Supply Chain Intelligence Brief

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TRUCKING

5 questions with incoming TCA president Jim Mullen

Truck News Krystyna Shchedrina March 5, 2026

If the rule (EPA GHG Phase 3) does not proceed, carriers will see major cost relief. Zero-emission trucks currently cost about 2.5 times more than a conventional diesel truck and come with more limited operational functionality, Mullen said, making the rollback “a tremendous victory” that will ensure “huge savings” for fleets.

However, he does not believe this means the end of the industry’s sustainability efforts, saying that carriers will continue to pursue cleaner alternatives such as renewable natural gas and biodiesel, particularly when those options are cost-competitive and operationally viable.

Preliminary February Class 8 orders see strong annual gains

Logistics Management March 5, 2026

“With onerous EPA’27 cost increases on the horizon, an aging fleet, and growing confidence that the winter run-up in freight rates will remain sticky, Class 8 order strength continued in February,” said Carter Vieth, Research Analyst at ACT Research. “February’s intake represents the eighth best order month in the 530 months ACT Research has been collecting data.” 

Southeastern Freight Lines revamps North Carolina facility

Trucking Dive David Taube March 5, 2026

Southeastern Freight Lines doubled the size of its Greensboro, North Carolina, facility as part of a series of upgrades to improve operational performance and expand its network capabilities.

SHIPPERS / 3PLs

Tariffs Are Lower and Businesses Are Racing to Take Advantage

The Wall Street Journal Ruth Simon March 5, 2026 $Subscription Based

Some quickly made the decision to accelerate shipments to take advantage of the new, lower tariff rates. Others are looking to speed up production of essential items or rethinking pricing strategies.

INDUSTRY

Oil Tops $81 a Barrel, Highest Mark Since July 2024

Transport Topics/Bloomberg News Mia Gindis March 5, 2026

The heightened demand for U.S. oil comes as surging freight rates make American barrels more expensive to ship. Seasonal refinery maintenance is additionally tightening domestic supply, further supporting prices.

It’s not just gasoline. Diesel reacting ‘more aggressively’ to oil price jump amid Iran war.

Yahoo Finance Ines Ferre March 5, 2026

"Higher diesel prices absolutely tend to filter into consumer prices, though usually with a lag," De Haan said.

Diesel is the primary fuel used for moving goods across the economy, especially long-haul trucking. Roughly 70% of US freight moves by truck, carrying everything from groceries to construction materials.

Maersk, a bellwether for global trade, suspends two key shipping services due to Iran war

CNBC Sam Meredith March 6, 2026

Shipping giant Maersk said on Friday it had temporarily suspended two services linking the Middle East to Asia and Europe due to the escalating war in the Middle East.

Link: Maersk Temporary Suspension of Services: Middle East–Europe, Far East–Middle East, and Gulf Region Shuttles

Related: The Wall Street Journal Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd Suspend Key Middle East Shipping Routes

TPM26: War a problem for container shipping, but not ‘pandemic-scale’: analyst

Journal of Commerce Bill Mongelluzzo March 5, 2026 $Subscription Based

The war in the Middle East that has effectively shut the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz is a problem for container shipping, but not on the scale of other recent disruptions the sector has faced.

That was the closing message of the Journal of Commerce’s TPM 26 conference, delivered by industry analyst and CEO of Vespucci Maritime Lars Jensen.

US-Mexico trade hits new high of $872B in 2025

Freight Waves Noi Mahoney March 4, 2026

Mexico remained the United States’ largest trading partner for the third consecutive year in 2025, with two-way commerce reaching a record $872.83 billion.

Link: USA Trade Numbers Mexico

USPS Warns It Could Run Out of Money Without Major Changes

Supply Chain 24/7 March 5, 2026

Industry observers say the situation is important for the broader logistics sector because the Postal Service plays a major role in the country’s last-mile delivery network.

Many retailers rely on the Postal Service to help deliver packages to homes across the United States, especially in rural areas where private carriers often charge higher rates.

54% of distributors seek demand forecasting overhaul in 2026, report finds

Freight Waves Caleb Revill March 5, 2026

Faced with economic uncertainty and increasing competition, wholesale distributors are planning significant shifts in their inventory strategies for 2026, according to Phocas Software’s first annual 2026 Inventory Trends in Wholesale Distribution report.

Link: Phocas Inventory trends in wholesale distribution (Registration Required for Report)

TECHNOLOGY

Opinion: AI Rollouts in Logistics: What Actually Happens After the Pilot

The Supply Chainer Harish Abbott March 3, 2026

Productivity Is About Cognitive Load

The biggest change we see isn’t just speed; it’s focus.

When AI absorbs repetitive coordination work, operators shift from chasing updates to making decisions. Instead of reconstructing what happened overnight, they receive structured context with recommended next steps. Escalations are prioritized. Trade-offs are clearer.

OpenAI’s new GPT-5.4 model is a big step toward autonomous agents

The Verge Emma Roth March 5, 2026

OpenAI is launching GPT-5.4, the latest version of its AI model that the company says combines advancements in reasoning, coding, and professional work involving spreadsheets, documents, and presentations. It’s also OpenAI’s first model with native computer use capabilities, meaning it can operate a computer on your behalf and complete tasks across different applications.

Link: Open AI Introducing GPT‑5.4 

‘Send Us More’: Anthropic’s Claude Sniffs Out Bevy of Bugs

The Wall Street Journal Robert McMillan March 6, 2026 $Subscription Based

It took Anthropic’s most advanced artificial-intelligence model about 20 minutes to find its first Firefox browser bug during an internal test of its hacking prowess.

Link: Anthropic Partnering with Mozilla to improve Firefox’s security

AI-Generated Writing Is Everywhere, and It’s Still Easy to Spot—for Now

The Wall Street Journal Eben Shapiro March 5, 2026 $Subscription Based

The first dead giveaway is vocabulary. A chatbot writes like a panicked college freshman trying to sound profound. If a memo about a software update uses words like delve, tapestry, beacon or myriad, a machine wrote it. My own favorite LLM word is liminal, which ChatGPT, when pressed, claims the “culture” started overusing first. So touchy.

SUSTAINABILITY / SAFETY / SECURITY

Washington, California and Québec collaborate on linking carbon markets

ESG Dive Zoya Mirza March 5, 2026

The three jurisdictions released a draft agreement this week that would add Washington to the largest carbon emissions trading market in North America.

BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMY

Private Sector Adds 63,000 Jobs in February, ADP Says

Transport Topics/Bloomberg News Augusta Saraiva March 5, 2026

U.S. companies added the most jobs since November last month, adding to evidence of some stabilization in the labor market.

The advance in hiring was led by education and health services, which has been responsible for the majority of job creation in the last year. Construction and information also added to payrolls.

Link: ADP® National Employment Report

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