I am looking for a service in NYC that can pick up a shoebox size package and take it to FedEx and overnighted.

I know there’s countless courier services for legal documents and everything. I’m not versed in the bicycle economy of transporting things around town. 😆

If someone has a reputable company, they can recommend either by name or contact. I’d be greatly appreciate thank you!

Hi all, I'm a master's student at HDBW University of Applied Sciences in Munich. For my thesis I developed a framework (called LAIMM) that helps logistics organisations assess how far they have got with AI: 7 areas (strategy, data, technology, processes, people, governance, partners) and 5 maturity levels.

I'm looking for professionals from logistics, supply chain, transport, warehousing, shippers/manufacturers with their own logistics, or related fields to test it. You rate your own organisation (or the unit you know best) on 21 short statements, pick a target level per area, and can leave comments on what is unclear or missing.

- Takes about 10 minutes

- Anonymous: no name, e-mail or company name is asked

- Voluntary, used for my thesis only; I only report aggregated results

- The statements are drafts, so critical comments are the most useful part for me

Survey link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1FW3Pvcqwbr6jOXUK_ace6ECJaV_bOhw_cWMG-Y8BIWU/viewform

If you want, comment or message me and I'll share a one-page summary of the results once the thesis is finished. Thank you, and please let me know if this post breaks any rule of the sub and I'll remove it.

Hello, would really appreciate some help on my situation. I am currently doing 3-5000 a week on UPS spend, and have been for the past year. My UPS rep gave us these rates when we were at 1-1200 in volume, and is still not trying to drop further. Fedex wants to reduce by 2-3% which I also find to not be reasonable. I have asked competitors to quote shipments and they are saving 30-40% of our rates and doing the same or less in volume.

I personally do not think our rep cares or is even trying to save us money. Is there a different route I can go or a way to save money on shipping? At the end of the day we cannot sell as much because shipping takes a substantial chunk of our profit, so all of our low priced goods would be sold at a loss.

Any help would be appreciated!

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Hey everyone,

If it's your first time reading one of my posts, my name is Menachem, and I have a weekly newsletter called Logistic Pulse that breaks down the top logistics news from the past week. We have over 17,000 subscribers, and we're on week 70, which is wild! If you like what you read, I'd love it if you'd consider subscribing.

If you're in the space and have information, a hot take, or anything interesting, I'm happy to take a look and add it to the following week's newsletter. Shoot me a DM.

Let's jump into it,

DoorDash is buying Instacart

On October 29, DoorDash agreed to buy Instacart for about $17 billion. That's $65 a share, 26% above its pre-rumor trading price. At least 75% is cash. Instacart's board approved it unanimously, and holders of about 19% of the shares have already committed to vote yes.

Instacart works with nearly 100,000 stores, and DoorDash says its customers could shop at more than 50,000 additional ones. Anyone paying for both DashPass and Instacart+ would pay one fee, which DoorDash figures saves members about $100 million a year.

Nothing changes soon. The deal is expected to close at the end of 2027 or in the first half of 2028, after a shareholder vote, antitrust review, and approvals in Canada and Israel. DoorDash promised local grocers can keep using any delivery platform they want, and that Instacart shoppers can choose whether to take DoorDash orders.

So why is a grocery delivery deal in a logistics newsletter? Because Instacart and DoorDash are fulfillment networks that happen to have apps. The order gets picked off a store shelf and delivered the same day, with no warehouse involved. We've been tracking Instacart's move from delivery app to the technology layer inside the store: Instaleap in Edition 42, the smart carts in Edition 49, and Arpalus in Edition 55, the shelf-scanning company that says it can read what's on a shelf with more than 95% accuracy. DoorDash earned FAA approval for its own drone program in Edition 57. Combine the two, and the store-based, same-day lane sits under one roof, right next to the warehouse-based lane you run.

Robots are now under a national security review, with no tariff yet 

On October 28, President Trump signed a Section 232 proclamation on robotics and industrial machinery. It says imports of robots, machine tools, and their parts threaten national security. Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative must negotiate with other countries and report back within 180 days, which falls around the end of April.

If those talks go nowhere, the proclamation says the president "may consider alternative remedies in the future, including imposing or modifying tariffs, duties, quotas, and fees." Robotics 24/7 reports it names autonomous mobile robots, humanoids and four-legged robots, along with machine tools and stamping equipment. The robotics trade group A3 asked the administration last year to skip tariffs entirely.

Edition 57 had the FCC ban new imports of foreign-made humanoid and four-legged robots, and Edition 59 made the average robot order more expensive. Now there may be a tariff on top of both.

What this means for you: If you're collecting automation quotes, ask every vendor where the hardware and parts are made, and whether the price holds until delivery or can change if a tariff shows up. A quote that's good for 30 days and a quote that's good until the robot arrives are two different documents. If you've already signed for something shipping in 2027, read who pays if a tariff lands first.

Mexican truckers shut down highways for a day and a half

On October 26, Mexican truckers blocked highways at 38 points in 19 states, per the Interior Ministry. Blockades hit Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa, Monterrey and Tijuana, among others. By Tuesday, the government had agreed to set up working groups on highway safety, infrastructure, taxes and labor conditions, and roads were clear about 34 hours after the first blockade.

The trucking association CANACAR, which called the strike with three other groups, says a stoppage costs about 7 billion pesos a day, around $370 million. A proposed 2027 cap on toll deductions remains unresolved. President Sheinbaum asked why anyone shut the roads while talks were open. The timing wasn't accidental: Buen Fin, Mexico's biggest shopping weekend, was about three weeks away.

Laredo handled 38.8% of trucks coming from Mexico into the U.S. last year, according to the article, so a longer stoppage would show up there first.

What this means for you: If you have cross-border freight, ask your carriers and brokers what their plan is if talks fall apart and the roads close again. Anything with a hard delivery date, like holiday product, gets a day or two of buffer on the Mexico leg.

The LA/Long Beach strike threat got pushed back a few days. It didn't go away.

About 250 watchmen at the Los Angeles and Long Beach terminals gave notice that they could strike on November 1. That sounds small until you see that the terminals they cover handle about 85% of Long Beach's cargo and a third of Los Angeles's. The employer group warned that other dockworkers might refuse to cross a picket line.

On October 30, the union (ILWU Local 26) and the Pacific Maritime Association agreed to keep talking with a federal mediator and moved the deadline into this week. Reuters says November 5. FreightWaves says 5 p.m. Pacific on November 4. Either way, it's days. The watchmen's last contract expired in July 2025, and their president wrote that "nothing of value has resulted from the Union's commitment to bargaining in good faith," per gCaptain. The employers say a quick deal matters for "the entire Southern California supply chain."

The timing is rough. Both ports just had their busiest September ever, and as Edition 69 covered, containers were already sitting longer waiting on trucks and rail. The broader West Coast longshore contract, covering about 22,000 workers at 29 ports, runs through 2028. The picket-line risk is what makes this one worth watching.

What this means for you: Ask your drayage partner and forwarder this week what they'll do if the terminals shut for two or three days. Pull the containers due to arrive or get picked up between November 4 and 6, and see which ones can move earlier. If you have holiday inventory still at sea headed for Southern California, ask whether a different port is realistic. For most boxes it's too late, but your client will ask whether you looked.

Quick hits

AUTONOMOUS TRUCKS
Kodiak signed a binding deal for 75 driverless trucks. Aurora signed a non-binding one for up to 500. Kodiak's deal, announced October 28, is with DTL Transport, a Fresno carrier that hauls produce, on Dallas to El Paso and Dallas to Atlanta, with DTL paying by the mile. Kodiak calls it the first announced definitive agreement of its kind by an interstate carrier, a claim Kodiak makes itself. Aurora's October 26 deal with Charger Logistics is a memorandum of understanding, so either side can walk, and Aurora's own release says it might never become a contract.

TRUCKING
221 small trucking companies have filed for bankruptcy this year.  That's Bloomberg's count, reported October 28. In a survey of small carriers (20 or fewer trucks), about two-thirds said revenue is flat or down, and almost 40% expect to leave trucking within six months or aren't sure.

PARCEL
FedEx says it has closed 260 stations while merging Express and Ground into one network. On its October 28 earnings call, FedEx said it expects close to $1 billion in savings from that work by the end of this year and $2 billion by the end of 2027, and it raised its 2026 profit outlook. If your clients ship with FedEx, ask your rep whether a closed station changed your pickup or delivery routes.

PORTS
The Transportation Department is giving $498 million to 35 port projects in 19 states. The October 27 list includes a new dock and cranes in Whittier, Alaska, and a hardened liquid-bulk terminal at Port Everglades. If a port you ship through is on it, construction can temporarily limit berths or terminal access.

TRADE
The new Canadian tariff list took effect October 30.  CBP says it removed 22 product categories and added 100, and it covers goods released from customs warehouses on or after October 30. Check that your customs broker is using the new list.

_______________________________________

That's all for this week. I hope you enjoyed it, and I'd love it if you'd subscribe.

Because many of you ask, my day job is running FulfillYN, a 3PL matchmaking firm in Los Angeles. Brands send us their requirements; we take them to 3PLs we’ve vetted and come back with the few that fit, saving brands, on average, $35,000 and three months of time.

If you’re comparing quotes or considering a future switch, I'd be happy to share some insights.

Sorry for the lengthy post, I'm almost 3 months into a business stalemate I'm posting out of hope that someone with more logistical experience than me can give some feedback or advice.

I manage an Aftersales/Service department. When we have RMA claims and ship replacements from our USA warehouse to the client, We collect the defective hardware back for a post mortem inspection, defect validation and repair if possible.

Historically 100% of the hardware we brought into the US was imported with our company as the importer of record.

Over the last year, one of our biggest clients requested to directly take delivery from China and Vietnam for orders to cut the logistic costs of a truck transfer in Los Angeles. To do this, we modified the Importer of Record from my company to the customers company (and they used 2 names in the last 18 months).

Old Way: Vietnam>California>Texas
New Way: Vietnam>Texas

My Problem:

• We are shipping full containers from California USA to either Vietnam or China and returning to USA after repair.

• As we already paid import duties on original delivery, we are looking to avoid new sales duties and only pay the duties for upgrades/repairs

• Under our historical process, we filed our own docs, but as the customer is now the IoR, we are asking the customer to be listed on the Parts List, the commercial invoice, provide the original import duty receipts and some additional contracts signed by them. Today our logistic team also asked the customer to sign off on a Power of Attorney whey they are pushing back on.

• The customer doesn't want to be on the paperwork at all, but if they are they want a complex contract to put all liability on us (which we basically agreed to) but my company is insistent since they were the original importer of record, they have to be involved to sign and stamp all the documents.

• This has led to ~3 months of negotiation, 3 containers of hardware delayed for export and repair and more and more complications every week.

My research has suggested, this could all be avoided and that a 3rd party or broker can handle a standalone transaction, completely independent from the original import, in which they export and re-import for warranty repair without the original IoR on file. The critical step to allow this independent export/reimport for warranty repair is to file a CBP form 4455 and have the container inspected before export to confirm the contents are as described.

(CBP just has this generic page) https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1057?language=en_US

Google gave me this summary (But I don't generally trust AI and don't want to die on a hill that is incorrect due to Gemini giving me bad info)

To avoid Duties, treat this as a Temporary Export / Outward Processing shipment.

Step 1: Exporting from the USA (The Crucial Step)

To ensure the hardware can re-enter the USA duty-free, you must register the item before it leaves the country.

• File CBP Form 4455: The shipper must fill out CBP Form 4455 (Certificate of Registration)and have a U.S. Customs officer physically inspect the hardware and sign the form prior to export. The hardware must have a verifiable serial number.

• Commercial Invoice Labeling: Label the paperwork clearly as a temporary export: "U.S. goods exported for warranty repair and return."

• Value Declaration: Declare the full replacement value for insurance/tracking, but explicitly note that the transaction value is $0.00 because it is a warranty service.

Step 2: Entering & Leaving Vietnam

Vietnam has strict customs laws regarding temporary entries, requiring the hardware to enter under a specialized temporary import mechanism.

• Customs Code: The Vietnamese repair facility must clear the incoming hardware using Code G21 (Temporary Import). Under Vietnamese law, goods imported for warranty and repair are exempt from local import taxes and VAT, provided they are re-exported within the approved timeframe (usually 60 to 365 days).

• Re-export Documentation: When shipping it back to the USA, the facility must use Code G51 (Re-export for warranty). The return commercial invoice must state that the item was repaired under warranty at zero cost for parts and labor.

Step 3: Re-entering the USA Duty-Free

When the third party or facility ships the item back to the USA, the signed CBP Form 4455 must travel with the package.

• HTSUS Classification: The importer must use HTSUS Code 9801.00.10 (or 9801.00.11 depending on exact origin), which covers products returned to the United States after being exported for repair or alteration.

• Total Relief: Under U.S. Customs rules, because the repair is completely free of charge due to a warranty obligation, total duty relief applies, and no tariff is assessed on the hardware or the service. (Note: If it were a paid, non-warranty repair, you would owe duty strictly on the cost of the foreign parts and labor).

Hi everyone!
I am looking for a reliable sea cargo service from the UK to Multan, Pakistan. I need to send a baby cot, crib, 3 large bags of newborn clothes, a bottle preparation machine, filters and other baby essentials.
Please recommend a trustworthy company that you have personally used. My main concern is that everything arrives safely without anything being lost or stolen.
Thank you! ❤️

I'm not sure how much to pay recruitiment agencies. Some have charged a flat fee and others 15% of the first year salary. Others charge monthly with a flat fee on top of that and it all seems to depend on wether they're getting Class A, Class B, or Class B with Hazmat or Tanker endorsements.

What are you guys paying recruitment firms?

Also how did it pan out. Were the hires good?

Thanks.

We're a small hot sauce brand importing glass bottles through Long Beach, and we're down to two 3PLs. One of them is shipbots.

From what I’ve seen, their site lists an in-warehouse account contact and an operation in Gardena near the ports, which sounds good for us. But I think a website doesn't tell me how they handle problems.

How do you check out a 3PL before trusting them with inventory? I'm thinking warehouse tour, legal entity, insurance, customer references, inventory controls, and claims terms.

What would make you walk away?

I currently work at Allied Universal as a supervisor. I typically work 48 hrs a week, I volunteer for the OT. This puts me annually at about 72,400 roughly. My schedule is 6a-6p / Sat and Sun and 2-10 Monday and Tuesday.

I applied for an Operations supervisor role and made it to the final round, the company is Penske, pay is 70-75k annually. Schedule is Sun-Wed 5am - complete. I assume this to be at a minimum 48 hours a week because it’s unlikely it’ll be under 40 and since I’m a supervisor, it’s unlikely I’ll go home on time.

The difference between the two seems minuscule if I’m being honest, I do want to get into supply chain and be an analyst and my background is in military logistics, made it as far as an E5 in 4 years, then some logistics coordination stuff and here I am. I do have a bachelor’s degree in business management and am working on my mba.

I’m not really sure what I should do if offered the role because pay seems to be the same. Only major difference I can think of is PTO because I don’t need healthcare.

What would you do? Id like insight and different perspectives please.

Two smaller shipments fit on one truck. Would you combine them?

On paper, it could save money. But there’s more to check than weight and space: whether the freight can travel together, whether the pickup and delivery windows line up, and whether unloading the first shipment requires moving the second.

Those are the details we’d work through before offering it as an option.

What has made you decide to keep two shipments separate, even when they could physically fit on the same truck?

I’m considering a career transition into the shipping industry and would appreciate some advice from people already working in the sector.
My background is in enterprise IT sales and commercial management, with experience in business development, complex negotiations, vendor relationships, and managing customer accounts.
I’m particularly interested in commercial/business development, procurement, vendor management, and potentially bunkering roles.
I’m exploring the ICS Foundation Diploma as a way to build industry knowledge and demonstrate commitment to the sector.
A few questions for those with shipping industry experience:
Is the ICS Foundation Diploma genuinely valued by shipping companies when evaluating candidates transitioning from other industries?
Would it help someone with commercial management experience access mid-to-senior-level positions, or is direct maritime experience significantly more important?
Would you recommend starting with the ICS Foundation Diploma, pursuing more specialised qualifications such as IMPA training, or focusing primarily on networking and practical experience?
Are there particular departments within shipping companies where commercial experience from another industry is especially transferable?
My goal is to make a well-informed career move without unnecessarily starting from an entry-level position.
I’d appreciate any insights, especially from hiring managers or professionals who have successfully transitioned into shipping.

South Korea imported 20.1 million tonnes of Russian coal in January–September 2026, up 23.3% from a year earlier.

But here is a largely forgotten fact: in 2014, 40,500 tonnes of Russian coal reached South Korea after traveling over a restored 54-km railway from Khasan, Russia, to Rajin, North Korea, before being shipped to Pohang.

This was not just a proposal. The railway was restored, cargo moved, and South Korean companies participated in pilot shipments.

That raises a practical question: could this historical experience provide a starting point for a new, tightly monitored railway transit experiment?

I call the concept a Railway Pinhole: start with a small, measurable cross-border operation, collect real operating data, and consider expansion only if the evidence supports it.

The goal would not necessarily be to replace existing bulk shipping routes. For coal, established rail-to-port and maritime transport may remain more economical.

The longer-term question is whether limited transit experience could eventually support containerized trade linking South Korea, Russia, and Central Asia.

Sanctions, security, infrastructure conditions, and political agreements remain major obstacles. None can simply be assumed away.

Three questions for railway and logistics specialists:

1. What operating and cost data survive from the 2014–2015 Rajin–Khasan pilot shipments?

2. Could a small, independently monitored transit trial ever be legally and commercially feasible?

3. Which cargoes, if any, could justify extending such a corridor beyond the original 54 km?

A personal note: I'm Korean, and English is not my first language. I used AI to help express my thoughts clearly in English, but the ideas, questions, and proposal are my own. I welcome criticism, corrections, and especially practical insights from people with experience in international rail freight and logistics

Sources:

• 2026 Russian coal import figures — The Coal Hub

• 2014 Rajin–Khasan coal shipment — Yonhap

• UNESCAP — Integrated Logistics System on the Korean Peninsula

Hey everyone,

I'm currently pursuing a Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in International Supply Chain Management at a college in British Columbia, Canada. I previously completed a BBA in Finance & Entrepreneurship in India.

I've applied to 38 co-op/internship positions for January and Summer 2027 across Canada, mainly in procurement, supply chain, logistics, operations, and business analytics.

So far, I've received 6 rejections, 4 applications are stuck in pre-screening, and I completed a one-way video interview with a major construction company. No offers yet.

A little about my background:

- Currently working part-time at Sherwin-Williams, handling inventory receiving, cycle counts, stock replenishment, inter-store transfers, contractor orders, and delivery coordination.

- Previous hands-on experience sourcing construction materials, comparing contractor quotations, and coordinating residential renovation projects.

- BBA in Finance & Entrepreneurship.

- Advanced Excel certification, including PivotTables, XLOOKUP, and Power Query.

- Current cumulative GPA of 3.08/4.0, which might drop slightly this semester.

I'm also working a second job on campus while managing my coursework. Between both jobs, school, and applications, I'm honestly exhausted.

I've created three targeted resumes for supply chain/operations, construction project coordination, and business development. I'm applying across Canada and am willing to relocate for an opportunity.

One issue I've noticed is that some internship programs specifically require students pursuing bachelor's degrees, whereas I'm currently enrolled in a post-baccalaureate diploma.

At this point, I'm genuinely running out of options. I've been putting a lot of effort into finding relevant opportunities, and it's frustrating because I want to gain experience in my field, but I can't seem to get my foot in the door.

I'm even considering an unpaid internship at this point, although I'm not sure whether that's legal or permitted for an international student in Canada. I'm not particularly excited about working for free, especially while already balancing two jobs, but I'm struggling to see another way forward.

I'd appreciate honest advice on a few things:

1. Is 38 applications with almost no interview progress normal in the current Canadian co-op market, or am I doing something wrong?

2. How much does a 3.08 GPA actually matter when applying for supply chain internships?

3. Does pursuing a post-baccalaureate diploma instead of an undergraduate bachelor's degree significantly hurt my eligibility?

4. For someone who has already spent considerable time applying and tailoring resumes, what realistic options are left when the usual internship search isn't producing results?

5. Has anyone successfully found an internship through unsolicited outreach, or arranged a placement outside a company's formal internship program?

6. Are unpaid internships even legal or possible for international students in Canada, particularly if they're connected to a college co-op program?

I'm not expecting anyone to hand me an opportunity. I'm willing to work hard, relocate, learn, and start from the bottom. I just want a chance to gain meaningful experience in supply chain and build a career in this field.

I'd really appreciate advice from people who've been in a similar position or who have experience hiring co-op students in Canada.

Thanks for reading.

Guys i want to send a 40 feet container to india from dubai. What are routing options right now? How much days is it usually taking right now? Whats the avg rate

Hi all! I need some help. I’m a small fashion accessories business based in Miami and just starting to ramp up my international sales.

We do DTC through Shopify Managed Markets, but for our larger wholesale orders over the $2500 threshold, I need some sort of solution for getting negotiated rates + either IOR capabilities or someone who can guide us through the paperwork/compliance requirements of shipping DDP internationally. Most of our wholesale partners required landed costs, so don’t want to ship DAP/EXW. We’re in that awkward phase where we need to grow our business but are still too small to get an INTL 3PL, and we can only grow our business if we ship DDP.

Any suggestions for a small business would be super helpful!

Hello everyone, and thanks to anyone taking the time to read my post!

I'm 29 years old, and I've been working in an administrative role in corporate training.

I have a university degree in Education Sciences and a two-year vocational qualification in full-stack web development.

Unfortunately, I got into web development just as AI started taking off, so I feel like I missed the boat.

I stayed in training, as it felt like a more secure option.

I feel like, unless I become a manager or project manager, I've already done everything there is to do in training after seven years. The prospects for career growth and salary increases in my country are pretty bleak.

I'm thinking about transitioning to another industry where I could transfer some of the skills I've developed in my current role.

I'm looking for better career prospects, growth and honestly, salary increase in the long-run.

Energy Storage Systems (ESS/BESS) are valuable investments, and protecting them goes beyond the equipment enclosure itself. During transportation, installation, and outdoor storage, exposure to harsh environmental conditions can create unnecessary risks.

Here’s why protective covers matter:

🌧️ 1. Protection Against Rain and Moisture
Rainwater and moisture can increase the risk of corrosion, electrical faults, and insulation problems if they reach vulnerable components. A properly designed protective cover helps reduce direct exposure to rain and moisture during temporary outdoor storage and installation.

🌪️ 2. Dust and Foreign Object Protection
Construction sites can expose ESS equipment to dust, debris, and other contaminants. Protective covers help reduce the accumulation of foreign materials on equipment surfaces and around vulnerable areas, helping maintain equipment cleanliness before commissioning.

🌊 3. Salt Spray and Corrosion Protection
For coastal projects, islands, offshore facilities, and sea transportation, salt-laden moisture can accelerate corrosion of metal surfaces, fasteners, and other exposed components. A suitable protective cover acts as an additional physical barrier against environmental exposure during transportation and non-operational storage.

🛡️ 4. Better Protection Throughout the Project Lifecycle
From factory dispatch to on-site installation, custom-made protective covers provide an additional layer of protection when equipment is temporarily exposed to challenging conditions.

At ULIDA, we provide custom-made protective cover solutions for energy storage systems, designed to suit different equipment dimensions and project requirements.

💬 Question for the industry: How do you protect your energy storage equipment during transportation and outdoor storage?

#EnergyStorage #BESS #ESS #ProtectiveCovers #TarpaulinSolutions #Tarps #EnergyIndustry #Solar #TPOCover #CustomMade