Supply Chain Intelligence Brief

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TRUCKING

ArcBest awaiting LTL demand inflection

Freight Waves Todd Maiden March 9, 2026

ArcBest reported flattish metrics for February as it awaits a more meaningful turn in less-than-truckload demand. Results at its asset-based segment appeared to decelerate from January, but the prior-year comparison was skewed by a particularly weak January 2025.

Link: ArcBest First Quarter 2026 Update

Old Dominion Freight Line completes new site in Washington

Trucking Dive David Taube March 9, 2026

A new 65-door facility developed by Old Dominion Freight Line is open for operations in Pasco, Washington, the carrier announced March 3.

“This new state-of-the-art facility adds capacity to our LTL network to support our customers’ future growth,” the company said.

Trucking leaders see signs of supply rebalancing

Trucking Dive Larry Avila March 9, 2026

“When you think about all the things that are going on, whether it’s the non-domicile drivers, the English language proficiency, or the CDL schools that really could impact supply, I think we’re in the early innings of a lot of that,” Runser said during Bloomberg Intelligence’s Talking Transports podcast that aired March 3. 

How Iran conflict could impact carriers this week and beyond

Fleet Owner Jeremy Wolfe March 9, 2026

“It’s worth remembering that, unlike most contract freight, spot rates don’t include a separate fuel surcharge,” DAT’s Croke said. “Because spot loads are booked close to the pickup date, the rate negotiated between the carrier and freight broker is expected to already reflect current diesel prices.

UPS’ future is less e-commerce, more SMB, B2B and healthcare

Supply Chain Dive Max Garland March 9, 2026

The carrier is pursuing growth in high-value verticals as major customer Amazon pulls shorter-distance shipments into its own network.

Link: UPS Raymond James 47th Annual Institutional Investors Conference

PlusAI unveils major upgrade to autonomous trucking platform

Freight Waves Thomas Wasson March 9, 2026

PlusAI rolled out SuperDrive 6.0, adding night driving and construction-zone handling to its autonomous trucking software — two capabilities the Santa Clara-based company says could finally make around-the-clock driverless freight operations a reality.

Link: PlusAI Press Release PlusAI Launches SuperDrive™ 6.0 to Accelerate Scaled Commercialization of Driverless Autonomous Trucking Operations

SHIPPERS / 3PLs

How $100 oil forces B2B sellers to rethink delivery

Digital Commerce 360 Mark Brohan March 9, 2026

For B2B ecommerce sellers, the result is higher costs at every stage of the fulfillment process — from inbound shipments arriving at distribution centers to last-mile deliveries to customers.

Transportation companies pass rising fuel costs to shippers through fuel surcharges.

INDUSTRY

U.S.-bound imports are projected to fall as tariff confusion and geopolitical risks cloud supply chain outlook, reports Port Tracker

Logistics Management Jeff Berman March 9, 2026

Port Tracker issued projections for February and the subsequent months, including:

• February, at 2.01 million TEU, down 1.3% annually;
• March, at 1.91 million TEU, down 11.2% annually;
• April, at 2.03 million TEU, down 8.1% annually;
• May, at 2.09 million TEU, 7%, which would mark the first annual gain since August 2025)

Related: DC Velocity U.S. ports to see rising uncertainty, falling container imports

Link: National Retail Federation Import Cargo Volume Expected to Be Down in First Half of 2026, But Too Soon to Tell Impact from Iran

Iran war leads largest shipping line to terminate Mideast Gulf voyages, levy $800 charge

Freight Waves Stuart Chirls March 9, 2026

For the current Middle East situation, MSC on March 3 has issued an “End of Voyage” declaration for cargo, whether still ashore or at sea, billed to ports in the Arabian Gulf.

Link: MSC Important Notice – End of Voyage Declaration for Exports from the Arabian and Persian Gulf

Shippers bear brunt of costs and delays from Iran war

Supply Chain XChange Ben Ames March 9, 2026

According to Cargowise, a logistics transaction platform from Australian tech firm WiseTech Global, the supply chain impact is not confined to the Middle East. As carriers adjust routing decisions, disruption is surfacing across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. This indicates how quickly volatility in one region cascades through interconnected global trade lanes.

Diesel Is Sending an Economic Warning. These Refiners Could Benefit.

Barron’s Laura Sanicola March 9, 2026

Energy markets are signaling an even tighter supply for distillate fuels, including diesel and jet fuel, ahead. Even after falling about 13% from the highs reached in the past 24 hours, diesel futures are up roughly 76% year to date.

CBP lays out initial tariff refund plan that requires ‘minimal’ work from importers

Journal of Commerce Benjamin Meyer March 9, 2026 $Subscription Based

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will need 45 days to set up the process for importers to begin receiving refunds for tariffs charged under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). But those shippers will not have to sue the administration for relief, according to a declaration filed with US Court of International Trade (CIT).

Related: Supply Chain Dive As Trump tariff refund process takes shape, importers remain uncertain

IMC Logistics Opens First Non-US Facility in Toronto

Transport Topics Keiron Greenhalgh March 9, 2026

The facility is intended to boost IMC’s ability to support cross-border freight shipments as well as offering domestic marine drayage in Canada.

TECHNOLOGY

The World Is Full of GPS Dead Zones. Here’s What Comes Next.

The Wall Street Journal Christopher Mimms March 6, 2026 $Subscription Based

Nations and individuals alike are deploying cheap but increasingly sophisticated electronic-warfare systems, mostly to thwart attacks by drones and smart munitions. Some jammers, which drown out the relatively weak GPS signals from satellites 12,000 miles up in orbit, are as small as a cellphone and cost less than $100.

The “Last Mile” Problem Slowing AI Transformation

HBR Karim R. Lakhani et al. March 9, 2026 $Subscription Based

Few companies have been able to fundamentally change their operating and business models around AI. The primary obstacle to progress is rarely model quality or data availability, but rather the “last mile” of transformation where technical capability must meet organizational design. There are seven frictions that contribute to this problem: proliferation of pilots, the productivity gap, process debt, the identity problem of tribal knowledge, agentic governance, architectural complexity, and the efficiency trap.

Shadow AI rises as leaders choose speed over governance

CIO Dive Scarlett Evans March 9, 2026

With businesses under pressure to automate operations, more than half of department-level AI initiatives lack formal approval or oversight, according to EY’s Technology Pulse Poll published Thursday. The report surveyed 500 business leaders in tech across the U.S.

Link: EY Survey: autonomous AI adoption surges at tech companies as oversight falls behind

Anthropic launches code review tool to check flood of AI-generated code

TechCrunch Rebecca Bellan March 9, 2026

When it comes to coding, peer feedback is crucial for catching bugs early, maintaining consistency across a codebase, and improving overall software quality.

Anthropic’s solution is an AI reviewer designed to catch bugs before they make it into the software’s codebase. The new product, called Code Review, launched Monday in Claude Code.

Copilot Cowork: A new way of getting work done

Microsoft Charles Lamanna March 9, 2026

Cowork makes it easy to delegate work. Describe the outcome you want and Cowork automatically grounds the work in your emails, meetings, messages, files, and data. Powered by Work IQ, Cowork draws on signals across Outlook, Teams, Excel, and the rest of Microsoft 365 so it can act with the same understanding you bring to your job.

Electric air taxis are about to take flight in 26 states

TechCrunch Kirsten Korosec March 9, 2026

The three-year program, which will span 26 states, is designed to ensure U.S. companies lead the way in next-gen aircraft used for personal travel, regional transportation, cargo logistics, and emergency medicine, Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in remarks Monday.

Link: Department of Transportation Press Release Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Unveil Eight Selections for Pilot Program Testing Next-Gen Aircraft in America’s Skies

SUSTAINABILITY / SAFETY / SECURITY

How cargo thieves are stealing millions of dollars in tech hardware

The Washington Post Todd C. Frankel March 9, 2026 $Subscription Based

Thieves today are targeting the pricey computer parts driving the AI and tech booms, snatching high-speed RAM modules, advanced computer chips and server racks as they flow toward the data centers and related industries popping up across the country. The thieves are also using increasingly sophisticated means to pull off their heists.

NMFTA Launches Freight Fraud Prevention Hub

Transport Topics March 9, 2026

The Freight Fraud Prevention Hub operates as a centralized destination for educational content, practical tools and insights focused on fraud prevention best practices, such as identifying carriers and impersonation risks. The aim is to help supply chain operators, such as carriers, shippers and third-party logistics providers, become better educated in detecting and preventing freight fraud.

Link: NMFTA Freight Fraud Prevention Hub

Tesla Semi electric truck factory finally nears completion as mass production looms

The Driven Riz Akhtar March 10, 2026

The factory, once completed, will be capable of producing 50,000 Semi trucks a year, a big step up from pilot production and customer trials seen so far.

Related: Electrek Tesla opens its first Megacharger station to Semi customers in California

EPA Extends GHG Reporting Deadline, Signaling Possible Shift in Federal Emissions Data Collection

ACT News March 6, 2026

While fleets themselves are generally not subject to the reporting program, the rule has long played an indirect role in how transportation-sector emissions are measured.

Much of the emissions data associated with freight transportation is not collected from vehicles or fleets directly, but from upstream fuel suppliers.

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