RENO, Nev., Jan. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ITS Logistics, one of North America’s fastest-growing third-party logistics providers, today released its January forecast in the ITS Logistics Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index. The index confirms that December import volumes declined through the end of 2025, despite growth in new trade lanes from Southeast Asia. Still, the forthcoming Supreme Court ruling on the Administration’s tariffs could drive a rebound in time for Lunar New Year. The report also details the latest driver enforcement actions and other key regional influences driving trucking markets across the country in the index’s new Inland Transportation Risk Outlook.
“Port congestion remains low into the new year, with isolated issues of empty return appointment availability being reported, especially at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach,” said Paul Brashier, Vice President of Global Supply Chain for ITS Logistics. “However, volumes to the Southeast and Northeast regions are increasing due to new trade lanes opening from Southeast Asia, as well as the reopening of the Red Sea.”
U.S. container imports totaled 2,227,316 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in December, up 2% month-over-month but down 5.9% from 2024 levels. Full-year 2025 volumes came in 0.4% below 2024 totals, officially erasing hopes that early-year frontloading would preserve annual growth margins as import demand weakened throughout the third and fourth quarters. Import volumes from Southeast Asia posted modest but notable gains in December, led by Vietnam, where volumes increased 5.4% month-over-month and 21.5% year-over-year, per Descartes System Groups. This trend reflects shippers’ ongoing efforts to mitigate tariff exposure by diversifying origin strategies, even as overall demand remains constrained.
Pre-Lunar New Year shipments are also beginning to move across Transatlantic shipping lanes toward the Pacific Northwest and Pacific Southwest, though volumes are expected to fall below historical norms. Elevated tariffs, persistent inflation, and higher costs are putting downward pressure on consumer demand, limiting the scale of traditional Lunar New Year shipping surges. Shippers and carriers are watching closely for the Supreme Court’s pending decision on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs, which have driven Chinese import volumes down an estimated 28%.
“If the IEEPA tariffs were to be removed from all imported goods, there would certainly be an increase in imports,” Brashier explained. “Especially for goods recently being sourced in higher-tariffed countries.”
Outside of the ports, inland transportation markets are facing separate and increasingly complex uncertainty tied to state-level enforcement actions of non-domiciled commercial drivers’ licenses (CDLs) and learners permits (CLPs). California has extended the cancellation deadline for approximately 17,000 non-domiciled CDLs through March 6. The state faces an active lawsuit brought by the Sikh Coalition alleging that many license cancellations stem from clerical and administrative errors, leaving affected drivers with little recourse or means to reinstate their licenses. The Sikh community represents roughly 40% of the California carrier pool, according to the North American Punjabi Trucking Association, raising the risk of disproportionate capacity loss in one of the nation’s busiest drayage markets.
Tennessee also announced in early January that it will issue notices to approximately 8,800 CDL holders requiring proof of citizenship or lawful U.S. presence — documentation that was not required when their licenses were originally issued. The affected population represents roughly 5% of the state’s carrier base, who must present documentation by early April.
North Carolina may be the next to follow with a similar announcement, after recent Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration audit findings revealed that 54% of sampled non-domiciled CDLs issued by the state were in violation of federal guidelines. FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said that notice has been sent to the state with the expectation that North Carolina “will act expeditiously to achieve substantial compliance.” This motion could mean more CDL cancellations and a further shrinking of the capacity pool.
ITS Logistics offers a full suite of network transportation solutions across North America and distribution and fulfillment services to 95% of the US population within two days. These services include drayage and intermodal in 22 coastal ports and 30 rail ramps, a full suite of asset and asset-lite transportation solutions, omnichannel distribution and fulfillment, LTL, and outbound small parcel.
The ITS Logistics US Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index forecasts port container and dray operations for the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf regions. Ocean and domestic container rail ramp operations are also highlighted in the index for both the West Inland and East Inland regions. Visit here for a full, comprehensive copy of the index with expected forecasts for the US port and rail ramps, including the index’s new Inland Transportation Risk Outlook, which provides regional insight into key events and conditions influencing the trucking market.
About ITS Logistics
ITS Logistics is one of North America’s fastest-growing, asset-based modern 3PLs, providing solutions for the industry’s most complicated supply chain challenges. With a people-first culture committed to excellence, the company relentlessly strives to deliver unmatched value through best-in-class service, expertise, and innovation. The ITS Logistics portfolio features North America’s #18 asset-lite freight brokerage, a top drayage and intermodal provider, an asset-based dedicated fleet, an innovative cloud-based technology ecosystem, and a nationwide distribution and fulfillment network.
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