Inbound Logistics | October 2025

♦ Diversify trade lanes and cargoes. Tampa’s growth was accelerated by expanding routes to Latin America and Asia and serving a variety of cargo, from containerized goods to steel, cement, and renewable energy materials. Port Tampa Bay’s diversity is its strength in changing market conditions. ♦ Be data-informed and future-facing. Anticipate shifts in consumption, industrial trends, and global trade dynamics and build capacity, talent, and policy support accordingly.

Following its own lead, Alfonso says, Port Tampa Bay is preparing for future growth with a deepening project (to 47 feet) and a rail-served transload warehouse. EMPHASIZING ASSETS Regional leaders must know what their region has and what it needs before they can build on their region’s assets. “The rst step is to develop a fact- based, shared understanding of the region’s current logistics ecosystem

and its gaps before spending on projects or incentives,” notes Sanders. Commissioning a comprehensive logistics audit to evaluate physical assets, freight ows, business climate, and labor resources is key to gaining this understanding. This baseline knowledge provides a common language for public ofcials, carriers, shippers, and educators. “A transparent logistics baseline and a collaborative freight strategy are the foundation on which all later investments—ports, rail upgrades, workforce programs—can be justied and prioritized,” notes Sanders. To stay at the top of the logistics hierarchy, a community or region must treat logistics as a continuously evolving industry, not a one-time investment. “Even locations with ideal geography and strong infrastructure can be overtaken if they fail to adapt,” she says. MEETING EVOLVING NEEDS Regions must continuously prioritize interconnected imperatives—the rst of which is infrastructure. Maintaining highways, bridges, ports, airports, and rail connections ahead of demand, and investing in port expansions and high- capacity intermodal yards are crucial to-do’s, notes Sanders. Also key for long-term success is workforce retention and upskilling. Sanders recommends partnering with universities, community colleges, and technical schools to create programs in supply chain analytics, transportation engineering, robotics, and articial intelligence. Companies should offer reskilling opportunities to help workers adapt to automation and new digital tools. Premier logistics regions treat logistics as a “living ecosystem,” she says. “Geography provides the starting advantage, but sustained leadership depends on continuous reinvestment in infrastructure, talent, policy, innovation, and resilience. Regions that institutionalize this cycle remain competitive even as technology, trade patterns, and customer expectations evolve.” n

MAJOR FREIGHT CONNECTIONS Logistics-friendly locations bank on the power of their road network. Here are six major U.S. freight routes with their most common cargo, according to Truck Drivers U.S.A., a job-matching site and online community focused on commercial drivers (CDL holders) in the United States: INTERSTATE 95 The East Coast Consumer Goods Highway • Runs about 1,900 miles from Miami, Florida, to Houlton, Maine. • Transports consumer goods such as electronics, pharmaceuticals, apparel, and packaged retail products. • Connects to major ports like Newark, Norfolk, and Baltimore, supporting containerized freight. INTERSTATE 80 The Transcontinental Bulk Freight Corridor • Stretches nearly 2,900 miles from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey. • Carries bulk commodities including grains, construction materials, and heavy equipment. INTERSTATE 90 The Northern Cross-Country Freight Route • The longest interstate, at about 3,020 miles, connecting Seattle, Washington, to Boston, Massachusetts. 90 • Transports heavy machinery, agricultural goods, and containerized freight. • Daily truck traffic ranges from 7,000 to 14,000 vehicles along various segments. INTERSTATE 10 The Southern Fuel and Produce Corridor • Extends roughly 2,460 miles from Santa Monica, California, to Jacksonville, Florida. • Critical for transporting energy products such as gasoline and chemicals, along with agricultural produce. • Recognized as a primary freight corridor linking refineries and ports to inland markets. INTERSTATE 75 Automotive and Agricultural Freight • Runs from the Canadian border in Michigan to Miami, Florida. • Supports automotive manufacturing shipments and fresh produce transport. • Notably congested near Chattanooga’s I-24/I-75 interchange, impacting freight efficiency. INTERSTATE 40 Intermodal and Consumer Goods Freight • Covers about 2,500 miles from Barstow, California, to Wilmington, North Carolina. 95 80 10 75 40

• Connects urban centers and intermodal freight terminals. • Frequently carries containerized freight and consumer goods.

42 Inbound Logistics • October 2025