The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is seeking approval to implement an 8% fuel surcharge on its parcel products — a move that would mark the first time the agency has ever applied a fuel surcharge to domestic parcel shipping. According to a report by FreightWaves on March 25, 2026, the surcharge is a direct response to a sharp rise in gasoline and diesel prices following the escalation of military conflict in the Middle East nearly a month ago. Fuel costs have surged more than 3

FedEx is making a significant move to strengthen its same-day delivery capabilities. On March 24, 2026, the company announced the launch of FedEx SameDay Local , a new service developed in partnership with last-mile orchestration platform OneRail . This service allows customers to offer two-hour or end-of-day delivery at checkout, expanding FedEx’s ability to handle time-sensitive, large, oversized, or specialized shipments that traditionally fall outside standard next-day o

As we close the books on 2025, one trend stands out clearly in the transportation sector: costs continued to climb . According to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and analyzed by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the price of producing key transportation services reached new highs or near-highs last year, signaling increased expenses for businesses that rely on moving goods and people. Key Highlights from 2025 Transp

In a pivotal development for the U.S. parcel delivery industry, Amazon overtook the U.S. Postal Service as the nation’s largest carrier by volume in 2025, according to ShipMatrix Inc.’s annual parcel market study released March 16, 2026. Amazon handled 6.7 billion parcels —a robust 9.8% year-over-year increase —while the USPS delivered 6.6 billion pieces (down 8.3% ). This marks the first time a private entity has claimed the top spot in domestic parcel volume, signaling a

The ongoing military conflict in the Middle East continues to exert significant upward pressure on global energy markets, with the EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook (March 2026 release) forecasting sustained high crude oil prices and downstream impacts on U.S. diesel, natural gas, and electricity generation. For Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) carriers, shippers, and logistics managers, the most immediate concern is the sharp rise in diesel prices—already a major component of operatin

The ongoing military conflict in Iran remains a dominant force shaping global markets and U.S. freight dynamics. According to the latest SMC³ Monthly LTL Executive Briefing (February 2026 edition, powered by Armada Corporate Intelligence), the situation is already driving higher diesel prices and maritime disruptions, with longer-term ripple effects expected as commodity and material shortages begin to emerge across sectors. While near-term conditions remain bullish for Les

The ongoing military conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel has resulted in the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz —one of the most strategically vital maritime chokepoints on the planet. During his keynote at TPM26 (the annual Trans-Pacific Maritime conference) hosted by S&P Global in Long Beach on March 2, 2026, Ocean Network Express (ONE) CEO Jeremy Nixon delivered a sobering assessment of the immediate and cascading impacts on global container shipp

In a 5-4 decision handed down on February 24, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in United States Postal Service v. Konan that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) retains sovereign immunity under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) even when employees intentionally fail to deliver mail . Justice Clarence Thomas, writing for the majority, held that the FTCA's postal exception—which shields the government from liability for claims "arising out of the loss, miscarriage, or negligent

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released its updated Transportation Satellite Accounts (TSAs) today, showing that transportation services contributed $1.9 trillion —or 6.3% —to an enhanced U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) of $29.8 trillion in 2024. While still a substantial economic force, this marks the second consecutive year of decline from a post-pandemic peak of 6.6% in 2022. The TSAs provide a comprehensive view by ca

In a pivotal 6-3 decision issued on February 13, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump's broad tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The ruling, authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, declared that IEEPA does not grant the executive branch authority for such sweeping, retaliatory trade duties—a significant blow to the administration's trade strategy since February 2025. As supply chains and freight markets co

FedEx is pushing forward with its ambitious Network 2.0 transformation, a multiyear initiative to consolidate its historically separate Ground and Express operations into a more efficient, unified network. During the company's 2026 Investor Day presentation on February 13, Scott Ray—COO-elect for U.S. and Canada surface operations—revealed that FedEx expects to close over 475 stations by the end of 2027. This represents approximately 30% of the carrier's overall facility f

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released its December 2025 Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) today, showing a 0.6% decline from November 2025. This marks the first monthly drop after one month of growth. On a year-over-year basis, the index rose 0.4% compared to December 2024, indicating underlying stability despite the sequential pullback. The Freight TSI, which tracks the volume of freight moved by for-hire trans

In a landmark deal announced on February 9, 2026, a consortium led by FedEx and private equity powerhouse Advent International has agreed to acquire InPost , Europe's leading provider of automated parcel lockers and out-of-home delivery solutions, in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately €7.8 billion (about $9.2 billion ). The offer price of €15.60 per share (cum dividend) represents a 50% premium to InPost's undisturbed share price from early January 2026. The

SMC3 Monthly LTL Executive Briefing LTL Producer Price Index The U.S. economy kicked off 2026 with choppy but generally positive momentum, according to the latest Armada Corporate Intelligence Monthly LTL Executive Briefing. After a turbulent January marked by geopolitical volatility, extreme weather, trade uncertainties, and domestic headlines, business conditions showed modest improvement. Consumer resilience, manufacturing gains, booming nonresidential construction in key

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is reshaping its last-mile delivery landscape with a new online bidding process that opens access to its extensive network of facilities. Launched in January 2026, this initiative allows shippers of all sizes to bid for direct entry into more than 18,000 Destination Delivery Units (DDUs) and over 170 local processing centers (LPCs) nationwide. The goal? Faster, more reliable delivery—often same-day or next-day—while helping USPS monetize its i

Copyright Logistics Manager's Index The latest Logistics Manager’s Index (LMI®) , released by researchers from Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Florida Atlantic University, Rutgers University, the University of Nevada, Reno, and in partnership with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), shows the U.S. logistics sector accelerating into 2026. The January LMI registered at 59.6 , up +5.2 points from December's 54.2 (an 18-month low) a

Copyright Institute for Supply Management - PMI Report January 2026 The Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) released its January 2026 Manufacturing PMI® Report today, delivering encouraging news for the U.S. industrial sector. For the first time in 12 months, manufacturing activity expanded, with the headline Manufacturing PMI® jumping to 52.6% —a substantial 4.7 percentage point increase from December's seasonally adjusted reading of 47.9%. This marks the end of 26 con

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released its December 2025 Truck-Rail Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) today, showing modest but positive momentum in the sector. The index, which tracks the volume of freight moved by for-hire trucking and freight railroads (including intermodal shipments), rose 0.2% from November 2025 to 135.1 (seasonally adjusted, base year 2000=100). This marks the second consecutive monthly inc

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), under the U.S. Department of Transportation, has released its monthly TransBorder Freight Data for November 2025. Published on a fixed schedule as mandated by the Office of Management and Budget, this comprehensive dataset captures the value of U.S. imports and exports with Canada and Mexico across all major transportation modes, commodities, and key geographic points. These figures, reported in nominal U.S. dollars, do not adjus

In the complex world of less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping, missed pickups have long been an accepted — yet costly — reality. With a single truck often carrying freight from up to 20 different shippers, tight schedules, terminal congestion, traffic delays, or communication breakdowns can easily disrupt the entire network. A single missed pickup doesn't just affect one shipment; it triggers a cascade of delays across terminals, routes, and other customers' freight, leading to