Explore every episode of the podcast This Week In Logistics

FedEx Freight goes independent. A humanoid robot sorts a quarter of a million packages without a failure. And oil finally gives us a credible path to relief. Let's dive in.

This Week in Logistics, we're covering two weeks of structural shifts that have been building in the background for months — and this fortnight, all three became reality.

FedEx Freight completed its separation from FedEx Corporation on 1 June and began trading on the NYSE under ticker FDXF. The largest LTL carrier in North America — 26,000 service centre doors, its own board, its own salesforce, and its own technology roadmap — is now competing purely on freight merit for the first time in 25 years. Figure AI ran a warehouse endurance test that was supposed to last eight hours. It ran for 200. Three robots — Bob, Frank, and Gary — sorted 249,560 packages at near-human speed, with zero hardware failures and no human remote control. And on oil: Brent moved from $93 to $101 to $94–97 in a single fortnight on ceasefire-then-strike cycles. The EIA now forecasts $106 for May–June, dropping to $89 by Q4 if the Strait of Hormuz starts reopening — the first credible government signal of eventual relief.

The question most operators are asking is when things will normalize. The more useful one is: is your operation ready for the competitive landscape that's being assembled right now?

This episode unpacks what these three structural shifts mean for mid-market 3PLs and transport operators today.

This week we cover:

• Why FedEx Freight going independent is a direct competitive signal to every transport business touching LTL freight — and what their focus on technology simplification and mid-market customers actually means for you
• What Figure AI's 200-hour robot test tells us about the pace of warehouse automation — and why the operators with the cleanest processes will be the first to benefit
• Why oil settling into a volatile but narrowing range is progress — and why it's still not a reason to unwind your fuel disciplines
• What the EIA's Q4 forecast of $89 Brent actually depends on, and why modelling against a range of $85–$105 is still the right call
• Why Australia's RTCCO has moved from emergency regulation to operating reality — and what non-compliance looks like seven weeks in
• Why Canada's PM making port logistics a public priority matters for operators running freight through Canadian corridors
• The difference between theoretical capacity and effective capacity — and why C.H. Robinson's June update is the clearest example of why that distinction matters right now
• Three practical actions for the next seven days: pay attention to the structural shifts, model your fuel exposure for the range, and focus on execution quality

If you run a 3PL, transport operation, or warehouse, this episode will help you cut through the noise and focus on what actually matters:

From watching structural shifts → to understanding where they create pressure and opportunity for your specific operationFrom running a temporary surcharge model → to building pricing that adjusts in both directionsFrom planning to a single fuel price → to modelling across the range your business actually needs to survive

The pieces are clicking into place. The question is whether your operation is keeping pace.

The fulfillment bottleneck. The three-day gap hiding inside your own operation. And the delivery benchmark your customers are already measuring you against. Let's dive in.

In This Week in Logistics, CartonCloud CEO Shaun Hagen sits down with Rob Hango-Zada, Co-Founder and Joint-CEO of Shippit — the platform powering around 100 million deliveries a year across retailers like Kmart, Myer, and JB Hi-Fi.

Courier companies are delivering in under two business days from collection. Retailers are quoting five to seven at checkout. The three-day gap in between is sitting upstream in the retailer's own warehouse — not in the carrier network. Rob Hango-Zada calls it the fulfillment bottleneck, and it's the layer most 3PLs and retailers are underinvesting in right now.

At the same time, the Amazon delivery expectation has crossed out of B2C and into B2B. Pallet buyers want the same tracking certainty as parcel buyers. And the retailers winning on delivery — like Petbarn, who can pick, pack, and ship within five minutes of checkout — aren't doing it by finding a faster carrier. They're doing it by fixing the operation upstream.

The question most retailers are asking is how to match Amazon's delivery speed. The more useful one is whether their warehouse operation can actually support the promise they're making at checkout.

This episode unpacks what the Amazon delivery benchmark actually means for mid-market 3PLs, transport operators, and the retailers they serve right now.

This week we cover:

• Why the fulfillment bottleneck is the real delivery problem — and why fixing the warehouse layer matters more than finding a faster carrier
• How to build a delivery proposition when you're not Amazon — Rob's proximity-versus-purchase-frequency framework, and why copying competitors is the wrong starting point
• Why the e-commerce delivery expectation has crossed into B2B, what's really driving it, and what 3PLs need to do before their retail clients ask the question
• What Petbarn's five-minute pick-pack-ship benchmark means for 3PLs building e-commerce capability — and why it's an operational discipline, not a carrier feature
• The three things that have to be in place before speed: inventory visibility before checkout, pick-pack-ship velocity, and a connected tech stack that surfaces real-time capacity
• Why multi-carrier flexibility is back on the agenda — and what single-carrier dependency costs when surcharges hit
• Why delivery spend belongs in the same budget category as your loyalty program — not your cost-to-reduce line
• Three practical starting points for the next 30 to 60 days: audit your existing tech before buying new, map the fulfillment bottleneck in your own operation, and match your delivery proposition to your customers' actual purchase behaviour

If you run a 3PL, transport operation, or warehouse supporting e-commerce clients, this episode will help you close the gap between what your customers expect and what your operation can deliver:

From blaming the carrier → to fixing the upstream fulfillment bottleneckFrom chasing Amazon's model → to building a delivery proposition matched to your customers, proximity, and purchase frequencyFrom treating delivery as a cost line → to treating it as an investment in customer loyalty

Technology amplifies a good operation. It does not fix a broken one. Start with the operation. Then connect the tech.

The first real Iran deal signal since February, the RTCCO review hearing, and FedEx Freight going independent next week. Let's dive in.

This Week in Logistics, we're tracking the first genuine signal of hope since the Hormuz crisis began in February — and why hope is not a plan.

President Trump announced the Iran deal is largely negotiated and will be announced shortly, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude dropped below $100 a barrel for the first time in weeks. But Iran's state media immediately pushed back, calling the announcement incomplete and inconsistent with reality. The deal looks like a memorandum of understanding as a first phase, with broader negotiations to follow. Meanwhile, the Fair Work Commission held its first formal review hearing for the RTCCO — the road transport fuel cost recovery order that's been live for five weeks. And FedEx Freight, the largest LTL carrier in North America, is going independent next week. The FedEx board has approved the separation, trading starts on the New York Stock Exchange on the 1st of June under ticker FDXF — an $8.7 billion revenue business that has been sitting inside a parcel company for 25 years, now competing on its own.

The question most operators are asking is whether the deal will hold. The more useful one is: what does your pricing look like if it does, and what does it look like if it doesn't?

This episode unpacks what these three shifts mean for mid-market 3PLs and transport operators right now.

This week we cover:

• Why the Iran deal headline is the most positive signal since February — and why unwinding your fuel surcharge on hope is structurally dangerous
• What Aramco and Chevron's CEOs have already told us about how slowly fuel costs come down even in the best case, and why six to twelve months is the realistic timeline
• Why the RTCCO review hearing today marks a transition from crisis response to permanent regulation, and what construction, council, and small operators are now asking the Commission
• The broader lesson: emergency regulation has a habit of becoming permanent regulation, and the fortnightly fuel adjustment cadence may well outlast the crisis that triggered it
• What FedEx Freight going independent on the 1st of June actually means — 370 service centres, $1 billion in projected annual free cash flow, 300 IT applications cut, new shipment initiation from five clicks to one
• Why intermodal volumes are up over 7% year-on-year, and why the mode shift window where intermodal pricing lags trucking is still open
• The customer expectation gap that is now commercially dangerous: customers hear "deal close" and expect immediate relief while operators are still carrying elevated fuel, labour, compliance, and infrastructure costs
• Three practical actions for the next seven days: don't unwind on hope, check your RTCCO compliance, and watch the structural shifts

If you run a 3PL, transport operation, or warehouse, this episode will help you cut through the noise and focus on what actually matters:

From pricing to a single headline → to building margins that work in both directionsFrom assuming existing rise-and-fall clauses are enough → to verifying they meet the RTCCO minimum standardFrom treating structural shifts as distractions → to recognising the competitive landscape that exists when the fuel crisis eases

The operators who will be strongest in six months are the ones paying attention to both the fuel crisis and the structural shifts underneath it. Spot the pattern early. Simplify your response. And this week — hope is a good sign, but it is not a plan. Prepare for both outcomes.

The 2027 oil normalization timeline, Australia's $45B Inland Rail decision, and a 1-in-3 truck out-of-service rate. Let's dive in.

Last week on the podcast, we tracked volatility as the operating environment. #Thisweekinlogistics, the dramatic swings have settled — but when the dust settles, you get to see what the ground actually looks like and what has moved. And the ground has moved in some significant ways.

Saudi Aramco's CEO confirmed the oil market will not normalize until 2027, even if the Strait of Hormuz reopened today. Australia's Federal Government scaled back Inland Rail, halting the northern corridor and redirecting $1.75 billion into the existing rail network. New Zealand and Singapore signed a world-first legally binding supply chain resilience pact. CVSA's Roadcheck Day 1 data came back with roughly 1 in 3 trucks placed out of service — up from 1 in 5 at last year's full event. And the industry conversation around Amazon Supply Chain Services has shifted from shock to the practical question of what operators actually do about it.

The question most operators have been asking is when does this all settle. The more useful one is: now that the dust has, what has actually moved underneath your planning assumptions?

This episode unpacks the three structural shifts and what they mean for mid-market 3PLs and transport operators right now.

This week we cover:

• Why the Hormuz crisis has stopped being a short-term disruption and started looking like a structural reality through 2027 — and what that means for surcharge models built on temporary assumptions
• Why Inland Rail being scaled back forces East Coast Australian operators to revisit depot, corridor, and multimodal planning built around a corridor that may no longer arrive
• What the New Zealand-Singapore resilience pact signals about governments treating supply chains as strategic national capability
• Why a 1-in-3 out-of-service rate at CVSA Roadcheck Day 1 is now translating directly into fleet availability in the tightest truck market in a decade
• How the AWS comparison reframes Amazon Supply Chain Services as a long-term structural shift, not a short-term shock
• Why knowing your own performance number — on-time rate, exception resolution, onboarding speed, cost-to-serve — is becoming commercially dangerous to not know
• Three practical actions for the next seven days: make fuel structures permanent, pressure-test network assumptions, and make performance visible

If you run a 3PL, transport operation, or warehouse, this episode will help you cut through the noise and focus on what actually matters:

From temporary surcharge models → to permanent two-directional pricing structuresFrom planning to infrastructure timelines → to pressure-testing assumptions that may not arriveFrom watching big tech publish performance data → to knowing your own number cold

The operators handling this well aren't waiting for things to normalise. They're treating 2027 as the planning horizon, revisiting the assumptions underneath their network, and answering performance questions with specificity.

Spot the pattern early. Simplify your response. Know exactly where the ground has moved.

$18 Brent Swings, Decade-Low Capacity, and Amazon's 96.4% Benchmark. Let’s dive in.

This Week in Logistics, we're tracking what happens when volatility stops being a disruption and becomes the operating environment.

Brent crude swung $18 in a single week — $115 down to $97 on ceasefire hopes, then back above $105 after Trump rejected Iran's latest proposal. At the same time, DAT says truck availability is already at a decade low — and CVSA's annual road check just pulled thousands more trucks off the road. And Amazon Supply Chain Services posted its first benchmark: 96.4% on-time delivery, with P&G, 3M, and Lands' End confirmed as early adopters.

The question most operators are still asking is: when will fuel and capacity normalize?

The more useful one is: what will your operation looks like if neither does?

Join CartonCloud CEO Shaun Hagen to unpack what these three pressures mean for mid-market 3PLs and transport operators right now.

This week we cover:

• Why planning to a single Brent price is now structurally flawed, and how to build a fuel surcharge cadence that adjusts in both directions
• Why capacity is tightening from four directions at once — fuel economics, compliance crackdowns, seasonal demand, and CVSA road check stacking on top of each other
• What FedEx reactivating retired MD-11 freighter aircraft actually signals about the freight market
• Why Amazon's 96.4% on-time delivery rate will appear in your next customer conversation, even if your customer isn't considering switching
• How mid-market operators differentiate against a platform built for standardised freight
• The CVSA Road Check numbers worth knowing this week — 15 inspections per minute, 72 hours, and roughly 13,000 trucks pulled off the road in a single weekend
• Three practical actions for the next seven days: build pricing across the range, manage the capacity crunch proactively, and know your own number

If you run a 3PL, transport operation, or warehouse, this episode will help you cut through the noise and focus on what actually matters:

From planning to a single price → to building margins that work across the rangeFrom waiting for capacity to ease → to communicating before the pressure arrives at the customerFrom watching Amazon → to knowing exactly where your service complexity makes you irreplaceable

The operators who are winning right now are the ones who plan for the range, not the headline.

Plan for range. Communicate before the pressure arrives. Know your number.

#ThisWeekinLogistics, we're covering two weeks of news in one episode — because the volume of developments between late April and early May has been extraordinary.

The Strait of Hormuz escalated from blockade to live fire. Amazon opened its entire logistics network to any business globally. And Q1 freight earnings confirmed what operators have been feeling on the ground — rates are up, but it's fuel and supply pressure doing the work, not demand.

The question most people are still asking is when does this settle. The more useful one is what does your operation look like if it doesn't?

This episode unpacks all three structural shifts and what they mean for mid-market 3PLs and transport operators right now.

This week we cover:

• Why the Strait of Hormuz crisis has moved from economic disruption to a permanent operating environment — and what that means for your planning assumptions
• Why every fuel model built on pre-February assumptions is now structurally wrong
• What Amazon Supply Chain Services actually is, who it competes with, and where mid-market operators still have a clear advantage
• Why the freight upcycle is real but fragile — and how a supply-driven cycle behaves differently to a demand-driven one
• Why every major parcel carrier globally is running an active fuel surcharge simultaneously for the first time ever
• The mode-shift window that's open right now — and how offering options turns a provider into a logistics partner
• Three practical actions for the next seven days: stress-testing your fuel model, mapping your Amazon exposure, and connecting to crisis infrastructure

If you run a 3PL, transport operation, or warehouse, this episode will help you cut through the noise and focus on what actually matters:

From waiting for normal → to planning for what's in front of youFrom riding the rate wave → to fixing your cost structure while conditions allowFrom reacting to Amazon → to knowing exactly where you compete and win

The operators doing well right now aren't waiting for things to calm down. They're being disciplined because things haven't — and they're planning for that to stay the case.

Wait... what do Zoolander and self-driving delivery trucks have in common? Find out in today's Ep as we take a look at the latest logistics news — from the view of operators on the ground!

In this week’s This Week in Logistics, we’re joined by special guest Scott Murray, VP of Operations at CartonCloud, to get a clear, on-the-ground view of what’s actually happening across the logistics industry right now.

There’s a lot happening in the headlines — fuel volatility, cost pressure, and shifting demand — but what does that really look like inside day-to-day operations?

This episode goes beyond the surface to unpack how these changes are showing up for operators, where businesses are feeling the strain, and what the best operators are doing differently to stay ahead.

Because right now, the environment is less forgiving — and the gap between disciplined operators and everyone else is widening.

This week we cover:

• Why the current market feels “relentless” for logistics operators on the ground
• How fuel volatility is forcing mid-contract pricing changes and difficult customer conversations
• Why capacity isn’t the real issue — profitability is
• What the best operators are doing differently, from customer selection to proactive communication
• Why process discipline matters more than technology in the current environment
• How to approach AI in logistics, without overcomplicating it
• Why strong customer relationships are becoming a key advantage during volatility

If you run a 3PL, transport operation, or warehouse, this episode will help you focus on what actually matters right now:

From reacting to pressure → to understanding your true cost to serve

From chasing volume → to protecting profitability and relationships

Get clear on your costs, tighten your processes, and stay close to your customers — that’s what will carry operators through this period.

In this week’s episode of This Week in Logistics, CartonCloud CEO Shaun Hagen breaks down how volatility is no longer hitting headline rates — it’s creeping into the hidden cost stack, operational admin, and service expectations.

Following ongoing global fuel shocks, the market may look stable on the surface — but underneath, costs are accelerating, compliance is tightening, and execution risk is rising across every layer of the supply chain.

This isn’t just about pricing anymore.

It’s about how quickly your systems, processes, and data can adapt.

Because right now, the gap between average operators and disciplined operators is widening fast.

This week we cover:

• Why fuel volatility is now hitting through surcharges, accessorials, and admin — not base rates
• What Australia’s new fortnightly fuel adjustment ruling means for pricing cadence and cash flow
• How rising parcel surcharges signal hidden margin pressure across networks
• Why clean data and admin infrastructure are now critical for compliance, refunds, and cash recovery
• How UPS, Home Depot, and major players are raising the bar on visibility, predictability, and service expectations

If you operate in transport, warehousing, or logistics, this episode will help you shift your focus:From watching rates → to managing the full cost stack.

From broad service promises → to selective, reliable execution.

Spot the hidden costs early, tighten your systems, and protect your margins before they slip.

In this week’s episode of This Week in Logistics, CartonCloud CEO Shaun Hagen breaks down the moment logistics shifts from a cost problem to a continuity problem.

Following the US–NATO blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, fuel markets have moved beyond volatility into potential supply disruption — with diesel shortages already emerging in Australia and New Zealand.

This isn’t just a geopolitical story, it’s an operational one.

Because what we’re seeing now is a system becoming:

• more expensive to run• more administratively heavy• and less tolerant of loose execution

And that’s how margin leaks start.

Not with one dramatic event — but with multiple small frictions landing at the same time.

This week we cover:

• Why fuel has shifted from a pricing issue to a physical supply constraint• How surcharges are now hitting every layer of the network at different speeds• What Amazon’s fuel surcharge signals about downstream cost pressure• Why the FedEx Freight spin-off points to a faster, simpler operating model

If you operate in transport, warehousing, or logistics, this is the moment to shift your thinking:

Spot the pattern early, simplify your response, and this week’s plan, plan for continuity and not just cost.

The freight market looks stable on the surface — but underneath, operators are feeling the squeeze.

This Week in Logistics, we’re unpacking the growing gap between headline indicators and day-to-day reality. Ocean rates are flat, capacity is available, but behind the scenes, fuel spikes, surcharges, and network instability are quietly driving up costs and increasing execution risk.

Join CartonCloud CEO Shaun Hagen as he breaks down why this is not a crisis moment — but a dangerous one. Because in this kind of market, average operators get caught off guard, while disciplined teams adjust faster and protect margin.

This episode covers:

• Why flat freight rates can mask deeper supply chain instability
• How fuel, fertilizer, + surcharge layering is creating a “silent” margin squeeze
• What blank sailings + early booking behaviour reveal about declining network confidence
• Where automation + infrastructure are actually delivering value (and where they’re not)
• A practical 3-step operator playbook to protect margin and improve execution this week

Plus — this week’s logistics fun fact: the $2M “KitKat heist” and how serialization turned a chocolate theft into a real-time supply chain tracking case study.

If you're a 3PL, shipper, or logistics operator, this episode will help you read beyond the headlines, adapt faster, and make smarter operational decisions in a tightening market.

Spot the pattern early, separate cost from execution, and don’t let “stable” signals hide real risk.

Find out more at CartonCloud.

The pressure on logistics operators has shifted from forecast to reality.

This Week in Logistics we’re watching rising surcharges across ocean, air and parcel actively compress margins, while North American trade becomes more selective ahead of the USMCA review.

But the bigger shift is happening inside the warehouse.

Join CartonCloud CEO Shaun Hagen from the Gold Coast as he unpacks a fundamental shift in automation — where value is no longer defined by what you implement, but how quickly it integrates and delivers. Because if connection takes months, the ROI is already slipping away.

This episode covers:

• Why surcharge complexity is creating immediate margin risk
• How trade is shifting toward more controlled, compliance-driven corridors
• Why automation ROI is now defined by integration speed, not hardware

Plus — this week’s fun fact that puts warehouse scale into perspective, with a warehouse so large they have their own weather system!

If you're a 3PL, shipper, or operator, this is your playbook for protecting margin and making faster, smarter execution decisions.

Spot the pattern early, simplify your response, and this week especially, audit every surcharge before it audits your margins. We'll see you all next week. Head to cartoncloud.com to learn more.

Episode 4 of This Week in Logistics explores the hidden forces reshaping global supply chains, from rising ocean rates and fuel-driven margin pressure to tightening cross-border capacity and growing policy risk. Shaun Hagen breaks down how Section 301 investigations, Mexico’s driver shortage, and shifting cost structures are creating the “illusion of capacity” — and what logistics operators must do to stay resilient and in control.

Why you should automate your operation's "dumbest, harshest problem" with the highest friction, why you shouldn't tune out regarding policy talks for USA x Mexico trade, and other playbook actions for your week. In this week’s episode of This Week in Logistics, CartonCloud CEO Shaun Hagen breaks down the operational signals behind the headlines — and what they mean for 3PL providers, transport operators, and warehouse teams running supply chains day to day.

In this episode, we unpack the week’s biggest logistics developments and what they mean for operators across transport, warehousing and supply chain.

Topics covered:

• Fuel price volatility and why slow fuel surcharge adjustments quietly destroy carrier margins
• What the upcoming USMCA trade talks could mean for cross-border freight, near-shoring strategies and North American supply chains
• Why companies like NAPA Auto Parts and Kroger are investing in targeted warehouse robotics and automation
• How leading operators are shifting from “lights-out warehouses” to constraint-focused automation

Plus we cover:

• A record-breaking month for Canadian grain rail
• Container freight rate changes on the Trans-Pacific trade lane
• Amazon and FedEx network consolidation strategies

If you operate in transport, warehousing or logistics, this episode will help you understand where risk is emerging — and where the smartest operators are tightening execution.

Learn more at CartonCloud.

The global supply chain is facing another stress test — and this week, resilience isn’t optional.

In this episode of This Week in Logistics, Shaun Hagen breaks down the widening Middle East conflict and its impact on the Strait of Hormuz, with shipping lanes spiking up to 50% and airspace closures disrupting global freight.We unpack what that means for fuel surcharges, capacity crunches, and downstream inflation — even for regional 3PLs.

Because the operators who win won’t be the ones with the best predictions — they’ll be the ones with the best execution discipline.

If you're a 3PL, shipper, or logistics operator planning for 2026, this is your operational brief for the week.

In this debut episode of This Week in Logistics, Shaun unpacks three major signals shaping the industry right now.

Join us to dive into on the ground innovation at Manifest in Las Vegas, the recent AI-driven shock to logistics stocks, and the US Supreme Court ruling on tariffs — as Shaun breaks down what this means for the industry today, and what it could mean for logistics operators moving forward.

Presented by CartonCloudwww.cartoncloud.com