2020 Fact Book: Logistics [Photos]
The Cass Truckload Linehaul Index is a measure of market fluctuations in per-mile truckload linehaul rates, independent of additional cost components such as fuel and accessorials. The decline that started in 2019 has seen a slight uptick starting in mid-2020.
Source: Cass Information Systems
U.S. business logistics costs, as calculated in CSCMP’s 2020 State of Logistics Report, sponsored by Penske and authored by A.T. Kearney, rose 0.6% in 2019 to reach $1.63 trillion, or 7.6% of the $21.43 trillion GDP, a 2.3% growth over 2018. The logistics industry grew as well, seeing $1.63 billion in expenditures. With 2018's fast GDP growth and capacity shortages leading to logistic costs being the highest percentage of GDP since 2018, 2019 was a return to normal.
Source: Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals 2020 State of Logistics Report, sponsored by Penske and authored by A.T. Kearney
In 2019, 92% of domestic Fortune 500 companies worked with at least one 3PL, an increase from only 46% in 2001. This is an ongoing trend in order to control costs, increase efficiency, and access new technology. Larger companies with more complex supply chains utilize more services from 3PLs than smaller ones.
Source: Armstrong & Associates May 2020 Report, Increasingly Strategic: Trends in 3PL/Customer Relationships
Spot rates were all about the old adage “what goes up must come down.” After strong growth in 2017 and 2018, rates in 2019 were sharply negative through mid-year before firming.
*Seasonally Adjusted, Indexed to 2009 Q1
Source: FTR
Estimates of 3PL revenues received from the Domestic Fortune 1,000 companies in 2019 totaled $166.8 billion and accounted for 78.4% of the total U.S. 3PL market. The major industry segments listed are broad. For example, the Technological segment includes aerospace and defense companies.
Source: Armstrong & Associates May 2020 Report, Increasingly Strategic: Trends in 3PL/Customer Relationships
U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the first quarter of 2020 amounted to $160.3 billion, an increase of 2.4% over the fourth quarter of 2019. Total retail sales for the first quarter of 2020 were estimated at $1.3 trillion, a decrease of 1.3% from the fourth quarter of 2019. The first quarter 2020 e-commerce estimate increased 14.8% year over year, while total retail sales increased 2.1%. E-commerce sales in the first quarter of 2020 accounted for 11.8% of total sales.
Source: Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce, Quarterly E-Commerce Report