🥕 Produce Season Squeeze: Why Southern Freight Capacity is Tighter Than Your Logbook

by TRUCKERS VA
(UNITED STATES)

Intro: When Fruits Ripen, the Freight Game Gets Juicy (and Tight)

If you’ve been on the road a while, you know certain seasons shake up the freight world.
Well, buckle up — May kicks off produce season, and it’s like the Super Bowl for fruits and veggies… and a royal headache for freight capacity.

Florida and Texas are at the heart of this storm. The sun’s out, crops are blooming, and shippers are practically begging to move perishable freight. From berries to citrus, all this produce can’t sit still — and that urgency creates opportunity… and chaos.

When demand spikes, capacity tightens. When capacity tightens? Rates shoot up, drivers hustle, and brokers start dialing every number in their Rolodex (if they even still have one).

For truckers who know how to ride this wave — it’s payday. For those caught off guard? Not so much.

🚛 Florida and Texas: The Produce Powerhouses

Why these two states make or break spring freight

Florida kicks things off early. Strawberries, tomatoes, watermelons — the sunshine state’s harvest comes in hot. Every load needs to move FAST before it spoils.
Texas follows with onions, citrus, and melons flooding the market. By mid-to-late May, Texas joins Florida to create a south-to-north freight rush that pulls every available reefer and even some dry vans into the mix.

Driver take:
This isn’t optional freight. It’s “get it moved or lose money” freight. And that means higher paydays for those who jump in early and know the lanes.

📦 Reefers and Dry Vans: Pulled in Every Direction

When the produce boom hits, equipment disappears

Reefers are the first to go. Temperature-sensitive freight means you can’t wing it. Shippers want guaranteed cold chains, so reefers get booked out fast.

But dry vans? They get sucked up too. Overflow produce that doesn’t need temp control and regular freight needing movement both compete for available trailers.

Driver take:
Got a reefer? You’re in the driver’s seat. Running dry van? Don’t sleep — demand still gives you better-than-average rates if you’re smart about where you head.

📈 Spot Rates Surge (But Don’t Bet the Farm Long-Term)

Good news: rates will pop. Bad news: it won’t last forever.

As capacity tightens, spot market rates shoot up in produce-heavy lanes.
You’ll hear drivers talk about big hauls — Florida to Northeast, Texas to Midwest — and rightfully so.
But remember: produce season is temporary. Once the harvest moves north or wraps up, rates will stabilize (read: drop fast).

Driver take:
Enjoy the surge. Make money. But don’t lock in long-term deals based on peak rates. When the season ends, you don’t want to be stuck in a high-cost commitment.

🧠 Smart Truckers Plan Ahead — Lazy Ones Chase Late

Success comes from preparation, not reaction.

Top drivers already know how this goes:

They follow harvest calendars and talk to brokers early.

They pre-book lanes weeks ahead to avoid desperation.

They prepare their rigs and paperwork to handle sudden reefer loads.

Meanwhile, latecomers scramble. They jump in after rates pop but get stuck taking poor-paying return loads or sitting too long between hauls.

Driver take:
You want to run with the pros? Act like one. Pre-plan, chase hot lanes, and stay ahead of the competition.

🎯 Bottom Line: Produce Season = Short-Term Goldmine

Let’s keep it real.
Produce season is stressful. It’s high-pressure. But it’s also one of the best times for O/Os and smart drivers to stack serious cash.

✅ Freight is urgent
✅ Capacity is tight
✅ Rates are up
✅ And for once... YOU hold the cards

But it won’t last forever. Produce season ends and the market resets. That’s why smart truckers use this window not just to get ahead — but to plan their exit strategy too.

Don’t burn out chasing freight forever. Use the cashflow boost to invest in your future. Learn how AI and online side hustles can eventually free you from always chasing the next load.