Contract rates for reefer truckload freight posted their largest June-to-July increase on record, according to DAT Freight & Analytics. Dry van contract rates also hit a record for the same period. The data signals a tightening freight market heading into the second half of the year.
For the produce industry, reefer rate spikes translate directly into higher landed costs at a time when many commodity prices are already soft. Shippers who locked in contract rates earlier in the year may be insulated for now, but spot-market buyers are feeling the full effect. The record-breaking nature of the move suggests this isn't a seasonal blip — something structural may be shifting in freight capacity.
Distributors, importers, and large retail buyers moving volume on reefer trucks should watch whether these gains hold through August and September, which are typically high-volume shipping months for fall stone fruit, apples, and transitioning summer crops.