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Tariffs Continue to Drive Volatility, 3PLs Say
Trade Policy Realignment Continues to Cloud Outlooks
Key Takeaways:
- U.S. tariffs imposed in 2025 and subsequent policy shifts continue to disrupt freight planning in early 2026, 3PLs said in Transport Topics’ Top 100 Logistics Companies survey.
- Respondents said uncertainty due to tariffs is driving nearshoring, erratic volumes, delayed RFPs and more flexible network and inventory strategies.
- Many 3PLs expect continued diversification toward Mexico and North America while advising shippers to design modular supply chains that can pivot as trade policy evolves.
The hefty and oft-changing tariffs on U.S. imports implemented by the Trump administration last year disrupted international trade patterns, creating business uncertainty for shippers and their third-party logistics providers.
A year later, this realignment of U.S. trade policy continues to cloud supply chain planning, many 3PLs said in their responses to Transport Topics’ 2026 Top 100 Logistics Companies survey.
A Supreme Court ruling in February invalidated many Trump-era tariffs, but the administration quickly imposed alternative tariffs under a different statute.
The following comments are excerpts from survey responses from a diverse group of 3PLs. Some were submitted prior to the Supreme Court ruling.
“As of early 2026, uncertainty hasn’t resolved — it’s just become the baseline operating environment. Shippers have largely stopped waiting for policy clarity and started building for adaptability instead. What that means for freight patterns is that nearshoring conversations that were theoretical in 2023 are now operational decisions. Mexico cross-border freight, intermodal flows, and domestic distribution networks are all being re-evaluated. We’re seeing that in customer conversations and in where new demand is coming from.” — Loadsmart
“The tariff and shifting trade policies over the past year have touched nearly every layer of the supply chain, from raw material sourcing to final-mile delivery. Manufacturers felt the impact first and most directly, as they worked to resource inputs, absorb or pass through added cost, and reconsider production footprints. That uncertainty quickly extended into warehousing and transportation. When customers are unsure about sourcing decisions, inventory timing or final landed cost, capital projects pause, network redesigns slow, and freight commitments become shorter term by nature. For logistics providers, that translated into delayed RFP activity, extended decision cycles, and a more cautious posture around volume forecasts.” — RGL Logistics
“As of early 2026, the market has gained some clarity around the direction of trade policy, but uncertainty remains a significant planning challenge. Companies continue to model multiple scenarios, particularly in industries reliant on foreign-sourced components such as automotive, electronics and renewable energy equipment. In the near term, we expect increased use of bonded and [Foreign Trade Zone] facilities, diversified port utilization, and more regional distribution networks. Over the long term, trade policy shifts are likely to accelerate nearshoring to Mexico and North America, increase domestic transportation tied to reshoring initiatives, and create more complex, multi-node supply chains designed for resilience.” — Thyssenkrupp
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“Over the past year, steeper tariffs and shifting U.S. trade policies have created more volatility than direct disruption for ODW and our customers. We’ve seen companies reassess sourcing strategies, adjust inventory levels, and place greater emphasis on flexibility as they manage cost exposure and supply risk. … In the near term, we expect continued diversification of sourcing, including nearshoring and regional manufacturing, which is increasing demand for domestic distribution and inventory buffering in the U.S. Longer term, freight flows will likely become more distributed and complex, reinforcing the need for flexible, technology-enabled logistics partners. Overall, these policy changes are accelerating the shift toward more resilient and adaptable supply chains.” — Gary Meador, chief operating officer, ODW Logistics
“Steeper tariffs and shifting United States trade policies over the past year have not changed the fundamentals of our business, but they have significantly affected many customers’ landed costs and network decisions. … As of early 2026, there is more clarity on the mechanics of recent tariff and policy changes, including who is affected, on which products, and at what headline rates. However, uncertainty remains elevated around how long current measures will stay in place and whether new actions will be layered on, extended or rolled back. That uncertainty makes it challenging for shippers to commit to long-term sourcing or capital decisions and keeps them focused on flexible, modular supply chain designs. We are advising customers to treat trade policy as a variable input rather than a fixed assumption in their transportation strategy. That means designing routing guides, capacity strategies and multimodal plans that can pivot between corridors and gateways instead of anchoring everything on a single trade scenario that may change with the next policy announcement.” — PLS Logistics Services
“Tariffs and shifting trade policy have added cost and planning friction, but the bigger impact has been behavioral. Some customers accelerated shipments, diversified sourcing or adjusted inventory strategies. This helped create short bursts of demand and lane reshuffling rather than sustained volume growth. As of early 2026, there is more directional clarity but uncertainty is still a factor in inventory decisions.” — Sage Freight
“Echo has seen positive business in cross-border transportation and freight management. We’ve opened new locations within Mexico and have continued to gain business and clarity on how the market behaves south of the border.” — Echo Global Logistics
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Hooper
“The current tariff environment has not simply raised costs; it has eroded the predictability that supply chains depend on. We have ridden repeated waves of artificial surges followed by abrupt slowdowns, with little visibility into the long-term structural impact. Clarity is elusive because the policies themselves continue to shift. … When trade rules move constantly, long-term sourcing decisions stall, capital investment slows, and transportation strategies become defensive rather than strategic. ... Should we as a nation lean further into protectionism, we risk our status as a dependable trading partner. That status was built over decades on reliability and open markets. If the current trajectory continues, the consequences for American business and industry could extend into the next decade and beyond.” — Rob Hooper Jr., CEO, Atlantic Logistics
“The steeper tariffs have impacted our customers, which in turn has impacted our business. Many of our customers tried to build inventory early in 2025 to avoid tariffs. As 2025 progressed, we saw activity slow in our facilities as our customers worked to adjust to the impact of tariffs and find ways to diversify their supply chains. We continue to see our customers experience uncertainty as they work to manage inventory, cost and capital investment strategies. As a company, we have invested in expanding Foreign-Trade Zone capabilities in our warehouses to support our customers and their tariffs strategies.” — Total Distribution Solutions
“Policy shifts impact our customers’ SKU and routing decisions first; our job is to keep food flows flexible. We’ve added multi-node options that were delivered on time and on budget — Kansas City [rail attached, CPKC] and Dubai [bonded/non-bonded] — and we’ll bring Port Saint John online this year to give producers another import/export path. Together those nodes let shippers switch ports, rebalance between intermodal and ocean, and adjust replenishment cadence without sacrificing cold chain integrity. Our focus is on designing a network that lets customers adjust quickly and confidently, regardless of how trade dynamics evolve.” — Bryan Verbarendse, president for the Americas, Americold
“We are not a player in export and import. However, we do pick up from ports and that volume has slowed down due to tariffs. Customers are telling us they order less because of the rising cost for the delivered product from overseas.” — ST Freight
“The biggest challenge created by recent tariff and trade policy changes has been uncertainty, which makes planning more difficult for shippers and logistics providers. As regulatory clarity improves, we expect businesses to adjust sourcing and transportation strategies. These shifts could continue to influence international and domestic freight patterns in the near term.” — AJC Logistics
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Kingsgate Logistics headquarters in West Chester, Ohio. (Kingsgate Logistics)
“A significant portion of our business is in the retail sector, so we have seen volumes much more erratic than we have in the past. ... We also serve manufacturing, building materials, and food and beverage shippers — sectors that are directly exposed to steel, aluminum and agricultural tariffs. Several of our customers experienced significant input cost pressure, which translated into tighter inventory management and reduced shipping cadence on some of our key lanes. In the near term, the most consequential freight pattern shift is the continued restructuring of North American cross-border trade: Canada-bound lanes contracted significantly in 2025, and Mexico-sourced freight has become increasingly complex as USMCA compliance requirements and retaliatory dynamics evolve — changes that directly affect routing decisions for many of our Midwest manufacturing customers.” — Kingsgate Logistics
“Tariffs and shifting trade policy has caused uncertainty for everyone and has reduced demand. Businesses can plan when they have an idea of what is coming at them, but the constant shifts and legal battles make businesses less likely to make long-term decisions which are to the benefit of the economy as a whole.” — Miller Dedicated Services
“Domestic manufacturing, jobs reports, home sales, and auto defaults all suffered through the majority of ’25, and tariff clarity will be a big key in getting those pieces moving in a more positive direction in ’26.” — Shannon Breen, CEO, FreightVana
“As a domestic transportation provider we had minimal impact on the tariff puts and takes. Small pockets of disruptions occurred with imported inventory affecting port markets that turn into OTR orders once the containers hit land. Nearshoring will be a continued manufacturing strategy increasing cross-border volume.” — Transportation One
“When the tariffs were initially put in place, it caused a lot of uncertainty regarding some of our shipments that were coming from abroad. A lot of that uncertainty has seemingly subsided, and it’s back to business as usual.” — RWB Trucking
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“Tariffs have affected our business in key trade corridors such as Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. Otherwise, we haven’t seen much of an effect.” — Buske Logistics
“The past year’s steeper U.S. tariffs and unpredictable trade policies have significantly hurt our U.S.-bound freight business. Many of our clients are actively moving production out of China — especially to Southeast Asia [Vietnam, Thailand], Mexico, and even North Africa — to avoid duties and diversify risk. But this shift hasn’t stabilized demand. Instead, it’s created fragmented, smaller-volume lanes that are harder to manage and less profitable. Transshipment through third countries now faces tighter U.S. customs scrutiny, causing delays and extra costs. As of early 2026, uncertainty still dominates. Shippers don’t know if new tariffs or rules are coming, so they’re hesitant to commit to long-term plans.” — De Well Group
“I think this is still a fuzzy area as the legal challenges to tariffs are still being fought. Over time, however, I do see more production becoming either domestic or moved to North America or more generally to the Western hemisphere to reduce future trade and tariff risk.” — Don Kolczak, CFO, M2 Logistics
“Over the past year, shifting trade policies and tariffs have added another layer of complexity to already challenging supply chain conditions. While these changes have influenced how freight moves, they haven’t changed one fundamental truth: Your freight still needs to move reliably, efficiently and predictably.” — Transervice Logistics/Lily Transportation
