Peak Season 2026 Starts Now: Why Early-Year Planning Matters for Food & Pharma Shippers
While peak season may still feel far off, the most important decisions for Peak Season 2026 are being made right now. For food and pharmaceutical shippers, the first months of the year are no longer a quiet reset — they are a critical window to secure trucking capacity, lock in pricing, and avoid last-minute disruptions later in the year. With freight markets gradually rebalancing and regulatory scrutiny increasing, early preparation is becoming the difference between stability and scrambling. Why This Time of Year Is So Critical January through early spring is when: Annual transportation budgets are finalized Contract freight bids are negotiated Carriers decide which customers and lanes they’ll prioritize Shippers reassess performance from the prior peak season Waiting until summer to address capacity needs often means competing for limited trucks at premium prices — especially for temperature-controlled and high-service freight. For food and phar...