Nearly half of respondents (49%) in the European Transportation Management Benchmark Study by Descartes Systems Group now consider transportation to be a differentiating factor for their organisation.
The U-Freight Group recognises that transportation management is rapidly evolving from an operational cost centre to a strategic tool that companies use to strengthen their customer service and build competitive advantage.
This is shaping the way that we provide freight transport and logistics services and solutions that underpin our customers’ global supply chains.
The study, conducted in 2025 among 300 senior decision-makers at shippers and logistics service providers in Europe, clearly illustrates this upward trend. In 2024, this was still the case for 38%. The number of organisations that explicitly see transportation as a competitive weapon is also growing: 31% cite transportation as a strategic weapon in the market, compared to 22% a year earlier.
The results underscore that transport is increasingly becoming a topic of discussion at the executive level. Persistent geopolitical uncertainty, disruptions in international supply chains, and rising customer expectations mean that organisations no longer assess transport solely on the basis of cost, but also on value creation.
This shift is most visible among companies with a strong financial position. In this group, 91% consider transport to be a competitive weapon or a distinguishing factor in customer service, which points to a clear relationship between strategic transport management and operating results.
The increasing strategic value of transport is reflected in technology investment plans. More than three-quarters of respondents (76%) expect to invest more in IT for transport management in the next two years. Among financially leading companies, this share is even higher, with 84% anticipating an increase in investment.
The main reasons for further expanding transport management systems (TMS) have also shifted. Whereas cost savings have historically been the dominant factor, 40% of respondents now cite business growth as the main driver, on par with improved customer service. The survey thus confirms that transport is increasingly being used to support commercial objectives.
\u201cTransportation is becoming less of a purely operational process and increasingly a strategic component of customer value and competitive strength. Companies that structurally modernise their transportation management are building flexibility and growth,\u201d said Elmer Spruijt, VP Transportation Management EMEA at Descartes.
Since 2017, Descartes has conducted an annual benchmark survey of transportation professionals to identify strategies, tactics, and expectations for the industry. Survey participants represent a broad range of individuals responsible for transportation operations at both shippers and logistics service providers in North America and Europe, providing a balanced view of transportation management (TM). The European part of the survey yielded responses from 300 senior decision-makers working in the transport management sector in Germany (75), the United Kingdom (75), France (75), and Belgium\/the Netherlands (75).
For expert advice or further information about our freight transport and logistics services and solutions, please contact your local U-Freight office, or visit the ocean freight section of this website.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Nearly half of respondents (49%) in the European Transportation Management Benchmark Study by Descartes Systems Group now consider transportation to be a differentiating factor for their organisation. The U-Freight Group recognises that transportation management is rapidly evolving from an operational cost centre to a strategic tool that companies use to strengthen their customer service and…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4034,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n