Logistics Weekly Brief: June 17–23, 2025
This week, the logistics world has been buzzing with updates on trade policies, new tech in autonomous trucking, and crucial insights into operational efficiency. It’s clear that adapting to shifting market dynamics and embracing innovation are key themes right now.
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White House Issues Executive Order on U.S.-U.K. Economic Prosperity Deal
The White House issued an Executive Order on June 17, 2025, to implement the U.S.-U.K. Economic Prosperity Deal (EPD). This directive includes new automotive tariff-rate quotas, allowing up to 100,000 U.K.-built vehicles annually at a combined 10 percent duty, and addresses the removal of WTO civil-aircraft tariffs. This strategic move aims to deepen economic ties and streamline trade, potentially altering transatlantic shipping lanes and customs procedures for logistics professionals.
Published: June 17, 2025
FREIGHT MARKET UPDATE | WEEK 25 | 2025 -
Autonomous Trucking Gets a Boost with New Manufacturing Partnership
Kodiak Robotics, a leader in autonomous freight, announced a partnership with Roush Industries to scale the upfitting of trucks with Kodiak Driver autonomous systems. Starting in late 2025, Roush’s Michigan facility will integrate these advanced capabilities, moving beyond pilot programs towards broader deployment of driverless trucks. This development signals growing confidence in automation as a solution to labor shortages and a path to enhanced efficiency in long-haul trucking.
Published: June 20, 2025
Kodiak selects Roush as manufacturing partner for autonomous truck upfitting - FreightWaves -
Echo Global Logistics Honored for Leading Freight Fraud Prevention
Echo Global Logistics recently received a 2025 FreightWaves Fraud Fighter Award, recognizing its exceptional performance in 2024. The company successfully delivered over one million truckload shipments with a remarkably low loss rate of less than 0.01% due to theft. This achievement highlights the critical importance of robust fraud prevention strategies in today’s digitized supply chain, setting a benchmark for operational integrity and risk management in the industry.
Published: June 18, 2025
Echo Global Logistics: leading in freight fraud prevention - FreightWaves -
Peak Season Outlook Clouded by Tariffs, Survey Reveals
A recent Logistics Management survey indicates a mixed and uncertain outlook for the 2025 Peak Season, with tariffs emerging as the primary concern. While some respondents anticipate increased activity, a significant number expect a less active season due to economic uncertainty, geopolitical issues, and tariffs dampening consumer demand. The Port of Los Angeles echoed these concerns, noting May’s cargo volumes were the lowest in over two years, illustrating the direct impact of trade policy on seasonal demand.
Published: June 23, 2025
LM reader survey assesses 2025 Peak Season outlook - Logistics Management -
Strategies to Combat Trucking’s “Empty Miles”
Many carriers face the challenge of “deadhead miles”—non-revenue-generating distances traveled without a load—which can significantly erode profitability. A recent FreightWaves article emphasizes that these empty miles often go unnoticed until they accumulate, silently draining a carrier’s bottom line. In today’s oversupplied market, optimizing route planning and load matching to reduce deadhead becomes crucial for financial health and operational efficiency.
Published: June 17, 2025
Deadhead Reduction Strategies That Work - FreightWaves
Tools & Tips
- Lucas Systems Dynamic Pallet Builder This tool helps warehouses optimize pallet building, leading to improved efficiency and better utilization of storage space. It’s a step towards intelligent warehouse operations, focusing on smart optimization of load and space to control costs and improve operational flow.
Navigating the new automated warehouse - Automated Warehouse
Fun Fact
Did you know that barcodes, which are now essential for tracking everything in logistics, were originally developed for a completely different purpose? They were first used to label cars on railroads to automate tracking before their widespread adoption in supermarkets in 1974 revolutionized retail and supply chain management!
We’d love to hear from you!
Have you participated in any Logistics events or utilized new Logistics tools recently? Share your experiences or insights with us—we’re featuring selected community voices in next week’s edition.