Overview
With the holiday season in full swing, several challenges are impacting logistics operations across the U.S., including weather conditions, workforce shortages, and peak season volume.
Severe Weather Impact
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Flooding in California and Washington
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Snowstorms in the Great Lakes and Northeastern U.S.
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Impacting highways, airports, and port operations
📍 NOAA National Forecast
Labor Shortages
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74% of logistics companies in the U.S. report difficulty hiring qualified staff
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Main causes: aging workforce, lower interest from younger professionals
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Impact beyond warehouses: In LTL (Less-than-Truckload) transport, long-distance shipments often require cargo transfers at intermediate warehouses. With reduced staff, these transshipments are delayed — causing broader disruptions in delivery timelines.
🔗 Source: ManpowerGroup
End-of-Year Logistics Issues
According to Marmllarsg, common year-end supply chain disruptions include:
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Communication delays
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Delivery backlogs (especially last-mile)
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Product returns overload
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E-commerce platform slowdowns
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Customs processing delays
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Weather-related disruptions
USPS Delivery Alerts
The U.S. Postal Service reports delivery delays in multiple regions.
🔗 See official USPS alerts
Recommendations
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Book shipments in advance
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Monitor weather and port status daily
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Prepare for reduced driver and warehouse availability
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Stay in contact with your logistics partners
