Supply Chain Intelligence Brief

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TRUCKING

US shippers expand use of private fleets despite low truck rates

Journal of Commerce William B. Cassidy September 22, 2025 $Subscription Based

Shipments handled by private fleets increased 11.7% year over year in 2024, according to data released last week by the National Private Truck Council (NPTC).

Related: Transport Topics For-Hire Carriers Gain Record Share of Private Fleet Freight

Truckload demand and rates slumped in August

DC Velocity September 22, 2025

“August underscored how shippers pulling forward imports earlier in the year is affecting typical seasonal demand for trucks,” Ken Adamo, DAT’s chief of analytics, said in a release. “Retail goods that usually move in August—back-to-school and holiday products, for example—are already in inventory.”

Dayton Freight relocates, expands Illinois terminal

Freight Waves Todd Maiden September 22, 2025

A new 32-door terminal in Mount Vernon, Illinois, is approximately 30 minutes from the old terminal in Salem, Illinois, and a little more than one hour away from major metro hub St. Louis, Missouri.

Link: Dayton Freight Press Release Dayton Freight’s Salem Service Center Doubles In Size and Relocates To Mount Vernon, Illinois

FedEx Freight sees flat growth ahead of 2026 spinoff as LTL market stays sluggish

Fleet Owner Geert De Lombaerde September 22, 2025

Executives said the division is about halfway to its goal of hiring 400 sales and sales support people by next June.

SHIPPERS / 3PLs

As Supply Chain Volatility Rises, 4PLs Prove Strategic

Transport Topics Gary Frantz September 22, 2025

While third-party logistics providers arrange transportation and provide warehousing for shippers, a 4PL manages a customer’s entire supply chain at a single point of contact.

Target expanding next-day delivery to top 35 cities

Freight Waves Eric Kulisch September 22, 2025

During the second quarter, Target delivered over 2 million more packages the next day than it did during the period a year earlier, according to Gretchen McCarthy, executive vice president and chief supply chain & logistics.

ITS Logistics leverages flexible transportation model for retail hubs

Trucking Dive Alejandra Carranza September 22, 2025

ITS Logistics’ newly launched Retail Logistics Hubs will tap into the 3PL’s broad network of transportation and carrier partners to serve its retail customers, Kasia Wenker, VP of solutions engineering, told Trucking Dive. The goal is to help retailers combat tariff volatility and meet consumer expectations for speedy delivery.

Link: ITS Press Release ITS Logistics Launches Retail Logistics Hubs to Help Brands Navigate Tariffs, Compliance, and Customer Expectations

INDUSTRY

US Trailer Industry Facing Challenging Times

ACT Research September 22, 2025

“As the industry remains in the weaker months of the annual order cycle, build again outpaced orders in August. Trailer production was about double order placements,” McNealy continued.

Blue Yonder Unveils AI Upgrades to Transportation Platform

Supply Chain 24/7 September 22, 2025

Blue Yonder says the changes will help transportation leaders run smarter operations, respond to disruption quickly, and work more closely with carriers and suppliers to keep supply chains moving.

Link: Blue Yonder Press Release Blue Yonder Elevates Transportation Management Solution With Advanced Cognitive Intelligence

TECHNOLOGY

How Today’s Cybercriminals Con Their Way Into Trucking Operations

Heavy Duty Trucking Ben Wilkens September 22, 2025

Gone (as in filtered out, for the most part) are the infected attachments, the dodgy links to online sweepstakes prizes, and claims of a pending inheritance from a foreign royal if you “just send $500 in gift cards” for processing first.

These cybersecurity threats have been replaced by domain-specific and industry-appropriate business communications designed to get through modern email filters.

Zebra: AI tech can speed frontline workflows

DC Velocity Ben Ames September 22, 2025

The study also found that better data management is essential to achieving further workflow digitization over the next three years, especially in priority areas like improving operational efficiency (48%), better understanding of supply chain issues and opportunities (37%), happier customers (34%), and enhancement of inventory accuracy and management (34%).

Link: Zebra Technologies Press Release Zebra Study with Oxford Economics: Automation of Workflows Drives 20% Increase in Productivity

AI-Generated “Workslop” Is Destroying Productivity

HBR Kate Niederhoffer et al. September 22, 2025

Despite a surge in generative AI use across workplaces, most companies are seeing little measurable ROI. One possible reason is because AI tools are being used to produce “workslop”—content that appears polished but lacks real substance, offloading cognitive labor onto coworkers. Research from BetterUp Labs and Stanford found that 41% of workers have encountered such AI-generated output, costing nearly two hours of rework per instance and creating downstream productivity, trust, and collaboration issues.

It’s 2025, stop using ChatGPT for everything: A pro’s guide to picking the right AI for the job

Tom’s Guide Amanda Caswell September 22, 2025

If you use ChatGPT for everything, you’re missing out on some really great alternatives that offer a lot of smarter, faster and more specialized features. With Gemini the public’s chosen favorite and Grok topping the leaderboards, many users are already seeing the perks of switching.

SUSTAINABILITY / SAFETY / SECURITY

Manufacturers scrutinize supply chains for California scope 3 emissions disclosures

Manufacturing Dive Mary Catherine O’Connor September 22, 2025

While federal regulations may be on hold, California is moving ahead with greenhouse gas reporting requirements. Manufacturers are digging deep into their data to get ready.

LA-LB likely to work with regulator on emissions-cutting plan for ports

Journal of Commerce Bill Mongelluzzo September 22, 2025 $Subscription Based

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) should work with the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on developing a joint plan to reduce emissions at the ports rather than unilaterally imposing its own solution, a committee within Southern California’s clean air regulator has recommended.

Truck makers’ challenge to Clean Truck pact a response to a bad deal

CCJ Jim Mullen September 22, 2025

Trucking emissions have significantly declined since the 1980s, with new clean diesel trucks producing up to 99% lower emissions of pollutants like nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Our industry is a willing partner in clean air, but one can’t be singularly focused on zero-emission trucks. We need to be looking at the total carbon footprint and the total emission impact of the powertrain.

Uber Freight, Tesla Launch EV Purchase Accelerator

Transport Topics Keiron Greenhalgh September 22, 2025

Uber Freight and Tesla are teaming on an all-inclusive program for carriers that will package Class 8 Tesla Semi electric trucks, charging infrastructure and guaranteed freight as a means of jump-starting adoption of the manufacturer’s oft-delayed zero-emission trucks.

FMCSA Data Shows Surge in Roadside Inspections

Transport Topics Noël Fletcher September 22, 2025

During the 90-day stretch between the June 25 kickoff of ELP reinstatement and Aug. 31, federal roadside inspections rose 67% to nearly 8,000 compared with 4,772 during the same span last year.

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