A recent study by FarEye, "Eye on the Last Mile America 2026," reveals that delivery organizations in the United States that exert greater control over their networks experience substantially better on-time performance and reduced delivery costs. The research, which surveyed over 500 US delivery operations, found that highly controlled networks achieved a 95% on-time delivery rate, significantly outperforming networks with lower control, which managed only 65.5% on-time performance. This disparity exists even though both types of networks reported similar median investment levels.
For freight forwarders and operations managers, these findings underscore the critical role of end-to-end visibility and control, particularly in the final leg of delivery. While the study focuses on the last mile, its implications extend to the entire supply chain. Forwarders can leverage these insights to evaluate their last-mile partners, prioritize carriers or logistics providers that demonstrate strong network control, and potentially integrate more deeply with technology solutions that offer enhanced visibility and management capabilities. Optimizing last-mile performance directly impacts customer satisfaction and overall supply chain efficiency, potentially reducing delays and associated costs for shippers.