been saying that) to avoid those wild fluctuations in the cost of No. 2 diesel and other fuels. Meanwhile a new year is upon us, it’s time to dig deep into the well of optimism, reflect on what could have been done differentlt, and vow to make 2012 a year of not only of hope, but progress in making not only our own business better, but contribute to the betterment of this great country. This is wishing each of you the best of health, happiness and prosperity in the New Year.
Twenty years ago produce volume this time of the year was a shadow of what it is today, and no country has contributed more to this than Chile. Not only do consumers have more choices in supermarkets, but produce haulers have more loading opportunities. Imports from Chile, mostly by boat, are arriving on both the East and West Coasts of the U.S. Biggest volumes are coming in at ports in Philadelphia and Wilimington, NC in the east, and at Long Beach, CA. Items range from blueberries to cherries and avocados, stone fruit and table grapes. The grape volume is still relatively light, but peak arrivals of should start occurring by late January and continue until May. Chile now provides about 25% of the world’s table grapes. Boat arrivals also include stone fruit, which will be available through March.
December is one of the slowest months of the year in terms of produce volume and shipments, despite the holidays. Citrus, led by oranges and grapefruit tend to provide some of the best loading opportunities. Florida easily leads the orange tonnage, although a large percentage of this citrus is processed for juice, unlike in California. Florida should ship about 150 million boxes of oranges this season, compared to around 57.5 million from California, the latter coming from central and southern areas. Florida also easily leads in shipments of grapefruit, with about 19.4 million boxes forecast this season. Second is the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas with around 5.1 million boxes and followed by California with 3.4 million cartons.
Texas grapefruit grossing about $1300 to Tulsa and Oklahoma City
Heading into the Christmas weekend, it is my hope as you are reading this you’ll be home with family and friends for Christmas. Thinking of all the beautifully wrapped gifts under my tree, virtually all them, just like millions of others around America, were delivered by truck. Over 95% of the fresh fruits and vegetables available in our favorite supermarket are there because of the trucking industry. As Christians across this great land celebrate the birth of Christ, this is wishing you a joyful holiday season beyond your greatest expections. It also is a wish for more kindness, peace and love in the world. God Bless – and Merry Christmas.
Unless you are picking up pallets of New York upstate apples, onions from Orange County, cabbage from the state’s central or western areas; or perhaps New England or Pennsyvlania apples, Christmas shipments are pretty much finished….I guess you could still make a last minute delivery for something such as Aroostrock County, Maine potaotes, but that’s a stretch….Florida doesn’t offer a lot this time of the year. In the case of tomatoes, it is even less probable due to fall rains and heat smacking the crop by as much as 30%. Still, mature green tomato loadings are taking place from areas such as Palmetto, Immakolee and Homestead….Imported produce volume also is increasing with arrivals at various ports on the East Coast.
Maine potatoes – grossing around $2200 to Baltimore
Western New York cabbage – $1800 to New York City
South Flrida tomatos – $2400 to New York