Supply Chain Intelligence Brief

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TRUCKING

RXO: TL market seeing ‘biggest structural change’ since deregulation

Freight Waves Todd Maiden February 24, 2026

English-language proficiency requirements, non-domiciled CDL restrictions, a crackdown on ELD providers and forced closures of driver schools are tightening the screws on capacity, which had been loose for over three years. While demand remains subdued, the for-hire market continues to firm.

Link: RXO Press Release RXO Releases the Latest Curve Freight Market Forecast

ATA Truck Tonnage Index Rose 0.4% in January

American Trucking Associations Press Release February 24, 2026

“Tonnage has lifted off the recent bottom in October with modest gains in November and January,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “However, truck freight tonnage in January was down 1.3% from the 2025 high point in August. The trucking recovery story is more of a supply-side one with those motor carriers remaining benefiting from reduced overall capacity.”

Forward Air Posts Quarterly Loss While Advancing Overhaul

Transport Topics Connor D. Wolf  February 24, 2026

“Operationally, in 2025, we unified our U.S. domestic operations with the creation of our one ground network,” Stewart said. “This initiative consolidated all U.S. domestic ground operations under a single leadership structure.”

Links: Forward Air Corporation 4Q25 Earnings Presentation and Earnings Release

AAA Cooper buys site in Phoenix for $29M, per county record

Trucking Dive David Taube February 24, 2026

The acquisition comes as the LTL carrier is aiming to potentially generate $2 billion in annualized revenue.

XPO’s AI is helping provide real-time feedback of loaded trailers

Trucking Dive David Taube February 24, 2026

XPO is rolling out new AI-based technology to photos that dockworkers take to improve safety and reduce damage claims, VP of Technology Erin Goheen said Jan. 26 at the supply chain conference SMC³ Jump Start.

SHIPPERS / 3PLs

How Carhartt Doubled Its Scale and Cut Supply Chain Costs 7%

Supply Chain 24/7 Andy Gray February 23, 2026

Over the past six years, Carhartt has doubled in size. During that same period, the company handled 50% more volume, reduced supply chain costs by 7%, and improved service levels from 88% to 99.3%.

Walgreens to close Texas distribution center in streamlining effort

Supply Chain Dive Kelly Stroh February 24, 2026

Walgreens has been using micro-fulfillment centers since 2021, the spokesperson said. The network currently supports roughly 5,100 stores and fills more than 16 million prescriptions per month. As of now, Walgreens operates 14 micro-fulfillment centers, according to its website.

Home Depot Reports Steady Home Improvement Demand

Transport Topics/Bloomberg News Jaewon Kang February 24, 2026

“Our customers have been on the sideline with respect to large remodeling projects for three years now,” Chief Financial Officer Richard McPhail said in an interview. “The homeowner is one of the healthiest customer cohorts out there, but they tell us that uncertainty is growing, that there’s concern around housing affordability, around job losses.”

Link: The Home Depot Q4 2025 Performance Infographic

FedEx and Dun & Bradstreet team up for new Retail Momentum Index

Logistics Management Jeff Berman February 24, 2026

Findings from the debut edition of the Retail Momentum Index include:

Returns volumes continued to fall significantly, declining an average of 38.4% from 2023–24 and 54.5% from 2024–25, pointing to improved demand quality and more disciplined discretionary spending by consumers and businesses;

Link: FedEx Press Release Dun & Bradstreet and FedEx Dataworks to Launch Predictive Insights Tracking U.S. Retail Supply and Demand

INDUSTRY

National diesel average heads up for the eighth consecutive week, reports EIA

Logistics Management February 24, 2026

The national average price per gallon of diesel gasoline headed up for the eighth consecutive week, according to data issued today by the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Links: U.S. Energy Information Administration  Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update  and Weekly U.S. No 2 Diesel Ultra Low Sulfur (0-15 ppm) Retail Prices (Chart)

IEEPA tariff decision prompts flood of correction tools for refunds, customs entries

Journal of Commerce Eric Johnson February 24, 2026 $Subscription Based

A range of software tools has emerged over the past few months that should help importers and customs brokers determine the level of refunds available to them as a result of Friday’s Supreme Court ruling rejecting the mechanism used by the Trump administration to collect tariffs over the past 10 months.

Tariff Ruling May Spur Cargo Surge at Port of Los Angeles

Transport Topics/Bloomberg News Haslinda Amin February 24, 2026

“If that effective tariff rate for some companies and importers is lower, we may see some cargo really shoot through the system pretty quickly,” he said in a Bloomberg Television interview.

TECHNOLOGY

Anthropic Pushes Claude Deeper Into Knowledge Work

The Wall Street Journal Isabelle Bousquette February 24, 2026 $Subscription Based

Amid a market frenzy over artificial intelligence’s impact on traditional software, AI giant Anthropic Tuesday launched new updates to Claude Cowork, a platform it expects to become the “central brain” for the way knowledge workers engage with AI.

Related: CNBC Anthropic updates Claude Cowork tool built to give the average office worker a productivity boost

Tech Firms Aren’t Just Encouraging Their Workers to Use AI. They’re Enforcing It.

The Wall Street Journal Katherine Bindley and Katherine Blunt February 24, 2026 $Subscription Based

From startups to giants including Meta and Google, companies are factoring AI use into performance reviews and trying to track productivity gains.

SUSTAINABILITY / SAFETY / SECURITY

No clear path to get IMO’s net-zero framework over the line: industry experts

Journal of Commerce Greg Knowler February 24, 2026 $Subscription Based

A best-case scenario will see the IMO framework, postponed for a year at a meeting last October, entering into force in 2028, a year later than planned, and coming into effect in 2029. But a prolonged political deadlock could delay regulatory certainty on greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions for several years.

Hapag-Lloyd inks new sustainable biofuel deal with DSV

Journal of Commerce Greg Knowler February 24, 2026 $Subscription Based

Hapag-Lloyd and forwarder DSV have extended their sustainable biofuels partnership for two years with an agreement signed Tuesday that increases the pool of alternative fuels that can be used across the carrier’s fleet.

Google’s new 1.9GW clean energy deal includes massive 100-hour battery

TechCrunch Tim De Chant February 24, 2026

The tech company is working with Xcel Energy to build 1.4 gigawatts of wind power and 200 megawatts of solar power. Both will feed Form’s battery, which will be capable of delivering its rated power for 100 hours.

Despite role evolution, CSOs necessary to drive sustainability strategy: GreenBiz26

ESG Dive Lamar Johnson February 24, 2026

“The CSO serves as a compass and an accountability partner,” a senior executive from E.L.F Beauty told the audience at a mock debate hosted at the annual sustainable business conference.

Waymo robotaxis now available in 10 cities

Axios Joann Muller February 24, 2026

Waymo is accelerating its rollout of robotaxis in the U.S., adding four new cities in Texas and Florida this week as self-driving technology begins to penetrate mainstream America.

Link: Waymo News Ready to Ride: Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando

BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMY

Rising Expectations Push Consumer Confidence Higher

Transport Topics/Bloomberg News Jarrell Dillard February 24, 2026

The rise in confidence comes as recent data has indicated the labor market is showing some signs of stabilization and inflation has been relatively tame. However, Americans have been generally cautious about their job prospects and are still dealing with an inflation hangover from the pandemic, which stands to be a major factor in this year’s midterm elections.

Link: The Conference Board US Consumer Confidence Inched Up in February

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