Seasonal Shipping / Peak Season Logistics

Seasonal shipping refers to the predictable (and sometimes unpredictable) demand surges that compress carrier capacity and drive up freight costs at specific times of year. For retail and CPG, the holiday peak from October through December is the obvious example. For food and beverage shippers, produce season (spring and summer) floods reefer capacity. Promotional events, new product launches, and seasonal menu changes at foodservice customers create their own mini-peaks throughout the year.

The logistics impact is multi-layered. Carrier capacity tightens as multiple shippers compete for the same trucks. Spot rates climb – sometimes dramatically – and tender rejection rates spike as carriers cherry-pick the most profitable loads. Transit times stretch because of congestion at warehouses, docks, and receiving facilities. For shippers without a plan, peak season means scrambling for trucks at premium prices while watching service levels deteriorate.

Preparation is the difference between surviving peak season and thriving through it. Experienced shippers start planning months in advance: sharing volume forecasts with core carriers, pre-booking capacity on critical lanes, adjusting routing guides to account for seasonal rate shifts, and building buffer into delivery windows. They also coordinate with warehouses and 3PLs on dock scheduling to prevent the bottlenecks that slow down pickups and compound transit delays.

For cold chain shippers specifically, peak season planning carries extra stakes. Reefer capacity is structurally tighter than dry van, product has a finite shelf life, and spoilage from a missed pickup window means lost revenue – not just a late delivery. Planning load configurations, carrier commitments, and dock appointments well ahead of the surge separates the shippers who protect their margins from those who bleed freight cost every peak.