Supply Chain Intelligence Brief

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TRUCKING

US LTL providers carefully managing capacity in changing market

Journal of Commerce William B. Cassidy December 31, 2025 $Subscription Based

The big picture: US less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers are girding for market changes in 2026, led by the spin-off of FedEx Freight, and hoping for a resurgence in industrial freight to help fill partially empty trailers and terminals. LTL pricing remains elevated, but continued weak demand will likely put further rate increases and carrier expansion plans on hold.

Standard Forwarding Freight suspending operations

CCJ Jason Cannon December 30, 2025

Standard Forwarding Freight has ceased operations effective Dec. 29, the company announced Monday, “following a comprehensive strategic review of the business.”

The 307-truck carrier did not provide a timeline or specific details regarding those next steps.

Large carrier M&A proves elusive in 2025

Freight Waves Todd Maiden December 31, 2025

Bigger deals will likely return in 2026 as trade headwinds ease, freight volumes stabilize and interest rates step lower. Recent belt tightening among carriers could amplify cash flow generation in a recovery scenario, creating a more vibrant M&A backdrop in the new year.

Will FMCSA’s Driver-Oriented Enforcement Initiatives Affect Capacity?

Heavy Duty Trucking Deborah Lockridge December 30, 2025

However, analysts who spoke with Heavy Duty Trucking about trends for 2026 largely agreed that the stricter regulations focused on drivers haven’t yet had a significant impact on capacity. And while they will likely contribute to additional tightening in 2026, on their own, they are not a major factor.

CBP Agents Enter Nation’s CDL Enforcement Efforts

Transport Topics Noël Fletcher December 29, 2025

The latest such action was announced Dec. 19 by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection El Centro Sector, which oversees a 70-mile stretch of border between Mexico and Southern California’s Imperial Valley. Cities in the sector include Calexico, Indio and Riverside.

SHIPPERS / 3PLs

You Can Now Hire Someone to Return All Those Unwanted Gifts

The Wall Street Journal Natasha Khan December 31, 2025 $Subscription Based

Taskrabbit, which connects shoppers to gig workers, has seen a 62% year-over-year increase in return-related bookings during November and December, with more people hiring its “taskers” to do the return leg work. ReturnQueen, a six-year-old startup, expects a 15% to 20% increase in January and February, historically the biggest months for returns.

The Patrick and Barbara Kowalski Freight Brokers Safety Act: Good Hearts, Bad Outcomes

Freight Waves Matthew Leffler December 30, 2025

In December 2025, Congressman John Moolenaar introduced a bill in the House of Representatives called the Patrick and Barbara Kowalski Freight Brokers Safety Act.

The bill targets brokers who hire “unsafe” trucking companies. Here’s the core of it: If a broker contracts with a “specified transportation company,” one that has racked up three or more Department of Transportation (DOT) violations in the past five years, or employs a driver with three or more violations, they’d face a hefty fine.

INDUSTRY

Recap: How last-mile delivery partnerships changed fulfillment in 2025

Digital Commerce 360 Abbas Haleem December 31, 2025

Already among North American leaders in the Top 2000, many retailers have capitalized on their physical stores as key fulfillment assets. Specifically, more of the leading online retailers with physical stores have begun using Instacart, DoorDash and Uber Eats for last-mile delivery. The Top 2000 refers to the largest online retailers in the region based on their annual ecommerce sales and more.

Freight winners in 2026 will build for disruption, uShip CEO says

Freight Waves Noi Mahoney January 1, 2026

After years of volatility driven by geopolitical shocks, labor shortages and sudden capacity swings, freight markets are entering a new phase where disruption is no longer an exception — it’s the operating environment.

That means companies planning for 2026 must rethink resilience, cost control and technology adoption, according to Sean Wu, CEO of uShip, who spoke with FreightWaves about how shippers can position themselves for the next phase of the cycle.

Warehousing vacancies hit new peak, but larger facilities still needed

Journal of Commerce William B. Cassidy December 30, 2025 $Subscription Based

Demand from third-party logistics providers (3PLs) is fueling continued growth in US warehousing and fulfillment space, despite relatively high national vacancy rates and depressed freight volumes. In the longer term, the big opportunity for industrial real estate developers is in data center development, which will continue to drive construction for several years.

TECHNOLOGY

Cybersecurity is a team sport: reflections on the past 12 months

CCJ Joe Ohr January 1, 2026

Now that 2025 has drawn to a close, the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) cybersecurity team is already looking ahead to the trends that will shape the transportation industry’s cybersecurity landscape in 2026.

SUSTAINABILITY / SAFETY / SECURITY

Year Ahead Will Test DOT Power to Withhold State Funds

Transport Topics Noël Fletcher December 30, 2025

The coming year will likely test whether the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation can successfully withhold grants and impose other punitive measures on states for noncompliance with non-domiciled truck driver licensing regulations.

BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMY

GDP grew 4.3% in Q3, and it was ‘healthier’ growth

Freight Waves John Paul Hampstead January 1, 2026

To understand the shift, consider what drove the second quarter’s numbers. Real GDP increased at an annual rate of 3.3% in the second quarter, according to the second estimate released in August. The Bureau of Economic Analysis noted that this increase “primarily reflected a decrease in imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, and an increase in consumer spending.”

Link: Bureau of Economic Analysis Gross Domestic Product, 3rd Quarter 2025 (Initial Estimate) and Corporate Profits (Preliminary)

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