Trucking

Reefer Rates Surge as California Citrus and Yakima Apples Drive Freight Higher

Reefer spot linehaul averaged $2.60 per mile this week, well above the nine-year seasonal average of $2.14 per mile and near the top of historical ranges. Reefer load posts climbed 8.5% year-over-year, though volumes remain 7.2% below pre-Labor Day levels. The 35-day rate forecast projects reefer spot around $2.69 per mile over the next month. California's produce market diverged sharply. Citrus in South and Central California posted double-digit weekly gains across all ten destinations after flat movement the previous week. Citrus lanes now command 35% to 72% premiums above year-ago pricing. Yakima's apple-pear harvest reset this week with lanes running 48% to 84% above prior-year levels. Boston, Miami, and New York all cleared $13,000 or more at the top of the range. Yakima Valley spot rates hit $2.90 per mile excluding fuel, a four-year high and 16% above typical late-November levels.