Talking Logistics

Robotic Trailer Loading/Unloading: High Interest, Limited Adoption

Talking Logistics — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:12:16 GMT

Image Source: ChatGPT

Last June in The Wall Street Journal, Esther Fung reported how “new advances in robotics are [enabling the automation of truck loading and unloading]. Improved sensors and algorithms, advancements in AI and faster image-processing technology are making these robots proficient players in tasks that are like a game of 3-D Tetris.”

The article prompted us to survey members of our Indago supply chain research community — supply chain and logistics executives from manufacturing, retail, and distribution companies — about the use of robots for loading and unloading trailers and containers.

Amazon as a 3PL: Opportunity or Risk?

Image Source: ChatGPT

Amazon recently launched Amazon Supply Chain Services (ASCS), opening its freight, warehousing, fulfillment, and parcel shipping capabilities to businesses beyond Amazon sellers. The offering positions Amazon as a broader third-party logistics (3PL) and supply chain services provider across industries including retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and automotive.

This survey explored how supply chain and logistics executives view this development, including potential benefits, concerns, and whether they would consider Amazon as a logistics partner.

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Above The Fold: Supply Chain Logistics News (June 5, 2026)

Talking Logistics — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:02:17 GMT

Image Source: ChatGPT

I brought my car to the shop on Tuesday for its annual state inspection.

It failed.

Something is wrong with the left front balljoint -- a safety issue -- so I need to get it fixed ASAP.

I’m not happy about it, and neither is my dwindling bank account, but it could’ve been worse.

It could have been me
going to the doc on Tuesday for my annual inspection and failing

-- something wrong with my left hip joint (or worse) that I need to get fixed ASAP.

Aging cars, aging bodies

You never know what’s gonna go.

---

Here’s the supply chain and logistics news that caught my attention this week:

Amazon as a 3PL: Opportunity or Risk?

Image Source: ChatGPT

This survey explored how supply chain and logistics executives view this development, including potential benefits, concerns, and whether they would consider Amazon as a logistics partner.

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How Big Is The ‘Zombie Inventory’ Problem?

Talking Logistics — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:01:08 GMT

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In response to the Covid pandemic and other disruptions, many companies shifted from Just-in-Time to Just-in-Case inventory strategies. But as demand normalized, many warehouses were left with growing amounts of “Zombie Inventory” — slow-moving, obsolete, or no-longer-needed items that tie up valuable warehouse space, working capital, and management attention.

Just how big is the zombie inventory problem?

To find out, we surveyed our Indago members — supply chain and logistics executives from manufacturing, retail, and distribution companies — in December 2025.

Most respondents indicated that zombie inventory was…

Amazon as a 3PL: Opportunity or Risk?

Image Source: ChatGPT

This survey explored how supply chain and logistics executives view this development, including potential benefits, concerns, and whether they would consider Amazon as a logistics partner.

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Above The Fold: Supply Chain Logistics News (May 29, 2026)

Talking Logistics — Fri, 29 May 2026 14:59:43 GMT

Image Source: ChatGPT

For the first time in a long time, all four of my kids (who are all adults now) have been home this week.

It’s been nice, especially since my wife and I will become “empty nesters” this fall when our youngest daughter heads off to college.

The only problem is that we seem to run out of food every 27 and a half hours. Milk, eggs, yogurt, strawberries, blueberries, grapes barely last a day in the fridge. I grilled 5 packages of chicken thighs the other night and there were no leftovers. Even the veggies are going fast.

In fairness to our VP of Logistics and Replenishment — that is, my wife — the kids didn’t eat this much, and so fast, when they were younger and smaller. Or maybe they did and we’re just out of practice.

All I know is that as the VP of Finance, I’ll need to adjust our food budget (and water and laundry budget too) the next time we have all the grown birdies in the nest again.

Moving on, here’s the supply chain and logistics news that caught my attention this week:

Amazon as a 3PL: Opportunity or Risk?

Image Source: ChatGPT

This survey explored how supply chain and logistics executives view this development, including potential benefits, concerns, and whether they would consider Amazon as a logistics partner.

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Latest Talking Logistics Episode:

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Final Mile Excellence: What Separates The Best From The Rest

Talking Logistics — Thu, 28 May 2026 14:22:42 GMT

Image Source: ChatGPT

As I’ve written many times for Talking Logistics, final mile is not simply the last step in the delivery process — it’s also the final moment of truth, where the customer experience is either won or lost for many companies. But delivering on that promise is becoming increasingly difficult. Expectations for speed, visibility, flexibility, and reliability continue to rise, while operational complexity and customer expectations keep growing.

So, what separates final mile leaders from the rest? That is the main question I discussed with Nate Browne, SVP of Final Mile, and Meg Meuer, VP of Final Mile Sales at Werner, during a recent episode of Talking Logistics.

Amazon as a 3PL: Opportunity or Risk?

Image Source: ChatGPT

This survey explored how supply chain and logistics executives view this development, including potential benefits, concerns, and whether they would consider Amazon as a logistics partner.

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Navigating The Post-IEEPA Regulatory Landscape

Talking Logistics — Wed, 27 May 2026 14:31:43 GMT

Image Source: ChatGPT

On February 20, 2026 the Supreme Court invalidated the tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA. This introduced a new layer of uncertainty for global trade. As we all know, tariffs directly influence sourcing decisions, pricing, and broader supply chain strategy, so any shift in tariff authority or refund eligibility carries significant implications for importers, customs brokers, and logistics service providers. As a result, a lot of questions have arisen about refunds, audit and enforcement risks, duty planning, and what trade measures might come next. To help us unpack these issues and what companies should be thinking about moving forward, I interviewed Glenn Palanacki, VP Product Management at Descartes during a recent episode of Talking Logistics.

Amazon as a 3PL: Opportunity or Risk?

Image Source: ChatGPT

This survey explored how supply chain and logistics executives view this development, including potential benefits, concerns, and whether they would consider Amazon as a logistics partner.

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Latest Talking Logistics Episode:

How AI is Unlocking Hidden Capacity in Delivery Fleets

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Above The Fold: Supply Chain Logistics News (May 22, 2026)

Talking Logistics — Fri, 22 May 2026 13:46:17 GMT

Image Source: ChatGPT

My wife’s uncle Bernie died earlier this week after battling Parkinson’s for several years. He was 88 years old. I learned at his funeral — because it had never come up in conversation before — that he had served as a Captain in the U.S. Army. In their eulogies, his children and grandchildren spoke about how proud Bernie was of having served his country, and how much he loved putting up the American flag at his house.

When we arrived at the cemetery, an honor guard stood at the gravesite, two soldiers saluting his flag-draped casket. A female soldier then stepped a few feet away and played “Taps” on her trumpet while the other remained in salute. Afterwards, they ceremoniously lifted the flag from the casket and folded it with crisp precision. Then the senior soldier knelt before Bernie’s wife of 60 years, Bernice, and said:

“On behalf of the President of the United States, the United States Army, and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one’s honorable and faithful service.”

I don’t get emotional very often, but I choked up watching that solemn display of gratitude.

This coming Monday is Memorial Day here in the United States, a federal holiday to honor the men and women who died while serving in the armed forces. Unfortunately, for many people, it has become simply another long weekend: a day to head to the beach, fire up the barbecue, or hunt for holiday sales.

That’s the world we live in these days, for better or worse.

My oldest son, a second lieutenant in the Army Reserves, is coming home today. Well, he doesn’t live here anymore, but as the saying goes, home is where the heart is (and where your childhood bedroom still exists).

I’m going to enlist his help installing a new American flag above our doorway.

We had one years ago, but it became worn and tattered, so I stopped putting it up.

“It’s time,” my wife said to me when she came home with the new flag, to display that star-spangled banner again and watch it wave

o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

—

Here’s the supply chain and logistics news that caught my attention this week:

Amazon as a 3PL: Opportunity or Risk?

Image Source: ChatGPT

This survey explored how supply chain and logistics executives view this development, including potential benefits, concerns, and whether they would consider Amazon as a logistics partner.

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Latest Talking Logistics Episode:

How AI is Unlocking Hidden Capacity in Delivery Fleets

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Running Different: The Supply Chain Imperative

Talking Logistics — Thu, 21 May 2026 14:01:39 GMT

Image Source: ChatGPT

Supply chain leaders are navigating a moment unlike any before. Geopolitical volatility is redrawing trade corridors. Disruption has become the operating condition, not the exception. Transparency mandates are reaching deep into supplier networks. The cost of materials, transportation, and tariffs are all rising. And AI is advancing so rapidly that the gap between early movers and the rest is widening.

All of this must be navigated while simultaneously meeting corporate mandates to support growth and reduce costs, and an industry facing a talent shortage that makes executing this transformation harder still. The response cannot be incremental. It demands a fundamental rethink of how supply chains are designed and operated. Four shifts are defining what that rethink looks like in practice, each centered on a different dimension of collaboration, and each now achievable through advances in supply chain technology: multi-enterprise networks, multi-tier supplier transparency, enterprise alignment, and people working alongside AI.

Amazon as a 3PL: Opportunity or Risk?

Image Source: ChatGPT

This survey explored how supply chain and logistics executives view this development, including potential benefits, concerns, and whether they would consider Amazon as a logistics partner.

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Latest Talking Logistics Episode:

How AI is Unlocking Hidden Capacity in Delivery Fleets

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Freight Fraud Is Escalating. Are You Taking It Seriously Yet?

Talking Logistics — Mon, 18 May 2026 15:12:48 GMT

Image Source: ChatGPT

Let’s step away from all the AI talk for a moment to focus on a growing problem in the supply chain and logistics industry: cargo theft.

According to the Freight Fraud Index published recently by Highway, “Fraud volume reached an all-time high in Q1 2026, and every major indicator accelerated year over year. Highway blocked over 527,000 fraudulent email attempts in Q1 — a 49.9% increase from Q1 2025 — and flagged 2,256 identity alerts, up 89.6% from the same period last year. Change-of-ownership reports surged most dramatically, climbing 169.6% as bad actors continued exploiting MC transfers to establish seemingly legitimate authorities. The pattern is consistent across channels: fraud groups are scaling operations across digital and physical vectors simultaneously, and the pace is accelerating.”

“Behind the numbers, a deeper shift is underway,” the report adds. “New federal licensing rules are reshaping the carrier population, and the instability is creating openings that fraudsters are calculated enough to exploit. As produce season drives freight volumes higher through Q2, the commodities fraudsters target most — meat, seafood, and electronics — will move in even greater volume through the corridors where theft activity is already concentrated.”

Freight fraud and cargo theft have become such serious problems that they’ve caught the attention of mainstream media. Last month, for example, the television news program 60 Minutes aired a segment titled, “Risk on the Road.” Here is how the reporter introduced the segment:

Navigating USMCA Uncertainty

Image Source: ChatGPT

By July 1, 2026, the United States, Mexico, and Canada must decide whether to extend the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement or allow it to enter a cycle of annual reviews that could ultimately lead to its expiration. While a range of scenarios is possible, the path forward remains uncertain. In this environment, how are supply chain and logistics leaders assessing the risks? How dependent are their operations on USMCA? And how prepared are they to respond if conditions change?

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Above The Fold: Supply Chain Logistics News (May 15, 2026)

Talking Logistics — Fri, 15 May 2026 15:24:38 GMT

Image Source: ChatGPT

Writer’s block.

It’s one of the countless things that separates (differentiates) me from AI.

On this cloudy Friday morning, I have no idea what to write in this blank space — and I’m okay with that.

Stay human, my friends.

—

Moving on, here’s the supply chain and logistics news that caught my attention this week:

Navigating USMCA Uncertainty

Image Source: ChatGPT

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Above The Fold: Supply Chain Logistics News (May 8, 2026)

Talking Logistics — Fri, 08 May 2026 15:21:48 GMT

Image Source: ChatGPT

I can’t find my bike helmet.

I was all ready to do my first outdoor ride of the year — technically, it was my third ride, but the first two were in San Diego a few weeks ago, so they don’t count — but I couldn’t find my helmet.

I’ve looked everywhere, including places where it couldn’t possibly be, like the refrigerator and clothes dryer.

It’s gone — or stolen, because that’s how my raised-in-Brooklyn mind tends to work sometimes.

I rode 29 miles using my wife’s helmet.

I’m done looking for it. Later today, I will visit the bike shop and buy a new helmet so that I can ride with my wife this weekend.

And not long after, I will almost certainly find
my lost bike helmet.

—

Moving on, here’s the supply chain and logistics news that caught my attention this week:

Navigating USMCA Uncertainty

Image Source: ChatGPT

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Takeaways From Magaya’s Momentum 2026 Conference

Talking Logistics — Thu, 07 May 2026 15:30:56 GMT

Last week, I put on my guayabera and flew down to Miami for the Magaya Momentum conference.

This year marks Magaya’s 25th anniversary — a notable milestone in the highly competitive and constantly evolving logistics software industry. Magaya Momentum was the company’s first-ever user conference bringing together customers, partners, and industry experts under one roof. More than 225 logistics professionals from the freight forwarding and customs brokerage community attended the two-day event, which featured more than 20 educational and training sessions, along with plenty of opportunities for networking and peer-to-peer conversations.

As one of the keynote speakers — Ben Schreiner, Head of AI and Modern Data Strategy Business Development at Amazon Web Services — commented on LinkedIn, “If you hadn’t told me this was your first conference, I would have assumed it was your 25th!”

At the conference, I conducted video interviews with executives from leading freight forwarding and customs brokerage companies. I also delivered a keynote presentation based on the results of research we conducted recently with 125 industry professionals, where I highlighted six capabilities that will define the leaders in the years ahead.

The full research findings and executive interview insights will be published soon, but below is a sneak peek at some of the themes and takeaways that emerged from the conference.

Navigating USMCA Uncertainty

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Forget AI (At Least For A Moment)

Talking Logistics — Mon, 04 May 2026 14:02:56 GMT

Image Source: ChatGPT

A group manager at a Fortune 100 company meets with his boss. The conversation goes something like this:

Boss: Has your team developed an AI agent yet?
Group Manager: No, we haven’t started yet.
Boss: And why not?
Group Manager: We’re still waiting for functional requirements.
Boss (visibly irate): Don’t you ever give me that bullsh*t excuse again!

This exchange actually happened recently, according to a credible source (he reports directly to the group manager).

Not long after, the team added an AI wrapper to an application that nobody wants or needs — just to say they were “doing AI.”

So, what’s the real state of AI in corporate America?

Navigating USMCA Uncertainty

Image Source: ChatGPT

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Above The Fold: Supply Chain Logistics News (May 1, 2026)

Talking Logistics — Fri, 01 May 2026 15:10:49 GMT

Image Source: ChatGPT

I’m 35,000 feet above the Earth’s surface.

(Have you ever stopped to think about how amazing that is?)

I’m on my way home from the Magaya Momentum conference in Miami, where I spent two days interviewing executives from freight forwarding and customs brokerage companies. I also delivered a keynote presentation on the six capabilities that will define industry leaders moving forward.

I’ll share more insights and key takeaways from the event in a future post, but here’s one observation that stood out:

Navigating USMCA Uncertainty

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The Predictability Premium: Navigating Financial Risk With Dedicated Capacity Models

Talking Logistics — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:02:23 GMT

Image Source: ChatGPT

For the past several years, the supply chain conversation has been dominated by the “pendulum swing” of the freight market. Shippers have cycled through phases of desperate capacity-grabbing and aggressive cost-cutting. However, as we navigate today’s macroeconomic landscape, a new consensus is emerging among CFOs: the traditional transactional approach to transportation is no longer just an operational hurdle, it is a significant financial risk.

Financial risk in the supply chain manifests in ways that far exceed the simple “rate per mile.” Market volatility, escalating insurance premiums, and the hidden costs of service failures have created a “Total Cost of Risk” (TCOR) that can devastate a quarterly P&L. For many organizations, the strategic use of a dedicated fleet is proving to be the most effective hedge against these variables.

The Volatility Hedge: Converting Variable to Fixed

The primary financial appeal of the spot market is the potential for short-term savings when capacity is loose. Yet, this strategy leaves the organization’s budget entirely at the mercy of market inflections. When a primary carrier rejects a tender, the resulting move to a backup provider often incurs a 20% to 50% price premium.

Modern dedicated solutions solve this by employing engineered fleets. Unlike a standard carrier relationship, a dedicated model utilizes specialized equipment and drivers assigned exclusively to a shipper’s network. This transforms volatile, unpredictable spikes into a fixed-cost model, allowing for more accurate long-term financial planning and protecting the organization from the “Bullwhip Effect” of sudden rate surges.

Navigating USMCA Uncertainty

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[From the Archives] How Satisfied Are Companies With Their TMS?

Talking Logistics — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:19:22 GMT

Source: Envato

Editor’s Note: Today’s “From the Archives” post was originally published in April 2024. It highlights research conducted with members of our Indago supply chain community -- along with select members of JBF Consulting’s customer community -- exploring, among other topics, how satisfied companies are with their Transportation Management System (TMS) investments. After reading, share your perspective in the comments: Do you believe satisfaction levels increased, decreased, or remained the same over the past two years?

The global transportation management systems (TMS) market size is estimated to be around $16-17 billion. But how satisfied are companies with their investments in Transportation Management Systems (TMS)? How do they measure/quantify satisfaction? As logistics software providers promote their Generative AI and Machine Learning capabilities, how satisfied are companies with the progress vendors are making in these areas?

We asked members of our Indago supply chain research community — who are all supply chain and logistics executives from manufacturing, retail, and distribution companies — as well as select members of JBF Consulting’s customer community, those questions in a recent survey.

Almost three quarters of the survey respondents (71%) are using a TMS, either deployed internally (50%) or provided by their 3PL (21%). Of the respondents using a TMS, half (50%) are either “Satisfied” (42%) or “Very Satisfied” (8%) with their solution. However, 29% said they were either “Dissatisfied” (25%) or “Very Dissatisfied” (4%) with their TMS.

So, what do these results tell us?

Rising Diesel Prices: How Are Shippers Responding?

Image Source: ChatGPT

Diesel prices are rising again — and quickly. As reported in the Wall Street Journal: “Diesel prices for U.S. truckers rose a record 96 cents a gallon this past week [25% increase], an ominous sign for retailers and manufacturers juggling tariffs and bracing for higher shipping costs following the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran.”

If elevated prices persist through the rest of 2026, how will shippers respond?

This survey explored the expected impact on transportation spend, the actions companies are most likely to take, how fuel surcharge programs are structured, and the biggest challenges in managing fuel price volatility.

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Above The Fold: Supply Chain Logistics News (April 24, 2026)

Talking Logistics — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:03:34 GMT

Image Source: Adrian Gonzalez

I spent six days on a technology detox in Madrid and Seville.

My wife, oldest daughter, and I traveled to Spain to visit our youngest son, who is studying abroad there. But I also took the opportunity to take a vacation from my computer and smartphone.

I didn’t even pack my laptop — I left it powered down on my office desk. And although I had my iPhone with me, I didn’t open any social media apps or check work email the entire time I was in Spain.

The detox actually began a few days before we left. I made a decision to improve my mental health: I need to feel comfortable being bored again — just being present in the moment.

For example, I don’t need to check email or social media on my phone:

While waiting at a red light or crosswalk
In between sets at the gym
In the checkout line at the supermarket
During conversation lulls at the dinner table
While waiting to get through airport security
Whenever I hit writer’s block or want to procrastinate
In the bathroom (yeah, I know — but you probably do it too)

I have to admit, being “bored” in Spain was very difficult. We landed in Madrid last Friday at 5:30 am and were on the go almost nonstop through Wednesday — visiting museums, parks, palaces, cafés, and more. Most days we walked more than 20,000 steps — and in Seville, we walked 23 miles in just two days.

By pure chance, we arrived in Seville at the start of its Feria de Abril…

Rising Diesel Prices: How Are Shippers Responding?

Image Source: ChatGPT

If elevated prices persist through the rest of 2026, how will shippers respond?

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Above The Fold: Supply Chain Logistics News (April 10, 2026)

Talking Logistics — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:17:14 GMT

Image Source: ChatGPT

I woke up to snowflakes in the air this past Tuesday — the big, puffy kind, like bits of cotton candy floating down from the sky.

It’s April, isn’t it?

I watched the snow falling through the kitchen window, waiting for my coffee to brew. Slowly, the lawn was turning white.

A squirrel, waiting for his morning nut, stood upright beneath the oak tree in my yard.

He watched the snow falling too, and then, maybe sensing me at the kitchen window, he turned his head and looked right at me. I recognized the look on his face because it was the same look I had on mine — you know the look, the one that says, “WTF.”

We both shook our heads and went about our day.

That’s April in New England for ya.

—

Moving on, here’s the supply chain and logistics news that caught my attention this week:

Rising Diesel Prices: How Are Shippers Responding?

Image Source: ChatGPT

If elevated prices persist through the rest of 2026, how will shippers respond?

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Import Tariffs: A Top-Tier Enforcement Priority in the U.S.

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The Power Of The Network: Enhancing Logistics Through Strategic Carrier Connection

Talking Logistics — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:03:11 GMT

Image Source: ChatGPT

Do you remember, say 20 years ago, when we thought of supply chains as a linear process — receive parts or raw materials from suppliers, manufacture or assemble a product, then ship it via a carrier to customers?

While the basic principles still apply, we all know supply chains really operate as networks that more closely resemble spider webs. Inputs from an array of suppliers — often working with multiple tiers of suppliers themselves — feed complex manufacturing, assembly, and packaging operations that then distribute through multiple logistics service providers, carriers, and customers. All of these partners can be connected via a network platform, or what I call a Supply Chain Operating Network.

The benefit of this network approach is that trading partners can actively collaborate to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and create more scalable operations.

To explore the value proposition of Supply Chain Operating Networks for transportation, I moderated a webinar conversation with Rachelle Yeingst, Senior Director of Product Management at e2open, and Alex Mihailenco, VP, Carrier Network & Customer Operations at Shippeo.

Rising Diesel Prices: How Are Shippers Responding?

Image Source: ChatGPT

If elevated prices persist through the rest of 2026, how will shippers respond?

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Talking Logistics

Robotic Trailer Loading/Unloading: High Interest, Limited Adoption

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Amazon as a 3PL: Opportunity or Risk?

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How AI is Unlocking Hidden Capacity in Delivery Fleets

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Above The Fold: Supply Chain Logistics News (June 5, 2026)

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Amazon as a 3PL: Opportunity or Risk?

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How AI is Unlocking Hidden Capacity in Delivery Fleets

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