Supply Chain Now

Soft freight demand would normally suggest plenty of available trucking capacity. Q2 2026 told a different story.

 

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton is joined by Karin Bursa, Bobby Holland, Director of Freight Business Analytics at U.S. Bank, and Dr. Jason Miller, Eli Broad Endowed Professor of Supply Chain Management at Michigan State University, to unpack the latest U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index. They examine why shipments remained subdued while shipper spending climbed sharply, including a nearly 28% year-over-year national increase in spending.

 

The conversation covers regional freight conditions, tightening capacity, housing weakness, import activity, fuel costs, and the surge in physical infrastructure supporting AI and data centers. Bobby and Jason also share what supply chain leaders should watch as the market moves through the second half of 2026.

 

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(06:51) The central theme of the Q2 2026 Freight Payment Index

(09:29) How the Freight Payment Index works

(11:29) National freight market outlook

(16:40) West region: Strongest annual growth

(20:49) Southwest: The largest volume-spending disconnect

(23:59) Midwest: Data centers offset softer freight demand

(27:18) Housing market headwinds

(30:10) Northeast: Flat volume and rising spending

(33:41) Southeast: Data centers drive freight growth

(37:14) AI’s rapidly expanding physical supply chain

(44:42) Freight market predictions for the months ahead

(48:55) Where to find the Freight Payment Index

(50:34) Karin’s biggest takeaway for supply chain leaders

 

Additional Links & Resources:

Connect with Dr. Jason Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-miller-32110325/

Connect with Bobby Holland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobby-holland-4a9355/

Connect with Karin Bursa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinbursa/

Learn more about Eli Broad College of Business: https://broad.msu.edu/

Learn more about U.S. Bank: https://www.usbank.com/index.html

Learn more about U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https://www.usbank.com/corporate-and-commercial-banking/industry-expertise/transportation/freight-payment-insights.html

Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about

Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com

Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now

Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join

Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/

WEBINAR- SAP AI Inside the Supply Chain: From Silo to Orchestration: https://bit.ly/4bvpz6K

WEBINAR- Operational AI in the Supply Chain: How context empowers agents and humans to operate side by side: https://bit.ly/4x7Vd2Z

WEBINAR- You Can't Manage What You Can't See: Using Visibility, KPIs, and AI to Optimize Logistics Operations: https://bit.ly/4ql6iem

 

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Karin Bursa and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/analysis-q2-2026-us-bank-freight-payment-index-1627

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

AI adoption in supply chain is moving from curiosity to business-critical execution. The companies pulling ahead are not chasing shiny tools. They are finding root causes, cleaning up messy data, and using technology to reduce wasted time across procurement, planning, inventory, and fulfillment.

 

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton and Karin Bursa speak with Wiley Jones, co-founder and CEO of DOSS, about the Enterprise Unleashed series and what leaders should take from the first several conversations. Wiley shares why culture, clarity, and leadership ownership are central to successful AI programs.

 

The conversation also covers touchless procurement, master data, decision support, workflow redesign, and why the best companies are willing to question how work gets done.

 

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(03:52) Favorite outdoor adventures

(06:36) How the enterprise landscape is changing

(09:54) From AI curiosity to AI of consequence

(11:51) Solve root causes, not symptoms

(15:16) Major AI developments in supply chain

(20:39) Lessons from Enterprise Unleashed

(21:44) Putting people and culture first

(25:16) Leadership’s role in transformation

(28:28) Defining success and increasing decision velocity

(32:07) What to do when leadership doesn’t embrace AI

(34:14) What the most innovative companies do differently

(37:48) Challenging legacy processes and assumptions

(40:56) Doss and the impact of touchless procurement

(44:39) Using AI to drive growth

(46:00) The future of the AI-native enterprise

 

Additional Links & Resources:

Connect with Wiley Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wileycwjones/

Learn more about Doss: https://www.doss.com/

Connect with Karin Bursa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinbursa/

Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about

Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com

Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now

Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join

Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/

WEBINAR- SAP AI Inside the Supply Chain: From Silo to Orchestration: https://bit.ly/4bvpz6K

WEBINAR- Operational AI in the Supply Chain: How context empowers agents and humans to operate side by side: https://bit.ly/4x7Vd2Z

WEBINAR- You Can't Manage What You Can't See: Using Visibility, KPIs, and AI to Optimize Logistics Operations: https://bit.ly/4ql6iem

 

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/enterprise-unleashed-biggest-lessons-2026-1626

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Buzz, powered by Toyota Automated Logistics, is back with another timely look at the news and trends shaping global supply chain. In this episode, host Scott Luton is joined by Paul J. Noble and special guest Lora Cecere, founder of Supply Chain Insights, for a wide-ranging conversation on agentic AI, supply chain fraud, manufacturing, forecasting, lead times, and why decades of technology investment still haven’t delivered better results for many organizations.

From the growing role of AI agents in commerce to the increasing sophistication of supply chain fraud, this episode tackles some of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing supply chain leaders today. Scott, Paul, and Lora explore why trust and data verification will become even more critical in an agentic world, what current manufacturing data really tells us about the economy, and why organizations need to rethink long-standing approaches to forecasting and inventory management.

Lora also challenges the industry to move beyond so-called “best practices” that may actually be outdated historical practices. The conversation digs into the importance of dynamic lead-time data, predictive analytics, balanced scorecards, and cross-functional decision-making and asks a critical question: If supply chain technology has advanced so dramatically, why are so many supply chains still underperforming?

Additional Links & Resources:

Toyota Automated Logistics: https://toyota-automated-logistics.com/

With That Said: https://bit.ly/WTS-15-Aug-2026

Paul Climbing Mt. Rainier: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/pauljnoble_climbing-the-vertical-equivalent-of-everest-ugcPost-7480348179654275073-cwS1/

The 2026 MHI Annual Industry Report: https://www.mhi.org/annual-industry-reports

Vitol, Cargill, Glencore cut ties with Radiant World - report: https://reut.rs/3UBBEkZ

The AI Buildout and the Economy: Publicly Available Data to Assess AI's Impact: https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/notes/feds-notes/the-ai-buildout-and-the-economy-publicly-available-data-to-assess-ais-impact-20260717.html

Manufacturing PMI® at 55.6%; July 2026 ISM® Manufacturing PMI® Report: https://prn.to/4xHjigG

Syncing to Market Actuals: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/syncing-market-actuals-lora-cecere-ukgqe/

What Have We Learned Thus Far From AskLora.Ai? https://streamyard.com/watch/fxjWYRFvdfHe

Blame Follows the Messenger: https://supplychainnow.com/blame-follows-the-messenger/

AskLora: https://asklora.ai/

VDSAI: https://www.vdsai.net/

Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauljnoble/

Connect with Lora on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loracecere/

Upcoming Live Programming:  https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/

Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/

Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about

Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com

Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now  

Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join  

Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk

WEBINAR- SAP AI Inside the Supply Chain: From Silo to Orchestration: https://bit.ly/4bvpz6K

WEBINAR- Operational AI in the Supply Chain: How context empowers agents and humans to operate side by side: https://bit.ly/4x7Vd2Z

WEBINAR- You Can't Manage What You Can't See: Using Visibility, KPIs, and AI to Optimize Logistics Operations: https://bit.ly/4ql6iem

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Paul Noble, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated episode page at: https://supplychainnow.com/buzz-fixing-supply-chain-performance-ai-era-1625

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How will AI reshape supply chain teams, technology investments, and the future workforce?

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton is joined by Mike Griswold, Vice President Analyst at Gartner, for another conversation in the Supply Chain Today and Tomorrow series.

Mike shares his perspective on AI strategy, supply chain technology, inventory management, and the decisions leaders must consider as business expectations continue to change.

The conversation explores why organizations should be careful about replacing entry-level roles with AI, how supply chain teams can balance technology with human expertise, and what future leaders need to learn about data, decision-making, and operational excellence.

Listeners will learn how to think differently about AI adoption, why high-tech companies offer valuable lessons for supply chain teams, and what skills may define supply chain leadership in the years ahead. 

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction

(08:36) Why more data does not always create better decisions

(09:48) The future of just-in-time inventory strategies

(11:31) Building alignment across business, supply chain, and AI strategy

(15:36) Supply chain technologies worth investing in

(18:31) Mike’s supply chain hot take on AI and workforce changes

(24:44) What supply chain can learn from high-tech companies

(28:10) The moments that shape supply chain transformation

(31:31) What future supply chain leaders will study in 2050

(33:34) How supply chain education programs need to evolve

 

Additional Links & Resources:

Connect with Mike Griswold: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-griswold-6a68922/

Learn more about Gartner: https://www.gartner.com/

Gartner Announces 2026 Rankings of the Global Supply Chain Top 25: https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-06-17-gartner-announces-2026-rankings-of-the-global-supply-chain-top-25

Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about

Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com

Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now

Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join

Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/

WEBINAR- From Disruption to Stability: Building Resilient Logistics Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Global Market: https://bit.ly/3TguZMt

WEBINAR- SAP AI Inside the Supply Chain: From Silo to Orchestration: https://bit.ly/4bvpz6K

WEBINAR- Operational AI in the Supply Chain: How context empowers agents and humans to operate side by side: https://bit.ly/4x7Vd2Z

WEBINAR- You Can't Manage What You Can't See: Using Visibility, KPIs, and AI to Optimize Logistics Operations: https://bit.ly/4ql6iem

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/lightning-round-returns-9-key-questions-1624

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How is the consulting industry changing as technology, AI, and new buyer expectations reshape the market?

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton speaks with Amber Salley, Founder and Managing Director of the Amber Salley Advisory Group, about the changing consulting landscape and what supply chain leaders should consider when hiring outside expertise.

With experience as a practitioner at IBM, consultant at Booz & Company and Accenture, Gartner analyst, and vendor executive, Amber shares her perspective on why traditional consulting models are under pressure, how AI is accelerating existing changes, and why specialization matters more than ever.

Listeners will learn why companies are moving toward smaller technology investments, faster results, and decision-focused advisory support. Amber also discusses how consulting firms must adapt, the future of outcomes-based pricing, and why organizations should evaluate partners based on their ability to deliver measurable value quickly.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(02:19) Meet Amber Salley

(03:14) How Amber Salley’s career shaped her consulting perspective

(08:47) Why specialized supply chain expertise matters

(16:16) What is changing in the consulting model?

(23:16) Why buyers are moving toward faster technology wins

(28:39) How consulting firms must rethink software partnerships

(33:08) Can outcomes-based pricing become the future of consulting?

(36:36) What should SMB operators ask before hiring consultants?

(43:12) Why companies should avoid layering AI onto outdated foundations

(49:53) Where to connect with Amber Salley

Additional Links & Resources:

Connect with Amber Salley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambersalley/

Learn more about Amber Salley Advisory Group: https://www.salleyadvisory.com/

Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about

Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com

Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now

Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join

Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/

WEBINAR- From Disruption to Stability: Building Resilient Logistics Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Global Market: https://bit.ly/3TguZMt

WEBINAR- SAP AI Inside the Supply Chain: From Silo to Orchestration: https://bit.ly/4bvpz6K

 

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/how-choose-right-supply-chain-consultant-1623

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.