The December freight market traditionally brings a complex mix of tightening and softening forces. In 2025, that pattern remains familiar but nuanced.
While slowly-tightening capacity offers carriers some much-needed relief, volumes have remained soft and tariff-driven cost considerations continue to loom large.
Anderson Trucking Service (ATS) has helped shippers navigate annual market trends and moment-specific factors for over 70 years.
In this article, we’ll share our insights into December 2025's freight market. You’ll come away ready to sleigh your shipping goals for the end of the year and set yourself up for a successful 2026.
Key Takeaways for Shipping in December 2025:
- Most holiday freight has already moved, but dry van capacity may still be harder to find.
- Reefer capacity will tighten due to freeze protection and regional produce harvests.
- Open-deck availability drops as winter weather steers drivers elsewhere.
- Weather, limited daylight, and travel restrictions make oversize moves more costly.
- Early planning and flexible scheduling are key to avoiding holiday-season rate spikes.
December 2025 Dry Van Capacity: What to Expect
This is traditionally the busiest shopping month of the year, with consumers buying gifts, home decor, and ingredients for festive feasts.
While consumer spending has slowed in 2025 in general, the National Retail Federation (NRF) predicts retail sales in November and December will surpass $1 trillion for the first time, growing between 3.7% and 4.2% over 2024.
But because most of the items that $1 trillion will be spent on were delivered to stores well before retail peak season, the dry van market is actually gearing up to slow down.
Here's what you need to know about dry van capacity this month:
- Dry vans will continue to move retail commodities and holiday food items this month, but the bulk of the gifting season's most critical freight has already moved.
- Even with lower overall demand, certain freight types (like gardening items, lawnmowers, and warm-weather apparel) will continue moving in preparation for spring.
- Many drivers take extended home time during the holidays, leading to fewer available trucks. Expect higher rates if you must move shipments close to the holidays.
- As far as freight rates are concerned, the annual rules of shipping during the holidays apply: Plan proactively, give ample lead time, and be flexible to capture the best possible rates during this high-octane time in the industry.
Related: Load-To-Truck Ratios: An Overview of How They Impact Your Freight Rates
December Reefer Capacity & Freeze Protection
Refrigerated (reefer) trailers are used year-round to haul items like food and pharmaceuticals, but in the winter months, they’re also sought out to provide freeze protection for temperature-sensitive freight.
That means:
- Reefer capacity will tighten in December 2025, especially in the Midwestern and Northern states where winter weather and temperatures are most severe.
- In the Pacific Northwest, reefers are busy hauling winter crops like potatoes, apples, and winter squash. This regional concentration of trucks can lead to lower rates if your shipment will take drivers into Washington and Oregon.
- After the New Year holiday, many reefers move south along the West Coast to transport produce imported from Mexico. If your late December freight will take reefer drivers to the West, you may get better rates.
Open-Deck Freight in Winter: December 2025 Outlook
As it gets colder (and snowier) in many parts of the country, open-deck trailers like flatbeds and step-decks understandably fall out of favor.
In these regions, construction season is wrapped up until spring, which takes a significant portion of open-deck freight off the table.
Here's what you need to know if you're in the market for open-deck trailer capacity this month:
- Winter weather makes tarping and securing freight more difficult and dangerous for drivers, contributing to a decline in available open-deck capacity.
- Some open-deck drivers switch to dry van trailers during winter, reducing open-deck truck availability further.
- Shippers should plan ahead and book open-deck trucks early in December to secure capacity.
- Drivers who do continue to haul open-deck freight in December are often eager for work, which can lead to better rates for proactive shippers.
Over-Dimensional (OD) Freight in December: Weather Woes & Holiday Restrictions
Over-dimensional (OD) shipments are traditionally affected by winter weather and seasonal nuances more than other freight types.
This is due to the safety concerns around moving oversized freight under the best conditions, to say nothing of the complexity introduced by snow and ice, wind, cold temperatures, and reduced daylight hours.
Here's what shippers need to know about moving overly heavy, tall, wide, and long shipments this month:
- OD freight is especially susceptible to unpredictable delays due to winter weather. If you're moving oversize/overweight (OSOW) shipments in northern regions this month, plan accordingly.
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Most states restrict oversize freight travel to daylight hours, and December has the fewest daylight hours of the year, so OD hauls take longer and cost more this month.
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Many states also restrict permitted freight travel on holidays, and state permit offices are closed on those days. Work with your transportation provider to ensure your permits are secured well in advance.
- ATS recommends pausing OD movements over the Christmas holiday if possible to avoid higher rates and give drivers a break. Instead, ship before or after Santa’s drop-in.
Holiday Shipping Plan: December 2025 Best Practices
Shipping on or around the holiday season takes proactive planning, communication, and coordination between shippers, carriers, and drivers.
Here are some of our tried-and-true tips for keeping your holiday shipping merry instead of scary:
- Book early: The earlier you schedule shipments, the more likely you are to secure lower rates, stay on target timelines, and avoid driver shortages.
- Flexibility is festive: Scheduling flexibility helps drivers stay on schedule across all their deliveries, which supports on-time service for your loads. Consider:
- Allowing a multi-day pickup or delivery window to help carriers find and schedule trucks more easily (and possibly provide you with a better rate.)
- Giving drivers an arrival window (e.g., "between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.") instead of a set appointment to reduce delays.
- Holiday & weather closures: Remember that many facilities close during the holidays or during inclement weather ; scheduling deliveries when no one is available can cause delays and added fees.
- Pre-shipment checklist: One of the biggest errors shippers make during this busy period is failing to coordinate with all stakeholders involved. Before confirming pickup or delivery dates, confirm that:
- Inventory is ready to ship
- Staff will be available to load and unload
- A truck and driver are confirmed
- There will be space to store freight upon delivery
- Rescheduling advice: If the timing doesn’t work, postpone shipments to early January instead of forcing a delivery during peak closures.
These steps are an easy way to help ensure success in December. Once you’ve done your planning and prep, you get to step away and enjoy your seasonal festivities!
Get Ready for Successful December Shipments
The holiday season is stressful enough. You’re already juggling your in-laws, your kids, and last-minute gifts. The challenges of shipping your freight this month should be the last thing on your mind.
The good news? You now have the information and advice you need to plan ahead and make things easier for yourself this December.
By planning ahead, communicating with your shipping stakeholders, and choosing flexibility in your scheduling, you can ensure your December is full of festive cheer, not shipping fears.
Happy reading, and from the ATS family to yours, happy holidays!
