Supply Chain Intelligence Brief

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TRUCKING

Inland ‘25: Weak end to 2025 could set up US freight economy for better 2026

Journal of Commerce Michael Angell September 30, 2025 $Subscription Based

A more stable 2026 is likely to prompt more inventory restocking, Keith Prather, managing director at economics consultancy Armada Corporate Intelligence, told the conference. Prather’s research showed that some 85% of businesses dependent on freight have an inventory-to-sales ratio at or below their 2019 level, implying pent-up demand to restock.

What DOT’s Shutdown Plan Means for Trucking

Transport Topics September 30, 2025

At the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which regulates the trucking industry, all 1,084 employees remain on the job. Twenty-one of those are in nonworking status under the Deferred Resignation Program.

Freight expected to roll on during shutdown

Freight Waves John Gallagher September 30, 2025

Cargo inspection of imports through land borders and seaports would also continue, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Roughly 93% of the agency’s 68,000-person workforce are expected to be retained and continue to work during a funding lapse, the Department of Homeland Security’s latest contingency plan notes.

Einride completes world’s first cabless autonomous border crossing

Freight Waves Thomas Wasson October 1, 2025

Swedish electric self-driving truck startup Einride recently announced it had successfully completed a cross-border operation of its cabless electric autonomous truck without a human driver.

Link: Einride Press Release: Einride achieves world-first cabless electric autonomous border crossing and customs passing – without a human driver onboard

SHIPPERS / 3PLs

How AI Helps a Logistics Giant Thrive During a Downturn

The Wall Street Journal Paul Berger September 30, 2025 $Subscription Based

Bozeman attributes C.H. Robinson’s success to the company’s lean operating model and its growing adoption of automation and artificial intelligence, which is helping the company broker more loads with fewer workers. “We’re getting much higher win rates and we’re getting a lot more opportunities to take freight because we’re always on,” said Bozeman.

Amazon Shipping preps higher peak season surcharges

Supply Chain Dive Max Garland September 30, 2025

The fees, which reach their highest point from Nov. 23 to Dec. 27, include a per-package demand surcharge and levies for parcels that are large, heavy or require additional handling.

Link: Amazon 2025 Peak Season Update: Amazon Shipping demand surcharges and how to plan

INDUSTRY

National diesel average sees a slight gain, for the week of September 29, reports EIA

Logistics Management September 30, 2025

The national average price per gallon, for the week of September 29, at $3.754, rose $0.005, following a $0.01-cent increase, to $3.749, for the week of September 22, which was preceded by a 2.7-cent decline, to $3.739, for the week of September 15.

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)

Report highlights supply chain shift

Supply Chain Xchange September 30, 2025

Research from logistics real estate firm Prologis reveals a shift in how companies will manage their supply chains over the next decade, with a clear focus on resilience as they battle three main disruptive forces: energy reliability, artificial intelligence (AI), and regionalization.

Conducted with The Harris Poll, the 2026 Prologis Supply Chain Outlook Report surveyed more than 1,800 senior executives across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Mexico.

Link: ProLogis/Harris Poll Supply Chain Outlook Report 2026

How Oway uses AI to fill empty trucks and cut shipping costs

Freight Waves Thomas Wasson September 30, 2025

“The biggest stigma we have with trying to make it so that full truckload carriers in general have the ability to accept partials is that they by default expect the rates to be very low,” Nadjafov said. “But in reality, if you can try to bring the LTL side of the marketplace over to full truckload, LTL by default has a lot of premiums in the cost for people who ship on LTL.”

OPEC+ to Discuss Fast-Tracking Return of Halted Production

Transport Topics/Bloomberg News Salma El Wardany and Grant Smith September 30, 2025

OPEC+ will discuss fast-tracking its latest round of supply hikes in three monthly installments of about 500,000 barrels a day as it seeks to recoup market share, a delegate said.

The Pallet Report 2025: Quality Matters as Automation Grows

Supply Chain 24/7 September 30, 2025

When it comes to materials, wood is still the clear winner. According to the survey, 92% of the pallets in use are made of wood. That figure has barely budged in three years, showing remarkable consistency.

NMFC Docket 2025-1 transition insights for LTL carriers and freight professionals

Fleet Owner Keith Peterson September 30, 2025

NMFC Docket 2025-1 changes are shaping LTL operations, and early preparation proved key to faster billing and smoother workflows.

TECHNOLOGY

IT leaders aren’t ready for AI autonomy

CIO Dive Lindsey Wilkinson September 30, 2025

Just 15% of IT application leaders are currently piloting, deploying or considering fully autonomous AI agents that do not require human oversight, Gartner found. A much larger percentage — 75% — are piloting or deploying some form of AI agents.

Link: Gartner Press Release Gartner Survey Finds Just 15% of IT Application Leaders Are Considering, Piloting, or Deploying Fully Autonomous AI Agents

SUSTAINABILITY / SAFETY / SECURITY

California guts key Advanced Clean Fleet Rules; what’s next?

Freight Waves John Kingston September 30, 2025

“CARB adds flexibility to truck fleet requirements with amendments to help owners continue zero-emission progress” was the headline on the release published after the Thursday hearing. The flexibility it spoke of regards the requirement for state or local government fleets to buy a growing percentage of ZEVs.

Link: California Air Resources Board Press Release CARB adds flexibility to truck fleet requirements with amendments to help owners continue zero-emission progress

Ford CEO: EV Market Will Be ‘Way Smaller Than We Thought’

Transport Topics/Bloomberg News Keith Naughton September 30, 2025

Farley on Sept. 30 said he sees more opportunity in “partial electrification,” such as gas-electric hybrids. He believes pure EVs are best suited for commuter vehicles that make “short runs” and account for only 5% to 7% of the market. 

BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMY

CFOs expect tariff-fueled price pressures to persist into 2026

Trucking Dive Alexei Alexis September 30, 2025

On average, price growth would be about 30% lower in 2025 and roughly 25% lower in 2026 without the addition of tariffs, according to the survey results, released Wednesday.

Link: Federal Reserve Banks of Richmond and Atlanta CFOs Report Increased Optimism as Uncertainty Fades

Dynamic Discounting: How to Do Dynamic Pricing Right

Knowledge At Wharton Z. John Zhang September 30, 2025

Dynamic pricing isn’t new. Airlines, hotels, and ride-hailing companies have long relied on it to balance demand and supply, maximize profitability, and serve different types of customers. But in 2025, dynamic pricing is spreading rapidly across industries — from grocery retail to fast food to fashion e-commerce to tickets for the upcoming FIFA World Cup — powered by artificial intelligence, digital price tags, and real-time demand data.

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