Transportation supply chains from these countries are facing a substantial reroute in 2026 due to localized disruptions and ongoing trade uncertainty.


200,000 non-domiciled CDL drivers nationwide and threatens to eliminate many more of these licenses permanently. Dalilah’s Law, introduced on March 5, would overhaul CDL rules nationwide by tying state compliance to federal Department of Transportation funding. States that fail to follow the law risk losing federal transportation dollars, effectively making the policy mandatory. The bill restricts CDL eligibility to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and holders of H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 visas, codifying a recent federal regulatory standard into permanent law. It also requires states to revoke existing CDLs held by drivers who do not meet these criteria, even if licenses were legally issued before. All CDL knowledge and driving tests would be conducted in English only, eliminating translated exams and interpreters. Furthermore, every CDL holder, approximately 3.5 million to 4 million drivers, would have to complete recertification every 180 days to verify eligibility and English proficiency. The law also creates a lifetime ban for operating a commercial vehicle without qualifying immigration status, placing it among the most severe CDL disqualifications. The net result of these variables would be a


reduction in full truckload (FTL) and drayage capacity, which would drive up rates and push less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers to raise wages to retain “clean” drivers. These costs would then be passed on to shippers and logistics providers via base rates and driver retention surcharges.


Global Chokepoints and Geopolitical Impact While some foodservice equipment is produced or


assembled domestically or in North America, many high-end categories — particularly ovens, refrigeration systems, and specialty cooking equipment — are imported by partner suppliers from Europe or Asia. Transportation supply chains from these countries are facing a substantial reroute in 2026 due to localized disruptions and ongoing trade uncertainty. Suez and Red Sea Instability: Ongoing regional conflicts have made the Suez Canal, Strait of Hormuz,


46 FEDA News & Views


and the Red Sea a high-risk gamble. Most major carriers have been forced to re-route to the Cape of Good Hope, which adds 10 to 14 days and significant surcharges to every shipment of Italian pizza ovens or German combi-ovens. The Panama Canal Bottleneck: While drought conditions have fluctuated, the Panama Canal remains a bottleneck for U.S. East Coast-bound cargo. Expect draft surcharges as carriers limit load weights to navigate shallower waters, increasing the per-unit cost of heavy stainless-steel fabrication. Tariff Signaling: Similar to last year, 2026 is seeing a


surge in pre-emptive shipping. Distributors are front- loading inventory to avoid anticipated tariff hikes, which is causing artificial spikes in port congestion and warehouse demand. This stop-start shipping cycle makes over-the-road domestic pricing more volatile as carriers make on-the-fly equipment allocation decisions.


LTL vs. FTL: Strategic Realignment for 2026 The economics of a three-year freight downturn in


the FTL market pushed an estimated 10%-20% of LTL freight volumes into the lower-priced truckload market. With FTL pricing rebounding and a capacity crunch already starting (and likely getting worse), LTL will regain this business and begin discriminating against less-than- ideal freight as tonnage returns to their network. The LTL Clean Freight Bias: LTL carriers use dimensioners — devices that measure the volume and dimensions of an object — at every terminal. These can image anywhere between 60% and 80% of all shipments, depending on the carrier. If a stainless- steel prep table isn’t packaged well or has tremendous overhang from the pallet, carriers will identify the problem and take corrective action. Given the influx of business LTL carriers are about to experience, it is important for distributors to work with logistics partners to achieve the best possible freight profile, no matter the physical characteristics of the freight. The FTL Project Strategy: For large-scale restaurant


rollouts or shipments that are six to 12 pallets, partial and full truckload can be a risk-mitigation tool. It


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