Published
January to March is the quiet season for freight carriers.

The freight shipping industry experiences periods of high demand and low demand at different points in the year. This is the norm in many industries across the country. However, businesses that wish to have their goods or supplies delivered on time and at low rates must understand these trends before hiring a freight carrier at a particular time of year.

Let’s look at the best time of year for shipping.

Understanding Peak Season

It may surprise you to learn that the demand freight carriers experience varies greatly across the year. Much of this variation can be attributed to the holiday season which sees a sharp rise in demand for shipments between August and October.

Retailers earn close to one-third of their annual revenue during the holiday season, so it is understandable that the demand would be high during these months. However, the higher demand also creates many issues for businesses that require freight shipping services.

This includes:

Shipping Delays

Freight carriers often anticipate the higher demand between August and October and prepare their fleet accordingly. However, there are still times when the demand for freight shipments exceeds the number of trucks or drivers available. This can create costly delays for businesses that need to get their goods in-stores before the holiday season starts.

Higher Rates

The higher demand for freight shipping also raises carrier rates, which can cost businesses greatly. If your profit margins are already thin, you may want to avoid shipping your goods during peak season, or spend time looking for a carrier that offers cheaper rates.

The Best Time of Year for Shipping

If you want to avoid the high shipping costs and delays associated with peak season, you should strive to ship your goods during the off season. This is typically between January and March. Carriers are less burdened with demand from businesses around this period, and often charge lower rates.

Many businesses ship a large portion of their goods during the off season, and reserve only essential goods for the peak season. This approach tends to be more cost-effective and ensures they are able to get their goods to their destination on time.

Why Choose Action Transport Inc

Knowing when and how to ship your business’s goods can be a challenge. You can look through various freight carriers for shipping during a particular season, but you might not find a carrier that offers speedy delivery and at low rates. At Action Transport Inc, we can connect you with carriers from our extensive network.

As our client, we can help you find the lowest carrier rates for your needs at any time of the year. Please get in touch with us to learn more about our freight broker services.