"People are looking for alternative methods of transportation, and they look to rail in a higher-diesel market

"As the year goes on, there will be more shipments of produce, potatoes in general, and we're having a shortage of trucks where we never had a shortage before, so we see it as a sure sign that it'll get worse as the year goes on," Woodlief said.

LMTS is working to ensure they have enough contracts to move produce, and one method is through networking with their current carriers to find new carriers, but they are also working to satisfy the needs of their current carriers to help them remain interested in carrying LMTS's cargo. Even in a bad market, customer service goes a long way to ensuring the company's needs are met.

The truck shortage has actually had many benefits for the rail industry, as they have been able to pick up at least part of the slack left by the trucks.

"People are looking for alternative methods of transportation, and they look to rail in a higher-diesel market," said Paul Esposito, sr. vice president for Railex, a Riverhead, N.Y.-based rail company that moves cargo across the United States. They move 6,000 car loads of agricultural products annually, 25 percent of which is potatoes, in a controlled operation, allowing them to control distribution through the entire move.