Shipper Strategy
Procurement, routing, service, risk, and transportation strategy for shippers.
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BNSF Reopens Southern Transcon Tracks, but El Paso Closure and Freight Backlogs Threaten Southwest Recovery
Both mains on BNSF’s Gallup Subdivision have reopened, but reduced speeds, backlogged traffic, an El Paso Subdivision outage and a new embargo leave Southwest recovery risk unresolved.
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Fewer Accidents, Higher Claims Costs—The Risk Test Missing From 2027 Freight Bids
Fewer accidents can coexist with higher claims costs. FIR explains what shippers should test in provider selection, coverage reviews and recovery funding.
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NMFTA Rejected the Mixed-Pallet Rewrite—But Other LTL Classification Changes Still Take Effect December 12
Shippers can stop preparing for the rejected proposal. They still need to identify which product classifications are changing—and test the effect on actual freight bills.
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UPS’s 2027 Rate Reset Starts Before Christmas—Why Shippers Need More Than a 5.9% Budget Increase
UPS’s rate reset begins before Christmas. FIR explains how shippers can test weight, zones, fuel, fees and workflow changes before finalizing budgets.
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Typhoon Champi Is Disrupting Asia Freight—Which Shipments Should Shippers Expedite, Reroute or Hold?
Champi’s freight disruption tests more than port reopening. FIR explains how shippers can prioritize orders, compare complete recovery options and control expedite spending.
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Missouri’s Autonomous Rail Project Puts Freight Service Frequency to the Test
FRA selected Columbia for up to $16.207 million to modernize COLT and test autonomous rail service. FIR examines frequency, costs, reliability and shipper decisions.
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Rail Revenue Is Rising Faster Than Freight Volume—What Shippers Should Challenge Before Signing 2027 Rates
Today’s Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern results separate revenue growth from shipment growth. What shippers should demand on price, service and capacity before signing 2027 rail contracts.
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FMCSA Standardized Safety-Data Appeals Nationwide—Why Shippers Need a “Pending Dispute” Rule in Carrier Qualification
FMCSA’s nationwide DataQs reform creates a third carrier-qualification state: pending dispute. Here is how shippers can document interim safety decisions without treating an appeal as a clean record or final…
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Maersk’s Five-Day Auto-Cancellation Rule—What Shippers Must Change Before ETD
Maersk’s five-day post-ETD auto-cancellation rule creates a new exception clock for eligible unresolved bookings. Shippers need documented ownership before capacity is released.