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“Wait and See” Is Not a Strategy

Tariffs, rate swings, and market shifts are making volatility the new normal. Acting now protects margins.

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Rate Volatility Isn’t Going Away

The idea that rates will “normalize” in 2026 is fading fast. Between capacity contraction, geopolitical shifts, and fuel swings, volatility is the baseline in freight.1

What’s driving instability:

  • Carrier bankruptcies shrinking capacity
  • Ongoing consolidation across T&L sectors
  • Long-term fuel cost fluctuations and rerouted trade lanes

Proactive shippers are locking in long-term relationships now to create a stable business strategy for 2026.

The Cost of Waiting

Heavy haul projects often involve special permits, inspections, specialized equipment, rigging, and multimodal transport. RJ brings it all together so you don’t have to coordinate with multiple vendors.

Data shows waiting isn’t neutral; it’s costly. 

Goods prices rose 1.5% in the first half of 2025. That’s five times the increase seen in 2024.2

Delays in procurement decisions amplified tariff-related cost pressures across networks, seen in higher spot rates and reactive contract renewals, idle inventory, and lost budget precision.

As one customer put it, “Uncertainty is the most expensive line item in your P&L.”

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Tariffs Aren’t the Only Problem

RJ Why Wait Landing Page Images

Tariffs aren’t the only threat to business strategy. Non-tariff barriers are also reshaping supply chains faster than trade policies can respond.3

Geopolitical events, natural disasters, climate change, and labor disputes are just a few additional barriers causing uncertainty for shippers.

Top-performing shippers are getting ahead by:

  • Mapping exposure beyond tariff lines
  • Diversifying sourcing and routing early
  • Building digital visibility into customs and compliance flows

In a market defined by change, waiting guarantees higher costs later.

Build a Resilient Supply Chain

Unplanned Capacity Constraints = Higher Cost

41% of transportation and logistics firms that filed for bankruptcy since 2020 did so in the last two years. 4

That contraction means fewer stable logistics partners and less flexibility when rates rebound.

Proactive shippers are securing long-term contracts with reliable partners and locking in predictable pricing.5

This strategy also reduces exposure to spot market volatility.

The gist: Waiting means paying more when capacity tightens again.

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Signs That Slow Decisions Are Eroding Margin

Once On-Time, In-Full (OTIF) performance starts slipping, it’s the first sign that indecision has begun eroding profitability.6

Proactive shippers are protecting margins by:

  • Treating OTIF and “days without movement” as financial KPIs
  • Accelerating procurement and routing decisions with real-time visibility tools
  • Acting early on trend data instead of reacting after the disruption hits

Indecision doesn’t buy time–it wastes it.

The Proactive Playbook

Volatility isn’t going away, but top shippers are turning it into an advantage.

Here are a few strategies the top shippers are using to build resilient, data-driven networks that can withstand change:

  • Forecasting 12–36 months ahead with predictive analytics7
  • Diversifying networks to hedge geopolitical and climate risk
  • Collaborating with logistics partners through shared visibility

Proactivity is the new resilience. Those building for stability today will own capacity, cost, and customer confidence tomorrow.

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“From my first call with RJ Logistics, my shipping challenges disappeared. Their industry expertise, competitive rates, and reliable trucking options have met every request. Great service, knowledgeable reps, friendly drivers, and on-time deliveries—RJ Logistics delivers every time.” – Ogura Corporation
Sources

  1. Worldwide Express. (2025). 2025 Shipping Industry Report. Retrieved from https://www.wwex.com/shipping-resources/general-resources/2025-shipping-industry-report

  2. Yale Budget Lab. (2025). The Short-Run Effects of 2025 Tariffs (So Far). Retrieved from https://budgetlab.yale.edu/research/short-run-effects-2025-tariffs-so-far

  3. Maersk. (2025, February 28). The Geopolitical Supply Chain Landscape: Resilience Amid Uncertainty. Retrieved from https://www.maersk.com/insights/resilience/2025/02/28/geopolitical-supply-chain-landscape

  4. Freight Caviar. (2025). Trucking Bankruptcies Accelerate as Tariffs and Debt Pressure Mount. Retrieved from https://www.freightcaviar.com/trucking-bankruptcies-accelerate-as-tariffs-and-debt-pressure-mount/

  5. WTW (Willis Towers Watson). (2025). Global Transportation and Logistics Risk Report 2024–2025. Retrieved from https://www.wtwco.com/en-nz/insights/2025/02/global-transportation-and-logistics-risk-report-2024-2025

  6. Inbound Logistics. (2025). What Supply Chain Metrics Should Companies Watch in Uncertain Times? Retrieved from https://www.inboundlogistics.com/articles/what-supply-chain-metrics-should-companies-watch-in-uncertain-times/

  7. ACT Research. (2025). See the Future of Freight. Retrieved from https://www.actresearch.net/solutions/see-the-future-of-freight