trucking

Florida Produce Market Enters Final Stretch as Summer Season Winds Down

Florida's produce freight market is rapidly contracting as the summer season winds down, with rates declining 3–14% across all major corridors this week. The state's shortage conditions persist but are narrowing fast, as late-season crops like okra, peppers, squash, tomatoes, and watermelons replace earlier demand drivers. The Florida-to-Baltimore lane shed approximately $700 per load in just two weeks, falling from roughly $5,000 to $4,300. California's coastal regions shifted from tight to adequate truck availability across all districts, signaling spring tightness has fully cleared. Yakima Valley stands apart as the sole tightening market, upgrading to shortage status as cherry harvest peaks. USDA volumes in Yakima are up 400% week-over-week and 88% year-over-year. Rates in the Pacific Northwest corridor remain stable with no week-over-week changes recorded.