Month: December 2025

Tariffs, enforcement crackdowns, cargo crime and nearshoring pressures reshaped cross-border commerce U.S.–Mexico trade in 2025 was defined less by steady growth and more by policy whiplash, heightened enforcement and mounting security risks, even as Mexico retained its position as the United States’ largest trading partner.  This year, U.S.–Mexico trade proved resilient — but far from… Continue reading Tariffs, enforcement and cargo theft reshape U.S.–Mexico trade in 2025

The November Logistics Manager’s Index (LMI) reported a reading of 55.7, continuing a recent slowdown driven by a market correction across inventory and warehousing. The most significant event in the nine-year history of the index was the contraction of Warehousing Utilization (47.5), meaning respondents reported using less available warehousing space month-over-month for the first time… Continue reading Dry van report: Warehousing contracts for the first time as freight tightens

Cargo volumes at Port Houston softened in November amid seasonal and market headwinds, but year-to-date totals remain strong and on track for another record year, port officials said. The port handled 335,275 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in November, a 9% year-over-year decline compared with the same period last year. Port Houston also handled 4.19 million… Continue reading Port Houston November volumes dip, but exports up 8% year to date

At Playbook, we’ve recently partnered with ATBS, one of the most trusted accounting and advisory firms in trucking, to help owner-operators and small carriers get clearer on something that has quietly become a competitive advantage in today’s market: understanding profitability at a granular level. Not estimates. Not averages. Not what worked last year. Real numbers, built… Continue reading Why Knowing Your Numbers Is a True Competitive Advantage in Trucking

The major winter storm that crippled the Midwest immediately following Thanksgiving in late November created a sudden and intense spike in demand for refrigerated trailers, defying the typical softness of the post-holiday freight market. With over a foot of snow, high winds, and widespread travel chaos—including the closure of major airports like Des Moines and… Continue reading Reefer report: Winter storm jams Midwest reefer market