Freight Planning for Seasonal Spikes

Assembled triple-wall gaylord boxes on wooden pallets inside a warehouse — Assembled triple-wall gaylords on 48×40 pallets, staged indoors.

The thing that actually runs out

People plan for seasonal price increases. What catches them out is capacity: in the weeks around harvest and retail peak, the issue is not that a trailer costs more, it is that there is no trailer.

Light, high-cube freight is the first thing carriers decline when their equipment is in demand, because it fills a trailer without filling the weight allowance. Empty bulk containers are, from a carrier's perspective, the least attractive load in the market.

Book capacity, not just price

The conversation to have in June is not 'what will this cost in September' but 'will you commit equipment in September'. Those are different commitments and the second one is worth paying a little for.

Ask about availability well before peak, because sourcing and moving containers in the same fortnight everyone else needs them is unreliable at any price.

Widen the window

A two-hour receiving window on a Friday afternoon in September is close to unservable. A four-hour window across two days is dramatically easier to cover and usually costs less because it can be matched against another movement.

If you can take a drop trailer, say so. Drop-and-hook removes the scheduling problem entirely and is frequently the difference between getting served and not.

Consolidate with your neighbours

Two nearby facilities each needing a partial load can share one full trailer, and the saving can be substantial for both.

It requires only that both parties are flexible by a day or two, and that somebody is willing to make the call.

The backhaul question

Ask any supplier whether they look for a return load before quoting your freight. Loaded legs in both directions are both the cheapest and the lowest-carbon way to move this material.

If the answer is no, you are paying for an empty leg, and in peak season you are paying for a scarce empty leg.

A June checklist

Everything above condenses into five things to do in the quiet part of the year.

Confirm volumes against last season's actuals, not the January plan.
Reserve both inventory and equipment, in writing, for named weeks.
Widen and publish your receiving windows for the peak period.
Ask about backhaul matching and consolidation with nearby facilities.
Schedule the empties collection for the month after your peak, while they are worth the most.

Takeaway: Reserve capacity in June, widen your dock window, and consolidate with a neighbour.

Reference

The tables this post refers to

Construction reference for the figures discussed above.

Construction, thickness and typical working capacity
Construction	Thickness	Typical max weight	Stacking	Typical use
Single wall C	5/32" (4.0 mm)	65 lb	Not for bulk	Lids, layer pads, dividers
Double wall BC	9/32" (7.1 mm)	900 – 1,200 lb	1 high loaded	General bulk under 1,200 lb
Double wall CC	5/16" (7.9 mm)	1,000 – 1,300 lb	1 high loaded	Slightly better cushioning than BC
Triple wall BCC	7/16" (11.1 mm)	2,200 – 2,500 lb	2 high loaded	The bulk workhorse
Triple wall ACC	1/2" (12.7 mm)	2,400 – 2,700 lb	2 high loaded	Dense product with cushioning need
Five wall AAC	5/8" (15.9 mm)	3,000 lb+	3 high, matched pallets	Castings, stampings, export

FAQ

Common questions on this subject

Short answers to common questions. If yours is not covered, ask it on the form and a partner supplier in our network can answer it with your quote.

All 33 answers

How much do used gaylords cost?

Pricing is set by the partner supplier who quotes your request. Grade, wall count, height, quantity and freight all move the number, and freight is usually the biggest variable, so ask for it as a separate line.

What areas do you serve?

Gaylord Boxes takes requests from across the United States. Availability depends on partner suppliers near your dock, and freight distance affects the price.

Can you match a competitor's price?

Pricing is set by the partner supplier who quotes your request. When comparing quotes, check that both are graded per unit, both include freight, and both are quoting the same wall count: those three differences explain most gaps.

What size trailer do I need to receive a truckload?

Usually a 53-foot dry van. If your dock cannot take one, say so on the form: smaller deliveries are often possible, though the freight cost per unit rises.

Is fuel included in the freight price?

Ask the supplier to show freight, including any fuel surcharge, as its own line on the quote so you can compare like with like.

Keep reading