Welcome to our second edition of TMX Trendwatch: a bi-weekly newsletter that aggregates the latest transportation industry news and delivers it right to your fingertips. This week, we’re highlighting trends in technology investments for shippers, sharing a welcome change in billing rules and offering tips on finding the right data for better supply chain visibility. Click on any of the stories below for more information! Unpacking the FMC’s Final Rule on Detention and Demurrage Billing Practices The Federal Maritime Commission’s rule marks a significant shift in the container shipping landscape, streamlining billing practices and addressing a chronic grievance in the industry. Shippers Should Lock In Trucking Rates Soon “Virtually no one believes the current demand and capacity cycle is a new normal.” Carrier executives say trucking rates may have already hit bottom and are optimistic about a rate recovery, which could spell higher costs for shippers soon. Top-Performing Supply Chains Lead the Charge in AI Investments Higher-performing supply chain organizations use AI and ML at 2x the rate of low-performing competitors. Where are they investing? Demand forecasting, order management/fulfillment, and supply planning, for starters. 5G and Supply Chain Connectivity: Enhancing Logistics in the Digital Age 5G has reached the point where supply chain managers are seeing a real return on investment, particularly with specific applications like enhanced asset tracking, AR, and inbound/outbound confirmation. Supply Chain Visibility: Why It Matters and the Trends to Look For To deliver on the potential of AI, companies need data. Supply chain visibility is how they get it—but they need to know what data they’re looking for. Nearshoring Trend Drives Border Growth Companies looking to mitigate their risks amid geopolitical uncertainties are eschewing overseas shipping for a nearby neighbor: Mexico. Some shippers are boosting cross-border investment by 20+% and seeing nearly 30% growth in cross-border activity.