ITS Logistics Prepares Automakers & Tier-1 Suppliers for 2026 Challenges with Purpose-Built Logistics Solutions

-- Expanded trailer pool network, nationwide alternative fuel capacity, and industry-leading fraud prevention provide automotive shippers with solutions that meet the needs of an evolving market --

RENO, Nev., Dec. 18, 2025 – ITS Logistics, one of North America’s fastest-growing third-party logistics providers, is expanding its specialized solutions for automakers and Tier-1 suppliers to support cost efficiency, freight security, and sustainability for the year ahead. In addition to the expansion of their DropFleet trailer pool solution, the announcement includes nationwide access to alternative fuel capacity on behalf of automotive brands.

“We’re building and deploying these solutions every day for some of the world’s biggest automotive brands and Tier-1 suppliers,” said Dorothy Ashford, VP of Enterprise Accounts, Automotive at ITS Logistics. “Our focus is delivering logistics networks that protect both freight and production schedules while creating value across the supply chain.”

ITS Logistics recently announced an expansion of its premium universal drop trailer and trailer pool program, DropFleet, following ongoing customer demand. With an extensive nationwide trailer network—including over 6,000 ITS-owned trailers—and an AI-enabled asset management system (AMS), DropFleet is designed to stand up against the demand of just-in-time production cycles. The solution enables seamless yard operations with grab, load, go anywhere capabilities while maintaining real-time visibility and integration within both ITS and customer systems.

DropFleet also supports rapid load recovery when disruptions occur by allowing equipment to be redeployed across the network without introducing gaps in tracking or control—protecting production schedules even when exceptions arise. A leading global automotive manufacturer currently operates a 200-trailer DropFleet pool across 16 facilities nationwide, supporting more than 70 daily lanes and achieving a 98% on-time delivery rate. In total, nearly a thousand DropFleet trailers are being utilized across seven of the top US automakers for their manufacturing and aftersales supply chain operations.

ITS Logistics also utilizes a layered fraud mitigation approach to protect automotive freight. With freight fraud surging to record levels in 2025 and key manufacturing goods like tires and metal increasingly targeted by organized crime, OEMs are finding themselves at high risk of production disruption from complex cargo theft. To combat this, ITS Logistics combines industry-leading technology and real-time asset verification with rigorous SOPs for carrier vetting, shipment tracking, and suspected fraud attempts to control freight across the shipment lifecycle. As a result, the company’s critical incident rate for fraud sits well below the industry standard at 0.004%.

In addition, ITS Logistics is working to expand nationwide alternative fuel availability for automotive shippers. The automotive industry has one of the strictest sets of sustainability and carbon emissions standards of any market, with global OEMs facing a complex matrix of domestic and international regulations. Despite uncertainty and shifting sentiment, many automotive brands remain committed to reducing carbon impact across their operations and supply chains. Toyota, for example, aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the vehicle lifecycle by 30% by 2030, with a specific focus on their suppliers and logistics partners. Honda is working towards a similar goal, targeting a 100% carbon neutral position by 2050. Meeting these goals requires tracking emissions across the supply chain, which has historically been difficult for shippers who utilize third-party logistics or non-asset-based providers.

To support these goals, ITS Logistics is building a nationwide network of near-zero and zero-emissions transportation capacity that balances sustainability KPIs with the needs of automotive freight shippers. Rather than relying solely on limited existing capacity, ITS partners with carriers from its proven network interested in transitioning to cleaner fuel alternatives. Leveraging lane density and strategic partnerships with high-volume shippers, ITS engineers solutions that enable carriers to invest in biodiesel and compressed natural gas (CNG) equipment conversions. These alternative fuels reduce carbon emissions by up to 80% while providing a longer range than battery-electric vehicles, making them more practical for long-haul routes where charging infrastructure is not yet established.

The network builds on ITS’s Southern California WAIRE solution—providing zero-emissions drayage from Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach—and proprietary Sustainability Dashboard for port-to-door emissions tracking.

“Carriers need consistent volume to support these upfront investments, and shippers need ‘green’ capacity to support their sustainability commitments,” said Lauren Miller, Sustainability Manager at ITS Logistics. “Our role is to bring all sides together—engineering the network, aligning volume with investment, and making reduced-emissions transportation viable at scale.”

Together, ITS Logistics is bringing forward a purpose-built hybrid capacity solution that aligns with the top challenges facing automakers in the year ahead.

“2025 has been dominated by disruption—tariffs, fluctuating EV demand, shifts in cross-border trade policy, and now the uncertainty surrounding CDL driver regulations. As a result, automakers are prioritizing optimization initiatives—simplifying inbound networks, managing cost pressures, and closing gaps that expose inefficiency and risk,” Ashford continued. “Sustainability expectations and freight security are now part of the same conversation as day-to-day operational efficiency, and logistics partners must deliver multifaceted and integrated solutions to be successful in 2026.”

Learn more about ITS Logistics’ automotive logistics solutions here.