BITE SIZED SUPPLY CHAIN/LOGISTICS INFORMATION Info SNACKS
Return to Sender UPS is reportedly “disposing” of some packages unable to clear U.S. Customs following regulatory changes that ended the long- standing “de minimis” exemption, which had allowed duty-free entry for goods valued under $800.
DECK THE HALLS…AND HOLD ON TO YOUR WALLET
At more than 280 miles per hour, the CR450—poised to become the world’s fastest high-speed rail service—is currently undergoing trials on the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu line. During these trials, the train reportedly reached a top speed of 281 miles per hour, significantly surpassing the previous record of 217 miles per hour, also held by a Chinese high-speed train. It even exceeded the projected top speed of 249 miles per hour for the CR450 prototype. Faster Than a Speeding Bullet Train
The change imposed new taris and fees on more than 1 billion packages annually. UPS ocials told NBC News that thousands of shipments are stuck at facilities due to customs issues, and some are being discarded. Customers have reported weeks- long delays, confusion over tracking updates, and the loss of items, though UPS says more than 90% of packages clear customs within one day.
In November 2024, two trucks carrying approximately $1 million worth of Santo Tequila (co-owned by Guy Fieri and Sammy Hagar) were stolen in an elaborate cargo heist in Laredo, Texas. The theft was carried out by criminals who used double brokering, a form of online deception to take control of the shipment and reroute it to a fake warehouse in Los Angeles. Some of the stolen tequila has since been recovered, but the full extent of the loss is still being assessed. Stolen Spirits, Smooth Criminals
DELIVERY EMOJI IS ON THE WAY Deutsche Post and numerous international organizations are supporting an application to the Unicode Consortium to create a dedicated emoji for the approximately 5.3 million
employees in the postal sector and millions more in the courier, express, and parcel industry. If approved, the delivery person emoji is expected to be available on all smartphones worldwide sometime in 2026.
Caterpillar announced an investment of up to $5 million in workforce training and upskilling in Indiana as part of the machinery manufacturer’s five-year, $100 million workforce commitment.
Autonomous Vehicles Take a Back Seat 70% of U.S. freight companies would hire human drivers over using self-driving trucks 19% of U.S. freight companies would use self-driving trucks over hiring a new human driver 49% of U.S. freight businesses in August 2025 looked to adopt route optimization software 63% of U.S. freight businesses say driver recruitment and retention has stagnated or worsened in the past year -Tech.co survey data
The pledge aims to promote advanced
Caterpillar Digs Into the Future
manufacturing careers and train prospective workers in the United States.
November 2025 • Inbound Logistics 1
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