ITS Logistics May Supply Chain Report: Broker Liability Ruling and Inventory Replenishment Collide with Most Expensive Freight Market in Years

-- Capacity contraction, record transportation prices, and escalating parcel surcharges squeeze shipper margins as restocking demand accelerates --

RENO, Nev., May 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ITS Logistics, an Echo Global Logistics company, today released its May Supply Chain Report. This month, the Strait of Hormuz crisis continues to drive fuel costs higher, compressing margins across the supply chain and aggravating ongoing capacity challenges. Resilient consumer spending protected demand, but recovery from 2025’s lean inventory operations in the current trade environment has increased prices all the way through final mile delivery, straining consumer confidence and reigniting inflation concerns.

“U.S. inflation accelerated noticeably in April 2026, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising 3.8% year-over-year and 0.6% month-over-month — the highest annual inflation rate since 2023,” said Stan Kolev, Chief Financial Officer at ITS Logistics. “Energy prices were the main driver as geopolitical conflict involving Iran disrupted oil markets and pushed fuel costs sharply higher.”

Disrupted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz continue to shock global crude supply, pushing diesel prices to more than $2 per gallon above last year’s rates, according to the latest U.S. Energy Information Administration report. The surge in operating costs has driven trucking prices to record highs, with the Logistics Managers’ Index (LMI) posting Transportation Price levels of 95.0 — the highest ever recorded. Dry van and reefer linehaul spot rates both climbed more than 20% above the five-year average in mid-May, with capacity shortages reported throughout key corridors as produce season continues.

In addition to fuel costs, shrinking capacity pools are contributing to high transportation prices. Dry van and reefer equipment post counts are both down double digits year-over-year, per DAT. While the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Roadcheck event likely played a part in last week’s capacity challenges, LMI Transportation Capacity levels have plummeted 40% since January, illustrating a sustained exiting of carriers.

Ongoing federal regulation of non-domiciled CDLs will exacerbate this trend, with a recent federal appeals court upholding the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s February final rule limiting noncitizen drivers to a select group of visas. The decision came just days before the long-awaited Supreme Court ruling on Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, which determined that freight brokers and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) can be sued under state negligence law for hiring unsafe carriers. The precedent is likely to reshape vetting standards to prioritize carriers with proven safety records, concentrating demand on an already strained capacity pool.

At the ports, U.S. containerized import volumes totaled 2,277,965 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in April, down 3.2% from March’s 2,353,611 TEUs and 5.5% below April 2025 levels, per Descartes. The month-over-month decline runs counter to the historical spring import patterns, reinforcing the impact of Middle Eastern conflict and unresolved tension with key trading partners.

On the warehousing side, the market is pivoting away from the lean inventory strategies that characterized most of 2025. Warehousing capacity and pricing have begun to tighten, with the LMI Warehousing Prices index rising to 72.7 in April, up 16% over the past three months, and forecast to reach 81.6 over the next 12 months. Inventory carrying costs eased modestly month-over-month but remain elevated, sustained largely by high warehousing prices.

The cost escalation extends fully into parcel and final-mile delivery. Since March, both FedEx and UPS have implemented and subsequently adjusted fuel surcharges for all customers — a direct consequence of the Strait of Hormuz closure’s impact on diesel markets — layered atop the third consecutive annual general rate increase from FedEx and UPS. This month, both carriers also added surcharges on international freight shipments, extending cost exposure further across shipper networks.

“Once residential surcharges, additional handling fees, dimensional weight adjustments, delivery area charges, and fuel recovery are applied, effective increases for shippers with meaningful exposure to those categories are landing in the 7% to 12% range,” said Jeff Lolli, ITS Logistics’ Vice President of Solutions Engineering and Small Parcel.

ITS Logistics offers a full suite of network transportation solutions across North America and distribution and fulfillment services to 95% of the U.S. population within two days. These services include drayage and intermodal in 22 coastal ports and 30 rail ramps, a full suite of asset and asset-lite transportation solutions, omnichannel distribution and fulfillment, LTL, and outbound small parcel.

The monthly ITS Supply Chain Report serves to inform ITS employees, partners, and customers of marketplace changes and updates. The information in the report combines data provided through DAT and various industry sources with insights from the ITS team. Visit here for a comprehensive copy of the report with expected industry insights and market updates.

About Echo Global Logistics

Echo Global Logistics, Inc. is a leading provider of technology-enabled transportation and supply chain management services. Headquartered in Chicago with more than 60 locations across North America, Echo offers freight brokerage and Managed Transportation Solutions across all major modes including Truckload, Partial Truckload, LTL, Intermodal, Cross-Border, Food-Grade and Temperature-Controlled shipping and warehousing, and Warehouse Services. Echo leverages its proprietary technology platform — including automation, machine learning, and AI-driven decision support — to help customers optimize transportation performance, improve visibility, and simplify supply chain execution across complex supply chains. For more information on Echo Global Logistics, visit: www.echo.com.

About ITS Logistics

ITS Logistics, an Echo Global Logistics company, is one of North America’s asset-based modern 3PLs, providing solutions for the industry’s most complicated supply chain challenges. With a people-first culture committed to excellence, the company relentlessly strives to deliver unmatched value through best-in-class service, expertise, and innovation. The ITS Logistics portfolio features North America’s #16 asset-lite freight brokerage, a top drayage and intermodal solution, an asset-based dedicated fleet, an innovative cloud-based technology ecosystem, and a nationwide distribution and fulfillment network.

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amber@leadcoverage.com 

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ITS Logistics May Supply Chain Report

Broker Liability Ruling and Inventory Replenishment Collide with Most Expensive Freight Market in Years

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