Transportation in 2026: From experimentation to acceleration

As we start saying goodbye to 2025 and gaze into the approaching new year, we find fresh opportunities and continuous challenges. Economic uncertainty and geopolitical volatility remain on the table while technology rapidly advances.   

In this environment, adaptability has become the new competitive edge. The companies that lead will be those that combine human insight, digital innovation and operational resilience to navigate global logistics' next chapter.

Here are our five predictions for the year ahead.

1. AI: from hype to data-driven collaboration

The industry's relationship with AI is maturing. The shift has moved from experimentation to real adoption, with the gap between small and mid-sized companies shrinking as AI makes technology more accessible to all.

In 2026, AI will move into mainstream applications like predictive maintenance, network optimisation and dynamic pricing. Conversations about full autonomy are already happening at the operational level, no longer confined to IT-only discussions.

The expression "AI as colleague" is replacing "AI as tool." Companies are no longer asking whether AI can help. “Can AI do it and how quickly can it deliver?” is becoming the standard question from logistics leaders, not to eliminate human roles, but to free people for higher-value work.

The biggest hurdle will remain data quality. Data quality, the favourite topic of our industry for many years, is finally being recognised as automation’s true enabler. Economic pressures are driving companies to confront the reality that if you want autonomous AI, you must first invest in the data that powers it. Without clean data, where are we?

2. The human factor: the challenge of change 

The driver shortage remains severe, with safety, comfort and inclusion of particular focus. The broader workforce challenge, however, is change management itself. "We've got somebody that's been doing this job for 30 years and I don't know how they’re going to take it," is a common refrain from operational leaders evaluating AI adoption. Deeper AI integration relies on staff who are used to established processes embracing these fundamental changes. 

Successful companies are realising the importance of appointing change ambassadors in their teams. These experienced employees can bridge the gap between legacy processes and new technology, enabling colleagues to navigate the transition with credibility and empathy. 

Customer experience is emerging as a key differentiator, with the "human plus AI" model proving essential for successful adoption. Real-world examples are emerging: digital assistants that identify languages, translate communications, route requests and flag issues are already accelerating response times.  

Customer expectations have risen sharply as people have grown used to the immediacy and ease of retail and banking transactions; where they once wanted alerts about problems, they now expect proactive solutions and autonomous action.

In the end, technology moves fast but you have to move just as fast with your people. Investing in them isn’t separate from digital transformation—it’s the foundation.

3. Sustainability and intermodality: progress through pragmatism

The shift toward alternative fuels will continue. But progress in the proliferation of electric and low-emission heavy-duty vehicles remains limited by infrastructure gaps and economics. That said, certain segments are seeing earlier adoption: local-delivery operations in parts of Europe are finding electric vehicles increasingly cost-competitive, creating niche opportunities where the economics line up. But for the broader market, companies are prioritising practices that simultaneously deliver cost savings and sustainability gains: route optimisation, tire pressure monitoring, digital documentation. 

In short, sustainability and profitability are now the same goal. 

Meanwhile, intermodality struggles with complexity. Road freight involves three actors; intermodal transport needs at least seven. The barrier? Here again, data. Ocean, road and air transport all operate differently, with incompatible standards. AI could help bridge these gaps through smarter planning tools. Across regions, ageing infrastructure and ongoing maintenance, from European rail bottlenecks to North American roadworks, continue to hold back capacity and reliability.

4. Resilience and volatility: here to stay

Geopolitical tension and multipolarity will continue to affect supply chains in unpredictable ways. While tariff volatility may have peaked (or organisations have learned to establish safeguards to deal with last-minute fluctuations), structural uncertainty remains constant rather than temporary. Companies can benefit from joining and leveraging flexible, data-driven networks that are truly ready to adapt. 

The cybersecurity threat is professionalising rapidly. A major global incident involving data leakage from unsafe AI usage seems inevitable in the next few years, a wake-up call for putting proper AI safety standards in place and working with trusted technology partners. 

Freight fraud and cargo theft is also on the rise, particularly in North America, with criminal groups using spoofed domains and impersonation scams, underscoring the need for better verification and AI-driven carrier vetting to prevent costly disruption.

By moving to AI-powered, cloud-based platforms and working with trusted technology partners, companies can strengthen their security posture without racking up exorbitant costs. Large companies are no less vulnerable: outdated IT systems leave nobody immune. What's critical is investing in cloud infrastructure and shared data standards.

5. Connected ecosystem: from data to action

A large portion of the industry’s drag comes from parties not sharing data. While openness varies by geography, competition is driving more collaboration on a global scale. Carriers still guard certain data as proprietary advantages, but the potential for industry-wide gains is pushing toward greater transparency. 

Connected ecosystems that enable seamless data exchange will unlock the real value of digitalisation: real-time visibility that drives smarter, faster, more sustainable and ultimately more economical decisions across the whole supply chain. 

The more integrated it becomes, the more everyone wins.

Embracing 2026

If 2025 was the year of experimentation, 2026 will be the year of acceleration. AI will mature and move past pilot projects, powering deep organisational change. Sustainability will be more centered on pragmatic, profit-aligned strategies and building resilience will depend equally on leveraging cloud infrastructure and investing in high-quality data. 

Ultimately, the future belongs to companies that embrace connected ecosystems, prioritize data integrity and bring their people along for the journey.