Freight Shipping Facts About California

California has 11 public freight shipping ports that are responsible for supplying goods to 25% of the U.S. However 65% of the cargo that comes into California is for consumption within California. Clearly, it is worth noting that California is an economic powerhouse. In general, the majority of this cargo is made up of electronic goods, and motorized vehicles. With this in mind, the states of Texas, Arizona, Washington & Tennessee make up California’s biggest freight shipping trade partners within the US.

California’s truckload freight rates are seasonal and can vary drastically. This is due to California’s robust agricultural industry that affects California trucking rates drastically. If you need to ship truckload freight from Southern California it is best to do so from January to April. After April is when a majority of crops are ready for harvesting and this spikes California’s freight rates. If you need to ship a truckload from California to Georgia it is wise to do so before the high season for freight arrives in September. However, just as a contingency shippers can always ship their freight by rail.

The rail freight system in California is impressive. Top tier class 1 rail freight companies such as CSX, UP and Norfolk Southern service California. However, many shippers do not take advantage of shipping cargo by rail. Transporting freight by rail is quickly becoming a requirement to remain competitive in the US and beyond. The overall cost to ship by train remains competitive versus trucking rates although trucking freight can sometimes be advantageous.