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This Week In Logistics

CartonCloud

This Week in Logistics is your 10–20 minute weekly intelligence briefing for 3PLs, warehouse and transport leaders. Hosted by CartonCloud CEO Shaun Hagen, each episode cuts through the headlines to explain what happened, why it matters, and what operators should do next. No noise. No fluff. Just practical insights to help you run a smarter, more resilient operation.

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20 episodes
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Avg 14 min
English

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S2 · E3
Wednesday · 16 min
TWIL: A Cost Rule Peak — Canada's Tariffs Go Live, FedEx Guarantees Your Duties, and Peak Season Surcharges Land
Canada's tariffs are live, FedEx is now guaranteeing duties and taxes at checkout, and peak season surcharges are landing three different ways — with one of them invisible on the invoice. CartonCloud CEO Shaun Hagen is joined by CartonCloud Account Executive Javier Hernandez to unpack what it means for logistics operators in Q4. Welcome back to This Week in Logistics! In this episode, Shaun and Javier catch up on three weeks of trade and carrier moves since the Season 2 premiere. Canada's response against US tariffs took effect September 8, a fourth round of US-Mexico trade talks opened in Washington still deadlocked on automotive content rules and steel tariffs, FedEx launched a new tool that guarantees duties and taxes at checkout, and UPS, FedEx, and USPS are all locking in peak season surcharges in different ways. This isn't a normal demand peak. It's a cost rule peak, and the rules are still being written while it happens. This episode unpacks what that means for 3PLs and transport operators heading into Q4. In this episode we cover: Why Canada's tariffs going live September 8 (dollar-for-dollar on roughly $27.6 billion of US goods, steel and aluminium doubled to 50%) mean trade compliance is now a standing watch What a stalled fourth round of US-Mexico trade talks mean for anyone building a multi-year sourcing plan Why FedEx's new Global Trade Navigator, and its $99-a-month guarantee on duties and taxes at checkout, pulls the trade decision upstream to the point of sale How UPS, FedEx, and USPS are locking in peak season surcharges three different ways, and why the USPS increase won't show up as its own line item Uber Eats' new drone delivery partnership with Zipline, and what faster delivery windows mean for B2B fulfillment expectations Three things to check this week: your Q4 shipping cost model, your landed cost accuracy, and which SKUs are exposed on both the Canada and Mexico sides If you run a 3PL, transport operation, or warehouse, this episode will help you cut through the noise: From reconciling invoices against last year's line items → to comparing the underlying rate card, month on month From assuming this week's number holds into next month → to naming what's moving and updating it out loud From reacting to a surprise on the invoice → to telling customers what's changing before they have to ask Whatever's moving this quarter doesn't wait for you to notice it. Check it, price it, and tell your customers before they have to ask.
S2 · E2
September 8 · 25 min
TWIL: Multiple Warehouses, Multiple States, One Standard — How HD Warehousing Does It, With Special Guest Chad Hildebrandt, Owner & COO
HD Warehousing runs hazmat storage, food grade, e-commerce fulfillment, and large-scale pallet operations across multiple states — and Chad Hildebrandt, Owner & COO, joins Shaun Hagen to explain what actually holds it all to one standard. Welcome back to This Week in Logistics! In this special guest episode, CartonCloud CEO Shaun Hagen sits down with Chad Hildebrandt, who co-founded HD Warehousing along with his business partner Jen out of a 72,000 square foot facility in Idaho Falls. Two years on, HD Warehousing now operates multiple warehouses across different states, including a large-scale site in Denton, Texas, each shaped by the customers and product types it serves. In just two years, HD Warehousing has scaled across different operations, states, and customers, and kept every site running to the same standard. This episode unpacks what "local agility" actually looks like when it has to hold up at scale. In this episode we cover: Why Chad and Jen chose an underserved regional market in eastern Idaho over competing head-on in an established 3PL hub, and how that first, slow five months turned into word-of-mouth growth What "being an extension of your client" actually means in practice, from a dedicated SOP per client to the high standard of service set from day one Why HD Warehousing treats other warehouse operators as a network rather than competitors, referring clients elsewhere when they're not the right fit, and how that's built their reputation Chad's honest take on AI and automated forklifts: why the right technology fit matters more than the newest technology, especially when scaling multiple sites at once What Chad would tell another 3PL operator weighing up a second site, or a fifth If you run a multi-site 3PL, this episode is a straight look at what changes: From running one warehouse well → to holding one standard across several, across state lines From treating each new site as a one-off → to building a repeatable way of standing them up From choosing technology because it's new → to choosing it because it fits the operation you actually run
S2 · E1
August 28 · 18 min
TWIL: Season 2 Returns — US-Canada Tariffs, Oil Volatility, and Panama Canal Cuts All at Once
Season two opens with three cost drivers hitting at once — oil volatility, a US-Canada tariff war, and Panama Canal transit cuts — and Shaun Hagen is joined by new co-host CartonCloud Account Executive, Javier Hernandez. Welcome back to This Week in Logistics! In this special news episode, CartonCloud CEO Shaun Hagen and Javier Hernandez catch up on what actually happened while the show was off air since mid-June. Brent crude spiked past $140 a barrel in July before settling into a new range, US-Canada trade talks collapsed on Friday with fifty percent tariffs live by Saturday, and the Panama Canal is cutting daily vessel transits for only the second time in its 110-year history. The headline number gets the attention. The more useful question is what your pricing and planning look like across the range, not just the number of the week. This episode unpacks what these three shifts mean for 3PLs and transport operators coming back from the break. In this special catch-up episode we cover: Why Brent crude's July spike past $140 a barrel is a reminder that the working range matters more than a single number, and why oil is back around $92 with the risk premium still on the table What US-Canada tariffs going live overnight mean for landed costs — fifty percent on around $20 billion of Canadian goods, with Canada's retaliation landing September 8th Why Panama Canal transit cuts mean your Asia to US East Coast and Gulf freight is about to cost more, and why the window to lock in rates closes mid-September The Uber Freight breach, and why it's a good reason to ask your own vendors what's protecting the systems your freight runs through FedEx's robots now loading trailers by themselves at full production scale, and what it shows about where automation is strongest Three things to do this week: re-quote anything moving through the US and Canada, lock in Panama Canal carrier rates before the September surcharge hits, and ask your freight tech vendor what's protecting your data If you run a 3PL, transport operation, or warehouse, this episode will help you cut through the noise: From reacting to last week's number → to planning and pricing against a range From assuming the quiet season brings relief → to treating this as the new normal From waiting for the invoice → to locking in vendor and carrier answers now Nothing about the fundamentals changed over the break. Control what you can control, and don't let anyone rush you into a plan built on last week's numbers.
S1 · E17
June 25 · 15 min
TWIL: Employing People with Disabilities in Logistics: Hone's Approach to Running a High-Performance 3PL with Special Guest Sharon Prasad, Operations Manager
Purpose. People. Proof. A social enterprise running 200 supported employees across multiple sites. A candle brand built from scratch by the people making it. And a 3PL winning large contracts — not because of charity, but because of results. This is the season one finale of This Week in Logistics, and it is a different kind of episode. CartonCloud CEO Shaun Hagen sits down with Sharon, Operations Manager at Hone — formerly Hoxton Industries — a Southwest Sydney social enterprise that has been delivering supported employment since 1969. What started as a bike repair program has grown into a multi-service operation running destruction, packaging, point of sale, return and earn, and 3PL — plus Lumiere, a candle and home fragrance brand made entirely by Hone's people from start to finish. The conversation goes beyond logistics. It is about what happens when you build an operation around purpose first — and how that discipline produces better outcomes. Sharon makes a case that most operators will not have heard before: that running a workforce with additional support needs forces the kind of clarity, structure, and communication that most operations only aspire to. The businesses that struggle, she says, are the ones where nobody really knows what the processes are. Hone does not have that luxury. And it turns out it delivers better results. At the same time, she is direct about the parts that do not make the brochure. Funding is inconsistent. Cost structures are genuinely complex. Running a commercial business while advocating for workers who deserve the opportunity is a constant balancing act. It is not always clean. But it is always worth it. The question most logistics operators ask is how to do more with less. The more useful one might be whether the operation is actually built around the people doing the work. This episode covers: How Hone grew from a local bike repair program into a multi-service 3PL with its own consumer brand — and why growth has always followed purpose, not the other way around Why structure and clarity are not optional when your workforce has additional support needs — and why that standard makes Hone a better operator across the board How Hone wins and retains major clients like Vision Australia and Medtronic — on time delivery, accurate orders, and radical honesty when things go wrong What meaningful employment actually looks like for the 200 people working across Hone's sites — and why the confidence that comes from doing a job well cannot be engineered through a KPI system Where Lumiere came from, what it represents for Hone's people, and why it changes how the community sees the business entirely Why partnering with a social enterprise is a commercial decision, not a charitable one — and what operators get in return: reliability, commitment, and people who genuinely want to be there What Sharon would tell any logistics operator thinking about employing people with disabilities or partnering with a social enterprise: start with an open mind and leave the assumptions at the door The best operators are clear about what they stand for, know their people, and do not wait for the market to calm down before they get disciplined.
S1 · E16
June 18 · 11 min
TWIL: The Breakthrough Arrived — But the Network's Flexibility Hasn't Come Back With It
US and Iran reach a framework deal. Brent drops 4%. The Strait of Hormuz is set to reopen Friday. Here's why you should not relax yet. This Week in Logistics, the breakthrough most operators have been waiting for since February finally arrived — a 14-point MOU, a signing ceremony scheduled in Geneva, and Brent crude at $83 instead of $101. But the deal isn't signed yet. Lebanon is still a variable. Mine clearance takes 30 days. And hundreds of tankers sitting in safe ports can't redeploy overnight. On the same day the Iran news landed, two of the most disruptive ideas in freight each took a major step forward. Amazon expanded its LTL service from inbound-only to full door-to-door delivery to third-party warehouses, DCs, and retail stores — six weeks after launching Amazon Supply Chain Services. The question most operators are asking is when things will normalise. The more useful one is: is your operation ready for the competitive landscape that's being assembled right now? This episode unpacks what the Iran framework deal, Amazon's LTL expansion, and Einride's IPO mean for mid-market 3PLs and transport operators today. This week we cover: Why the Iran framework deal is the most significant logistics signal since February — and the specific reasons operators should not unwind their fuel disciplines on the announcement How to update your Brent crude planning range from $85–$105 to $75–$95 with downside protection, and what two-directional pricing looks like in practice What Amazon expanding its LTL service to all destinations in just six weeks means for mid-market 3PLs — and how to sharpen your "why use us" answer before your customers start asking Why Einride going public changes the autonomous freight timeline from venture-backed pilot to publicly traded company with hundreds of millions in capital — and what that means for operators paying attention to where their customers are pushing on cost and reliability What the Jones Act repeal campaign means for US coastal shipping economics, and which routes — Gulf to East Coast, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Alaska — are most exposed if permanent repeal goes through Why C.H. Robinson's June update matters: the bottleneck has moved inland, ports are workable, and the flexibility is shrinking inside the network even when the headline numbers look stable Four items on the structural watchlist for the next 90 days: the Geneva signing, Einride's stock performance, the Jones Act repeal campaign in Congress, and the Australian fuel excise expiry on 1 July If you run a 3PL, transport operation, or warehouse, this episode will help you cut through the noise and focus on what actually matters: The breakthrough arrived. The network's flexibility hasn't come back with it. Keep the disciplines, plan for both outcomes, and keep your eyes on what's changing underneath.
S1 · E15
June 11 · 10 min
TWIL: The Structural Pieces Are Clicking Into Place: FedEx Freight, Humanoid Robots, + What Oil Settling Actually Means
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.
S1 · E14
June 3 · 32 min
TWIL: How to Deliver an Amazon-Like Experience — with Rob Hango-Zada from Shippit
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.
S1 · E13
May 28 · 10 min
TWIL: Hope Is Not a Plan — Iran Deal Signals, RTCCO Goes Live, FedEx Freight Goes Independent
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.
S1 · E12
May 20 · 10 min
TWIL: Aramco Says Oil Won't Normalize Until 2027 — And Two Other Shifts That Moved the Ground This Week
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.
S1 · E11
May 15 · 12 min
TWIL: Volatility Is the Operating Environment
$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.
S1 · E10
May 6 · 13 min
TWIL: The Hormuz Fuel Crisis, Freight Upcycle + Amazon Supply Chain Update
#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.
S1 · E9
April 29 · 20 min
TWIL: What’s Actually Happening in Logistics Right Now (with special guest Scott Murray)
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.
S1 · E8
April 22 · 10 min
TWIL: Hidden Costs, Pricing Pressure + the New Service Baseline
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.
S1 · E7
April 15 · 12 min
TWIL: Strait of Hormuz Blockade, Fuel Shortages + Planning for Supply Risk
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.
April 9 · 10 min
TWIL: Flat Rates, Rising Costs + The Quiet Squeeze on Logistics Operators
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.
S1 · E5
March 26 · 10 min
TWIL: Surcharge Reality, Trade Complexity, the Race for Automation Execution + a warehouse with it’s own weather system!
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.
#4
March 18 · 10 min
TWIL: Policy Pressure, the Illusion of Capacity + the Shift to Real Resilience
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.
S1 · E3
March 11 · 9 min
TWIL — Fuel Price Whiplash, US–Mexico Trade Talks + Why “Boring Automation” is Winning
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.
#2
March 4 · 9 min
TWIL — Middle East Disruption, Rail’s Intermodal Surge + implications for last-mile SLAs
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.
S1 · E1
February 27 · 10 min
TWIL — Manifest recap, AI & Trump Tariffs
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

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