Trimble Unveils 2025 Carrier and Shipper Findings in Transportation Pulse Report

Rhea-AI Summary

Trimble (TRMB) has released its annual Transportation Pulse Report through Transporeon, surveying over 100 European and North American supply chain executives. The report highlights key industry trends for 2025, with economic conditions (56%), geopolitical events (50%), and environmental regulations (36%) identified as major factors shaping the sector.

While carriers and 3PLs show strong optimism (75%) due to increased freight demand and rates, only 38% of shippers feel confident about 2025. Key priorities include cost reduction (61%), market expansion, and supply chain digitization (51%). Despite interest in technology, 54% of respondents expect to automate only 25% or less of their transportation processes by 2025, with just 10% planning to automate more than 75%.

Positive

• 75% of carriers and 3PLs show strong optimism for 2025
• Market expansion is the top priority for 58% of carriers/3PLs
• 51% of respondents prioritize supply chain digitization

Negative

• Only 38% of shippers feel optimistic about 2025
• 54% of respondents expect minimal automation (25% or less) by 2025
• Economic uncertainty and risk expected to continue in 2025

Insights

Market Research Analyst

The Transportation Pulse Report reveals significant market dynamics for 2025, with 56% of respondents citing economic conditions as the primary concern. The stark contrast in optimism between carriers (75%) and shippers (38%) indicates potential market tension and rate volatility ahead. The focus on cost reduction (61%) and market expansion suggests a challenging but opportunistic environment.

The low automation adoption rate, with 54% of respondents expecting to automate only 25% or less of their processes, represents a significant untapped opportunity for Trimble's technology solutions. This technological gap, combined with the industry's growing interest in AI and digitization (51%), positions Trimble favorably to capture market share in transportation technology solutions.

Tech Expert

The disparity between digitization interest and implementation presents a strategic opportunity for Trimble. With only 10% of respondents planning high automation levels, there's substantial room for growth in AI and process automation solutions. The regional difference in digitization priority between Europe (59%) and U.S. (39%) suggests a need for market-specific technology deployment strategies.

The report indicates carriers prioritize AI more heavily than shippers, particularly for freight matching and operational efficiency. This alignment with Trimble's technological capabilities could drive increased adoption of their solutions, especially as market expansion becomes a key focus for carriers and 3PLs.

Digitization, cost control and market expansion are among the top priorities for European and North American transportation industry

WESTMINSTER, Colo., Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Trimble^® (Nasdaq: TRMB) has announced the release of the annual Transportation Pulse Report by Transporeon, a Trimble Company, which unveils key developments that will shape the transportation and logistics sector in 2025. Members of Indago's supply chain research community and more than 100 European and North American supply chain and logistics executives from Transporeon's shipper and carrier customers were surveyed for the report.

Cautious Optimism for 2025
Respondents to the survey named economic conditions (56%), geopolitical events (50%) and environmental regulations (36%) as the top three factors that will shape the industry in 2025. The struggles of the manufacturing industry in Europe and the US, global inflation, slow economic growth and regional conflicts mean that uncertainty and risk will continue to prevail.

In this context, shippers and carriers show different levels of optimism about next year's transportation market:

• Despite the conjecture, carriers and 3PLs on both sides of the Atlantic show strong optimism (75%), likely due to the increased freight demand and rates, coupled with a gradual capacity reduction.
• Shippers, however, seem less confident as the current trends forecast increased rates and tighter capacity: only 38% declare feeling optimistic about 2025.

Cost Control, Market Expansion and Digitization are High Priorities
When asked about their top priorities for 2025, shippers and carriers highlight maintaining and increasing profitability:

• Cost reduction is the top priority for the majority of all respondents surveyed (61%) and is particularly significant for shippers, at 76%.
• Market expansion surpassed cost reduction for carriers/3PLs: 58% highlighted it as their key focus, likely reflecting a desire to capitalize on anticipated market condition improvements following a downturn.
• Supply chain digitization garnered 51% of the total votes, with European respondents showing a greater inclination (59%) than their U.S. counterparts (39%).
• Sustainability initiatives secure 44% of the votes, signifying their growing importance in the sector. European executives value sustainability the highest, reflecting Europe's more advanced implementation of sustainability-related regulations and emissions standards.

Technology Integration and Automation Levels Remain Low
When it comes to digitization, a significant gap between interest and implementation remains. A majority of respondents (54%), including both shippers and carriers, anticipate automating only 25% or less of their transportation processes by the end of 2025. Only 10% of the respondents said they expect to automate more than 75% of their transportation processes or transactions.

This suggests ample room for growth and adoption of technologies like AI, machine learning and process automation. While global respondents rank AI as the fourth biggest trend that will shape the industry in 2025, it emerges as the second biggest for carriers and 3PLs. This difference might be linked to carriers' focus on market expansion, as AI and advanced platforms can facilitate connections with a wider range of shippers and streamline freight matching processes.

"This year's survey reflects a broader concern for the global economy and geopolitics beyond transportation and logistics," said Philipp Pfister, chief customer experience officer at Transporeon. "Carriers and 3PLs especially see opportunities for technological innovation and growth, balancing optimism with caution. While digitization won't be the answer to everything, companies recognize the benefits and aim to use digital tools to control costs, better manage customer expectations and further sustainability practices."

For more information, the full report is available at: https://publications.transporeon.com/pulse-report-2025

About Transporeon
At Transporeon, a Trimble Company, our mission is to bring transportation in sync with the world. We power the largest global freight network of more than 1,400 shippers and retailers and more than 150,000 carriers and logistics service providers. Every day they execute more than 110,000 transports on our platform and book more than 100,000 dock-appointments for loading and unloading. In the course of one year, roughly €55bn in freight is being processed on our platform.

Our leading transportation management platform connects all actors along the supply chain. It facilitates collaboration between the different parties, helps to automate manual processes and provides valuable real-time insights. The modular Application Hubs solve specific logistics challenges and range from freight sourcing over transport execution and dock and yard management to freight audit and payment. Data hubs provide insights into logistics operations, market developments and carbon emissions, next to ensuring transparency in the supply chain through visibility. Our platform works worldwide and across all modes of transportation, empowering logistics teams to move, manage and monitor freight.

Transporeon is headquartered in Ulm, Germany, and maintains 20 offices around the globe with over 1,400 employees across 25 countries. For more information, visit: www.transporeon.com

About Trimble

Trimble is transforming the ways people move, build and live. Core technologies in positioning, modeling and data analytics connect the digital and physical worlds to improve our customers' productivity, quality, safety, transparency and sustainability. For more information about Trimble (Nasdaq: TRMB), visit: www.trimble.com.

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SOURCE Trimble

FAQ

What are the top 3 factors shaping the transportation industry in 2025 according to Trimble's report?

According to Trimble's Transportation Pulse Report, the top three factors are economic conditions (56%), geopolitical events (50%), and environmental regulations (36%).

What percentage of TRMB survey respondents plan to automate their transportation processes by 2025?

54% of respondents expect to automate 25% or less of their processes, while only 10% plan to automate more than 75% of their transportation processes by 2025.

How do carrier and shipper optimism levels differ in Trimble's 2025 forecast?

Carriers and 3PLs show 75% optimism due to increased freight demand and rates, while only 38% of shippers feel optimistic about 2025.

What is the primary business priority for transportation companies in 2025 according to TRMB's report?

Cost reduction is the top priority, with 61% of all respondents and 76% of shippers specifically highlighting it as their main focus.

How does digitization adoption differ between European and US transportation companies?

European respondents show greater inclination towards supply chain digitization at 59%, compared to 39% for their U.S. counterparts.