Supply Chain Intelligence Brief

Click here to view this email in your browser.

The Supply Chain Intelligence Brief is a SMC³ member benefit that provides a snapshot of the day’s key industry news. Stay informed and connected with the SMC³ Supply Chain Intelligence Brief. Opt out at any time, with no impact to other SMC³ communications you may receive. If you would like to add any coworkers to the distribution list for this publication, please reply to this message with their names and email addresses.

TRUCKING

Will technology provide a boost to truck drivers — or will it replace them?

NPR Camila Domonoske November 24, 2025

The American economy depends on truckers. Their big rigs ferry food, fuel and countless other goods around the country. But it’s also a dangerous and exhausting job, simultaneously stressful and monotonous.

"I say it’s the last honest job," says Aaron Isaacs, a truck driver in California. "Because you come out here and you earn your money."

Technology is promising to transform this industry.

Trucking Industry 2026 Outlook

ACT Research November 21, 2025

The trucking industry heads into 2026 with cautious stabilization but continued uncertainty, shaped by weak freight fundamentals, tariff-driven cost pressures, and regulatory ambiguity.

ACT expects the imbalance between supply and demand to improve gradually through 2026, with meaningful freight and rate recovery not likely until the second half of the year.

How DOT’s non-citizen CDL crackdown could affect driver recruiting

CCJ November 21, 2025

Jason Cannon: Another issue Steve sees with driver training and recruitment is the entry level driver training requirements, and who is allowed to be an official training provider under that rule?

Steve Gold: The rule, and it’s in place in 2022, February, 2022, and there’s so much fraud and abuse in the FMCSA registry. There’s like 35,000 people say they’re training providers. Who is that?

FMCSA threatens to decertify PA’s CDL program

Freight Waves John Gallagher November 20, 2025

Federal regulators are threatening to withhold up to $151 million in transportation funding earmarked for Pennsylvania if the state fails to correct errors related to the issuance of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses.

ACT Research Looks at Fleets, Drivers and Autonomous Technology Part 2

Heavy Duty Trucking Jack Roberts November 23, 2025

Josh Hankins, senior vice president, J.B. Hunt Transport Services: Can We Charge More For Using Autonomous Trucks?

That’s a great point. There are a couple of things that seem like low-hanging fruit for fleets to me. One is inventory holding costs.

Another is timeliness. If we can get a load there sooner, and take a layover out of the trip? Can we charge extra for that?

SHIPPERS / 3PLs

Americans Are on a Year-End Shopping Spree

The Wall Street Journal Suzanne Kapner and Sarah Nassauer November 23, 2025 $Subscription Based

America’s biggest retailers have discovered that the consumer is far from dead.

For all the hand-wringing over tariffs and a wobbling economy, shoppers are spending where they perceive value as evidenced by strong recent financial results from Walmart, Gap, T.J. Maxx and other chains.

GE Appliances Invests $150 Million in U.S. Suppliers in Reshoring Push

The Wall Street Journal Liz Young November 20, 2025 $Subscription Based

GE Appliances said it has awarded $150 million in contracts to American suppliers as it prepares to move manufacturing of some product lines to the U.S. from China.

Link: GE/Haier Press Release Built with America: GE Appliances Awards $150M in New U.S. Supplier Contracts

INDUSTRY

Diesel Price Upside Momentum to Slow After Recent Jump

Transport Topics Keiron Greenhalgh November 21, 2025

Retail and futures diesel prices have risen in recent weeks, but analysts see fairly limited opportunity for upside in the immediate future.

However, price increases are more likely than usual for this time of year, adding to fleet owners’ worries.

Trans-Atlantic ocean capacity hits 28-month high: Xeneta

Journal of Commerce Greg Knowler November 21, 2025 $Subscription Based

Offered weekly ocean capacity on the trans-Atlantic westbound trade lane reached a 28-month high this week but is set to reduce sharply over the next three months, according to rate benchmarking platform Xeneta.

Link: Xeneta Shipping Index

Transportation sector unemployment dropped to 4.3% in September

DC Velocity November 21, 2025

Unemployment in the transportation sector for September dropped by 0.8% compared to the same month last year to a level of 4.3%, even as the nation’s overall unemployment rate rose for the month, government statistics show.

FedEx CEO Says Global Supply Chain Shocks to Persist

Transport Topics/Bloomberg News Danny Lee November 20, 2025

“There’s a new equilibrium state being formed in this new supply chain pattern and they’re much more regional in nature,” he said at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore on Nov. 20. “The industrial economy is going to take a little longer to change. But once it changes, it’s difficult to go back.”

Borderlands Mexico: Cross-border boom collides with rising security risks

Freight Waves Noi Mahoney November 23, 2025

“In Mexico, the law is the wild South, where there’s almost no law,” he said. Under current UMA-based formulas, Mexican carriers are only liable for roughly $2,000 on a typical 40,000-pound load. “If you’re growing your footprint in Mexico and you don’t know that, you shouldn’t be in Mexico.”

Waymo to begin manual drives in Minneapolis, Tampa and New Orleans, aims to open service in 2026

CNBC Jennifer Elias November 20, 2025

If Waymo does begin operating in those markets next year, that would bring the robotaxi company’s list of 2026 planned expansions to 15 cities.

Link: Waymo Press Release Safe, Routine, Ready: Autonomous driving in five new cities

TECHNOLOGY

AI Ignites the Return of Bezos the Inventor

The Wall Street Journal Tim Higgins November 23, 2025 $Subscription Based

From what I hear, Bezos these days is laser-focused on AI—like 99% of his time. Wake him up in the middle of night, and he is probably dreaming up ideas about AI.

SUSTAINABILITY / SAFETY / SECURITY

What the Pending Federal NOx Standards Mean for Trucking

American Trucking Associations Patrick Kelly November 20, 2025

Last week, the agency contacted ATA and other stakeholders to share its direction. Unfortunately, EPA does not plan to meet our full request. Changes to the 0.035 g/hp-hr. NOx standard or an extension of the 2027 implementation date are not on the table.

RNG seeks to revolutionize the fuel industry with evolving upgrades

Trucking Dive David Taube November 21, 2025

The transport services giant currently has about 200 renewable natural gas-powered vehicles and also began adding trucks with Cummins X15N engines, Mounce said. The engines, which launched last year, allow diesel as well as renewable diesel blends and certain biodiesel blends.

BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMY

We Analyzed 5,000 Calls to Find Out What CEOs Really Think About Tariffs

The Wall Street Journal Theo Francis November 22, 2025 $Subscription Based

Executives are starting to chill out about tariffs after a year of anxiety.

Months into President Trump’s roller coaster of a global trade war, something has shifted. Business leaders sound less gloomy about tariffs than they have for much of the year.

No recession risk for US economy as a whole after $11 billion shutdown hit, Bessent says

Reuters Andrea Shalal and David Lawder November 23, 2025

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday said the 43-day government shutdown caused an $11 billion permanent hit to the U.S. economy, but he was optimistic about growth prospects next year given easing interest rates and tax cuts.

Consumer spending is the U.S. economy’s main driver. Here’s how it’s doing

NPR Ayesha Rascoe November 23, 2025

I would describe the situation as pockets of trouble. Overall, the economy’s actually still in pretty good shape.

We are definitely seeing those pockets of trouble, though. It is alarming that subprime auto loan delinquencies are worse now than they were during the financial crisis. Anytime we say that about any sort of financial issue, that gets your attention.

INDUSTRY EVENTS

SMC³

Jumpstart 26

January 26-28

Renaissance Atlanta Waverly

The Definitive Supply Chain Intelligence Gathering

***Today Is The Final Day For Early Bird Registration Pricing***