The Logistics Manager’s Index has spent the last 10 years offering an early read on where the economy may be headed. In this episode, Chris Caplice is joined by Professors Zac Rogers of Colorado State University and Dale Rogers of Arizona State University to look at what the LMI is signaling now.

The LMI tracks eight components across transportation, warehousing and inventory, using input from senior logistics leaders to measure whether each area is expanding or contracting. Recent readings point to a freight market where transportation capacity is tightening, prices are rising sharply and businesses are taking very different approaches to inventory.

In this conversation, they cover:

🚛 Why transportation prices recently reached some of the highest levels in the LMI’s history

📦 How retailers are keeping inventories lean while manufacturers stockpile critical components

🌎 What tariffs, regulation and geopolitical uncertainty are doing to transportation capacity

🏗️ Why warehousing demand is picking back up, including the impact of data center construction
🔮 What the LMI suggests about freight costs, capacity and economic growth through the rest of 2026

If you work in shipping, transportation or supply chain planning, this episode offers a useful look at the signals shaping the second half of the year.

Interview recorded on August 12, 2026

Freightvine Market Update recorded on August 17, 2026

Catch previous episodes 👉 dat.com/podcast/freightvine

Chapters:

00:09 Introduction to the Logistics Managers Index

01:29 Divergence in Inventory Management Strategies

01:56 Impact of Data Center Construction on Economic Growth

02:07 Introduction to the LMI and Its Founding

04:13 Understanding the Logistics Manager's Index (LMI)

07:23 The Role of Surveys in LMI Data Collection

10:20 Survey Response Rates and Participant Engagement

13:28 Recent Trends in Inventory Management

22:41 Transportation Trends and Their Impact on the Economy

23:18 Understanding Price Increases and Policy Impact

24:34 The Freight Recession and Capacity Challenges

28:36 Labor Market Dynamics and Capacity Decisions

33:01 Warehousing Trends and Data Center Influence

37:02 Economic Predictions and Uncertainty Factors

50:00 Freightvine Market Update

Freightvine

Episodes 20

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