All day, all week, people follow calendars. Calendars help them keep track of the events happening for the day, the week, the quarter, or whatever time period they’d like to use. They’re useful tools to see what you have coming up in certain seasons of the year.
However, most businesses keep track of the year by quarter. An alternative and a closer way to keep track of time is the specific seasons for an industry. Take logistics and truck driving, for example. Just like about every other business, these industries have busy seasons and slow seasons.
Quiet Shipping Season (January through March) :
A slow season in freight. Holiday shipping has fizzled out, so companies tend to put on the brakes a little bit. Demand (for goods) is usually lower, so carrier capacity is generally higher. Many companies prefer not to ship during this time, as weather can be a huge factor. Delays and crashes due to storms can impact profit. More carriers will likely be looking to haul freight, as there will be less of it.
The Produce Shipping Season (April-July):
Spring is here! Generally, the top commodity on the road during this season will be produce. The spring months are harvest seasons in the southern regions for many fruits and vegetables, so produce is a hot commodity from the south and western regions as the harvest moves north.
In addition to produce, more companies in general begin shipping their goods during this period. With Spring and summer beginning, we see consumer goods start to make a return in the freight lanes. This includes clothing, food products, and your favorite pool toys. Just like the weather, the freight market can be unpredictable during this time of year.
Peak Shipping Season (August-October):
Peak Shipping Season -the busiest freight season of the year! The weather is cooling down, retailers are getting ready for the upcoming holidays (specifically the Christmas shopping season), and people are buying things more frequently, whether it’s fall apparel, or items to support their football team.
During this period, shippers are sending freight all over the United States. Carriers have the ability to be more selective in the loads accepted and we see a slight shift in the load-to-truck ratio.
Holiday Shipping Season (November-January):
Bundle up! This season is a close second to Peak Shipping Season. The holiday season is a frenzy of buying, and the freight market follows suit. Retailers are trying to keep up with the demand for numerous products, and shippers are trying to meet those needs. Not to mention Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the biggest shopping days of the year. Last-minute purchases make up a large number of gifts given at Christmas, so stores need their goods to be on the shelves. Carrier capacity is still a bit on the tight side during this season.
That marks the end of the year-long freight season. Late December sees shipping slowing down as people finish their shopping and a slow slip into the slower season will happen again.