Supply Chain Intelligence Brief

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TRUCKING

Large US truckload carriers trim tractor counts to control capacity

Journal of Commerce William B. Cassidy November 6, 2025 $Subscription Based

After rising in the second quarter, the Journal of Commerce Truckload Capacity Index dropped 3.6 percentage points to 72.4% in the third quarter, an all-time low for the index, which runs back to the 2008–09 Great Recession.  

Trucking Grows More Confident About Freight Market Upturn

Transport Topics Keiron Greenhalgh November 6, 2025

GenLogs data shows a 5% drop in carriers plying their trade in the week that ended Nov. 5 and a decrease of 7.3% between Oct. 1 and Oct. 31.

GenLogs tracks unique Department of Transportation numbers observed on the roads each day through a nationwide network of cameras deployed along major interstates and highways.

LRT Group acquires specialized LTL carrier XGS

Freight Waves Todd Maiden November 6, 2025

XGS, also known as Xpress Global Systems, is a Chattanooga, Tennessee-based company specializing in the shipment and distribution of oversized, atypical freight for the flooring industry. The company’s network includes 30 distributions centers across the U.S.

Kodiak’s virtual drivers ace a human safety test

Freight Waves Thomas Wasson November 6, 2025

Kodiak Robotics recently made another first, not from a safety case or new route but from its virtual driver being scored as if it were a human one. According to Nauto, a fleet safety technology provider, Kodiak’s virtual driver, called the Kodiak Driver, passed with flying colors.

Link: Kodiak News Kodiak’s Self-Driving Trucks Achieve Top Score in Nauto Driver Safety Evaluation

Yellow’s $137M-plus lawsuit against Teamsters revived

Freight Waves Todd Maiden November 6, 2025

A federal appeals court has reinstated defunct Yellow Corp.’s $137-million-plus lawsuit against the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The decision overturns a previous dismissal by a lower court, allowing the former less-than-truckload carrier to pursue its breach-of-contract case.

SHIPPERS / 3PLs

Amid economic uncertainty, NRF forecast calls for a record retail holiday sales season

Logistics Management Jeff Berman November 6, 2025

To that end, Shay pointed out that consumer spending currently accounts for more than 68% of U.S. GDP, its highest level in nearly 15 years, calling it a trend that NRF has seen change over the last few decades, as consumer behavior and consumption have continued to play a greater role in GDP.

 Link: National Retail Federation Press Release NRF Expects Holiday Sales to Surpass $1 Trillion for the First Time in 2025

RXO faces a rate squeeze: what it means for the 3PL

Freight Waves John Kingston November 6, 2025

The word that came up repeatedly from RXO management during the 3PL’s earnings call with analysts was “squeeze.”

RXO is facing a squeeze created by contractual rates the brokerage locked in at lower numbers and a suddenly rising level of rates needed to provide capacity into those obligations.

Unlocking the last mile: A strategic framework for in-store fulfillment

Supply Chain Management Review Sai Teja Yerapothina, Senior Director, Last Mile Delivery, Walmart November 6, 2025

The last mile defines competitiveness: Over half of e-commerce fulfillment costs occur in the final delivery stage, making last-mile optimization essential for cost control and customer satisfaction.

Stores are untapped fulfillment assets: Retailers can achieve faster, greener deliveries by reengineering existing stores into localized omnichannel hubs instead of relying solely on centralized fulfillment centers.

Ecommerce Trends: How Home Depot is using AI

Digital Commerce 360 Brian Warmoth November 6, 2025

The Home Depot enjoys prime visibility in artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platforms, and announcements over the past year show not only how Home Depot is using AI to drive discovery, but to improve fulfillment and conversion as well.

US Steel outlines $14B domestic investment plan with Nippon Steel

Manufacturing Dive Nathan Owens November 6, 2025

The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker said it will invest $11 billion on its domestic facilities with a focus on manufacturing, research and development and product innovation by the end of 2028. The effort will also “protect and create” more than 100,000 jobs nationwide.

INDUSTRY

Warehouse demand grows as companies push through tariff uncertainty

Supply Chain Dive Max Garland November 6, 2025

Phoenix, Indianapolis lead demand spike

Climbing demand and a limited pipeline of future supply will aid in vacancies potentially stabilizing in the coming quarters as the industrial real estate market regains momentum, according to Colliers. Vacancy rates landed at 7.4% in Q3, up 72 basis points year over year.

Link: Colliers Q3 2025 U.S. Industrial Market Statistics

Shipping Giant Maersk Lifts Lower End of Earnings Guidance on Strong Demand

The Wall Street Journal Dominic Chopping November 6, 2025 $Subscription Based

Despite heightened market challenges from global trade tensions and macroeconomic uncertainty, Maersk’s main shipping business posted a 7% increase in third-quarter freight volumes, buoyed by exports from East Asia, with China the main driver of volume growth supported by strong demand for technology goods.

Descartes lists top three challenges for freight forwarders and customs brokers

DC Velocity November 6, 2025

As the logistics industry navigates global uncertainty and technological opportunity, a study from supply chain software vendor Descartes finds that the most significant challenges that freight forwarders and customs brokers expect to face over the next five years include: global instability (60%), tariff changes (42%), and customer pricing pressure (61%).

Link: Descartes Press Release Descartes’ Study Finds 67% of Freight Forwarders and Customs Brokers View Technology as Fundamental to Growth

TECHNOLOGY

The state of AI in 2025: Agents, innovation, and transformation

McKinsey & Company Alex Singla et al. November 5, 2025

AI use continues to broaden but remains primarily in pilot phases

Our latest survey shows a larger share of respondents reporting AI use by their organizations, though most have yet to scale the technologies. The share of respondents saying their organizations are using AI in at least one business function has increased since our research last year: 88 percent report regular AI use in at least one business function, compared with 78 percent a year ago.

These AI Power Users Are Impressing Bosses and Leaving Co-Workers in the Dust

The Wall Street Journal Callum Borchers November 5, 2025 $Subscription Based

They aren’t the Ph.D.s who build machine-learning models and command multimillion-dollar pay packages. They are regular workers who have become uncommonly savvy with existing AI tools, often through trial and error.

They get more done, faster, and—this is critical—cultivate reputations for being ahead of the curve.

More than 1 in 3 companies plan to replace entry-level roles with AI

CIO Dive Laurel Kalser November 6, 2025

Cutting junior hires may increase savings in the short run, but drying up the pipeline to future leaders could create a long-term crisis, a Korn Ferry report warned.

Turning Real-Time Satellite Data into a Competitive Advantage

HBR Adam Burden et al. November 6, 2025 $Subscription Based

Businesses across industries are using real-time satellite data to gain an edge. The number of active satellites has tripled in five years and could reach 60,000 by 2030, fueling a booming space economy with venture capital pouring in. Modern satellites are equipped with AI and edge computing, making them smart tools for predictive logistics, environmental monitoring, and fast disaster response.

SUSTAINABILITY / SAFETY / SECURITY

Elevated Cargo Theft Landscape Settles Into New Normal

Transport Topics Connor D. Wolf  November  6, 2025

Verisk Analytics’ CargoNet found in its third-quarter trend analysis report that theft events increased 1% year over year to 772 across the United States and Canada. This marked a 10% sequential decline from Q2, but the report also noted that the cost still reached record levels at $111.9 million.

What’s the future of safety technology?

Fleet Owner Josh Fisher November 6, 2025

Fleet technology leaders share how AI, data, and automation will redefine commercial vehicle safety through predictive, proactive systems by 2030.

Belly freight shouldering airlines’ CO2 emissions burden: forwarders

Journal of Commerce Greg Knowler November 6, 2025 $Subscription Based

“Passengers with their weight and space around them occupy 80% of an aircraft and cargo 20%, but because cargo is denser and uses all available space, the weight might be 50:50,” Achim Martinka, DSV’s vice president of global air freight, commercial and sustainability, said Wednesday.

BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMY

Job cuts in October hit highest level for the month in 22 years, Challenger says

CNBC Jeff Cox November 6, 2025

“Like in 2003, a disruptive technology is changing the landscape,” said Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer at outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Link: Challenger, Gray & Christmas Layoffs Hit Highest Level for the Month Since 2003; Hiring Slows to Lowest Point in 14 Years

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