America's last mile is entering a new era.
From rising delivery costs and shifting customer expectations to greater network complexity and AI adoption, this report explores what is changing in America's last mile — and what leaders can do to keep the promises that matter at an economics they can scale.
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What's happening in America's last mile?
Inside the Report
SIX SHIFTS REDEFINING AMERICA'S LAST MILE
Delivery costs are outpacing growth
With cost per delivery jumping 12% for two straight years, 88% of operators report expenses matching or exceeding revenue growth — even as profits rise.
Predictability is the new delivery premium
55.7% of operators emphasize predictable delivery and first-attempt success as top priorities, versus just 11.4% who focus on maximum speed.
Reliability has an economic payoff
Operators with the highest WISMO see 2.4× higher cost inflation than those with the lowest — connecting delivery uncertainty directly to economics.
Control, not ownership, drives performance
High-control operators achieve 95% on-time performance, 6.2% WISMO, and 8.3% median cost inflation — outperforming low-control operators on all three.
Hybrid networks are becoming the norm
57% of operators run hybrid delivery networks, reaching 93% on-time performance and 7.0% WISMO, versus 85% and 12.3% for own-fleet-only operators.
AI is moving from experimentation to execution
66.3% of operators are now implementing or operating AI, up from 46.2% in 2025 — though maturity alone shows little link to on-time performance.
WHAT YOU'LL TAKE AWAY
A practical, data-backed view of how America's delivery environment is changing
And what leaders need to do to build a more profitable delivery promise.
Download the ReportWhy rising delivery costs are putting pressure on growth — and where operators can find operating leverage.
Why customers are shifting from speed to predictability, and what that means for the delivery promise.
How reliability affects both customer experience and delivery economics.
Why operational control, rather than fleet ownership or technology investment alone, is separating stronger-performing networks.
How operators are balancing owned fleets, outsourced capacity, and hybrid networks as delivery complexity grows.
Where AI is moving from adoption to execution — and what is still standing in the way of meaningful advantage.
WHO IT'S FOR
Built for the leaders shaping America's delivery future
Designed for senior supply chain, operations, logistics, and IT leaders — especially across delivery-intensive industries:
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