Produce Season 2025: How to Secure Capacity When Everyone’s Competing for Reefers

It’s late June, and peak produce season is already in full swing. Across the country, strawberries, tomatoes, corn, citrus, and greens are moving out of growing regions fast—and fighting for limited reefer space.

You’re tracking a high-priority load when your carrier calls. The trailer’s been bumped. Rates are climbing, delays are building, and it’s getting harder to find a temperature-controlled reefer truck that can meet your schedule.

Welcome to the 2025 produce season.

Every spring and summer, perishable freight surges. But 2025 brings extra intensity. You’re not just fighting the heat—you’re managing shifting harvest timelines, aging fleets, and slimmer punch‑list buffers. Along the way, spoilage isn’t just an expense—it’s a broken promise.

What’s Driving the 2025 Reefer Crunch?

Several overlapping trends are creating greater pressure on reefer capacity and driving up rates:

Cross-Border Slowdowns

Regulatory uncertainty, under-staffed inspection teams, and aging infrastructure at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada border crossings are creating major bottlenecks.

New enforcement of English proficiency rules for B-1 visa drivers is  also disrupting U.S.-Mexico freight. Spot rates on northbound lanes have surged and tender rejections are rising. With some carriers pulling drivers off the road to avoid compliance risks, capacity is tightening just as seasonal demand peaks. In Laredo—where up to 18,000 trucks cross daily—delays are mounting, reefers are sidelined, and downstream disruptions are accelerating.

Port Congestion for Cold-Chain Imports

Specialized labor shortages and global port delays are slowing refrigerated imports. In June 2025, Savannah dwell times averaged 3–5 days, and customs strikes in Mexico and Canadian constraints diverted cargo to U.S. ports—tying up reefers, delaying drayage, and increasing spoilage risk for temperature-sensitive goods.

Labor Shortfalls in Fields

Packinghouses in key growing states like Florida and California are running below full capacity due to H‑2A processing delays and wage rate increases. This has extended hold‑times for produce, tying up reefers and squeezing drop-off schedules.

Labor Churn in Logistics Roles

While not new in 2025, high turnover in back-office and driver positions continues to add friction. Annual driver turnover rates near 90% highlight retention—not shortage—as the real issue, while stretched ops teams slow coordination at terminals and borders.

Tighter Load‑to‑Truck Ratios

As of mid‑June, DAT reports about 9 loads for every available reefer—up from 7–8 in May. This imbalance means more freight is competing for fewer trucks, making it harder to secure capacity without paying a premium.

Regional Harvest Overlaps

This year, California’s rain delayed crops like tomatoes, berries, and citrus, while Florida and Texas hit their peaks earlier this year. With regional demand zones converging, it’s harder to match freight with available trailers.

Compound Seasonal Peaks

By July, reefer demand doesn’t slow—it tightens. As temperatures rise and seasonal cycles converge, shippers face a fresh wave of pressure on refrigerated capacity.

Fourth of July promotions drive up volumes of meat, dairy, beverages, and frozen treats, all moving on tight schedules with strict temperature requirements. At the same time, grilling season peaks, pushing additional demand for hot dogs, fresh produce, and summer meal kits.

With so many time-sensitive freight categories moving at once, capacity shrinks quickly. Trailers are harder to secure, rates climb, and even small disruptions—like a rejected load or late dock—can cascade into missed appointments or spoilage.

In July’s heat, booking a truck isn’t enough. Success comes from securing consistent, resilient capacity that can hold through volatility.

Why Reefer Capacity Gets Tight—and Who’s Most at Risk

Let’s unpack the dynamics that eat up refrigerated capacity—and where you fit into the system.

Contract vs. Spot Freight Battles

Carriers reserve a high percentage of their fleet for contract loads—shippers who guarantee volume, commitment, and pricing consistency. That leaves fewer trailers for short-notice hauling. Spot freight gets pushed to the back of the line, especially during peaks.

Short Notice = High Risk

Reactive load bookings—2‑3 days before pickup—don’t give carriers time to plan. During crunch time, that means longer waits, higher rates, or declined moves.

Last Year’s Strategy is Outdated

Don’t assume last year’s strategy will work again this year. Regional harvest timelines shift. Driver availability changes. A provider who came through in 2024 may not have the same reach or capacity in 2025. Relying on outdated assumptions can lead to service failures that hurt more than just your bottom line.

Plan Smarter with Seasonal Visibility

Before locking in a freight strategy, it pays to know what’s moving. Produce volumes shift by crop, region, and season—often unpredictably. These 2025 charts map out key shipping windows across North Americato help you anticipate pressure points and align your logistics accordingly.

4 Strategies to Lock in Reefer Capacity

Even if you haven’t planned since spring, there’s still time to strengthen your position. Here’s how to secure refrigerated capacity when peak produce season is already underway:

1. Communicate Volume and Flexibility Now

Mid-season transparency still matters. Provide carriers with remaining load forecasts and highlight where you can be flexible (pickup windows, alternate drop-off locations, acceptable dwell times). That clarity empowers carriers to optimize capacity and often moves you further up their priorities.

2. Work with Asset-Based Providers

Asset-based 3PLs—those owning trucks, trailers, or warehouses—offer built-in reliability. They control their own supply and often deliver more consistent service, especially during tight markets. Studies show they’re better positioned to handle your lanes end-to-end, including relief from spot market volatility.

3. Diversify Smartly—Without Overextending

A mix of regional and national carriers gives you both flexibility and resilience. Brokers (including asset-light and digital brokers) excel in volatile, last-minute lanes, while asset-based partners bring consistency . Tier your carriers for both reliability and quick pivoting.

4. Use Tech That Gives You Visibility—and Leverage

Real-time tracking isn’t optional—it’s essential. A recent industry survey found 77% of shippers say visibility has become a baseline expectation, with 53% now using IoT devices for real-time data.

Benefits include:

• Faster issue detection (e.g., temp. excursions, route delays)
• Streamlined carrier coordination
• Improved compliance with FDA/USDA rules

Beyond Price: Why Relationships Drive Results

When trucks are scarce, capacity doesn’t always go to the highest bidder—it goes to the most reliable partner. Logistics is a relationship business, and nowhere is that clearer than during peak produce season.

Chasing the lowest rate might seem smart in quieter months, but during summer shipping logistics surges, that approach often backfires. Here’s what carriers value most:

• Clear, early communication: Sharing lane specs, temperature ranges, pick/delivery windows, and exceptions upfront saves everyone time.
• Consistent, on-time payment: Carriers pay for their fuel and labor. When they know you pay on time, you move up the priority queue.
• Respect for drivers: Facilities that respect driver hours, offer efficient loading/unloading, and have parking available are higher staffed. That builds loyalty.
• Operational stability: Avoiding surprises (like last-minute changes) means your load are more reliable—and that translates to trust.

Relationships aren’t built overnight. They’re earned by being a dependable business partner every season, every year.

At First Call Logistics, our First Call FRESH network is built on those relationships. We don’t just move loads—we protect reputations. Our carrier partners know they can count on us, and that trust extends to the shippers we serve.

How First Call FRESH Helps Shippers Compete

Navigating peak produce season alone can be stressful—and mistakes matter. That’s where First Call FRESH steps in.

First Call FRESH is more than a refrigerated freight service—it’s a commitment to cold chain continuity when it matters most. From farm to facility to final mile, we help food and pharma shippers maintain quality, meet compliance standards, and deliver on time—no excuses.

Here’s why it works:

• Seasonal scalability is built in. We’ve structured our fleet and contract network to flex with planting cycles—from Florida’s spring berries to California’s summer fruits and Texas’s late-season harvest.
• Proactive monitoring catches issues early. Our dashboards track temperatures, deviations, and reroutes in real time. If a load is delayed or a reefer breaks down, we don’t wait for the problem to get worse—we act fast to recover and reroute.
• Humans coordinate 24/7. Our team monitors every load in real time with 24/7 support and proactive communication. Digital tools help, but you can also call a real person who knows your lanes, history, and expectations.
• We’ve got backup strategies. Because we’re tapped into a nationwide carrier network, we can pull capacity from multiple regions even during seasonal spikes.

Shippers choose First Call FRESH because we’re steady under pressure. We know what’s on the line with every temperature-sensitive load, and we treat every delivery like it’s our own. During produce season, that level of care isn’t just appreciated—it’s a competitive edge.

Contact us today and let’s secure your move through produce season—and every season.