Tech.co’s 2025 Logistics Report revealed that U.S. freight companies say on-time delivery and driver availability are under the most pressure, amid a labor shortage. For instance, 43% of U.S. freight businesses say on-time delivery pressure is under the most pressure, while 42% of respondents say driver availability is under the most pressure.
“Tech.co's latest research has shown that on-time deliveries are under the most pressure for logistics firms. However, this impact is compounded by the fact that we also discovered that 67% of companies are reliant on third parties, meaning that making deliveries on time are not always within a firm's control,” says Tech.co’s editor, Jack Turner.
Key takeaways:
· Freight operations are under the most pressure: On-time delivery: 43%; Driver availability: 42%; Cost control: 39%; Customer expectations: 37%; Fleet maintenance: 22%; and Tech implementation: 13%.
· Among U.S. freight companies impacted by driver shortages, 67% rely on third-party carriers at least occasionally. Only 8% of freight companies affected by driver shortages say they operate entirely in-house, suggesting a clear majority are relying on outside help due to the current labor crisis.
· Driver shortages are directly affecting service delivery, and customers are feeling the strain. Just over half (51%) of transport and shipping professionals say driver constraints have occasionally or frequently impacted their ability to meet customer expectations.
· Only 13% of respondents say their customer expectation has not been affected. Top concerns about driver shortage among U.S. freight companies include service disruptions or delivery failures: 24%; increased labor costs: 23%; missed growth opportunities: 18%; sSupply chain inflexibility: 14%; brand or customer reputation damage: 9%; and safety or compliance risks: 7%.
· Among U.S. freight businesses impacted by driver shortages, service disruptions and delivery failures were the top concern.
· The data shows that once impacted, concern escalates across multiple freight business fronts, suggesting that the driver shortage is a pressure multiplier.
