Stay connected
Subscribe to our fleet blog and follow us on social media to receive all our fuel and energy industry insights.
Fleet
Global trade disruptions and domestic delivery: How fleets can prepare
Beyond the curve: Fleet strategies for a volatile economy
In today’s volatile economy, the ripple effects of global trade policy aren’t just felt on shipping docks—they’re showing up on job sites, service calls, and local deliveries. Businesses that rely on fleets of vehicles—HVAC contractors, electricians, local delivery services, home repair companies, and even national rental fleets—are facing new operational hurdles tied directly to international supply chain disruption and tariff uncertainty.
While these companies don’t haul freight across borders, they’re deeply affected by what’s happening in global markets. Vehicles are harder to find. Parts take longer to arrive. Costs keep climbing. Tariff policy and international conflict are reshaping the flow of goods—and the local fleets that depend on them are feeling the strain.
If you manage a commercial vehicle fleet of any size, now is the time to prepare for what comes next. As part of our “Beyond the Curve” series, today we’ll look at what’s driving the disruption—and what you can do to stay ahead.
How global trade volatility is bottlenecking domestic fleet operations
Fewer vehicles, higher prices
The post-pandemic recovery has been uneven, and commercial vehicle inventories haven’t bounced back the way many businesses hoped. This year, that problem has been magnified by a surge in U.S. tariffs.
According to McKinsey & Company, new tariffs enacted in April 2025 drove the U.S. weighted-average tariff rate from 2% to over 20% in a matter of weeks. This dramatic spike is affecting the cost and availability of key vehicle components—especially batteries, semiconductors, and steel-intensive parts—driving up the price of new and upfitted service vehicles.
For HVAC contractors, electricians, and plumbers—many of whom rely on upfitted vans—these shortages could mean waiting four to six months (or more) for vehicle delivery. Rental fleets are holding onto aging vehicles longer. Small business owners are forced to either absorb the higher costs or delay needed replacements.
Parts and maintenance delays
Beyond new vehicles, parts are harder to come by. Imports from Asia have slowed significantly due to congestion at West Coast ports, with CNN reporting that for a 12 hour period in May zero ships from China landed on the West Coast. A significant drop in imports like that has not occurred since COVID. The Port of Long Beach saw a 35-40% drop in May compared to normal cargo volume YoY. The Port of Los Angeles had a 31% drop in volume.
Much of what is coming to the United States from Asia is parts. A drastic reduction in parts shipments puts added pressure on fleet managers: if a brake rotor, alternator, or A/C compressor is backordered, even a routine maintenance issue can ground a vehicle for days—or weeks. For smaller fleets with minimal backup vehicles, that downtime translates directly into lost business.
Local delivery disruptions
Delivery services, mobile technicians, and local contractors are all feeling the crunch. Whether you’re delivering groceries or fixing air conditioners, if a van goes down and can’t be replaced or repaired quickly, routes get missed and customers get frustrated.
In an economy where speed and service are everything, those lost hours can be the difference between profit and loss.
What domestic fleet managers and business owners can do to stay ahead
Forecast future needs now
Fleet management has always involved planning, but today’s uncertainty requires a longer view. What used to be a just-in-time procurement approach now needs to shift to a plan-in-advance approach.
Sometimes planning in advance means leaning on others for guidance. Consider working with leasing partners, OEMs, and upfitters to forecast future vehicle and equipment needs 6–12 months out. If replacement vehicles or parts are mission-critical, consider ordering them early so you have them on hand as needs arise. Don’t wait for an emergency to highlight a gap in your supply chain.
Diversify your vendor partnerships
If your fleet operation is reliant on a single supplier for vehicles, parts, or upfitting, you could be more vulnerable than you think. Supply chain resilience now means expanding your partnerships so you have multiple options when you need vehicle support.
As Anna Timonina-Farkas and Ralf W. Seifert recently reported in a recent IMD article, “Successfully addressing the delicate trade-off between resilience and efficiency would help companies to ensure that supply chains can withstand unexpected external disruptions while maintaining cost-effective operations.” Partner with multiple vendors across key categories so you can shift quickly if one partner is delayed or impacted by tariffs. Think multi-OEM ordering, flexible maintenance providers, and diversified sourcing of tires, batteries, and fluids.
Improve vehicle utilization with technology
In times of constraint, efficiency is king. Telematics tools can help you get more out of every vehicle you already have. By tracking usage patterns, idle time, and maintenance needs, you can optimize asset deployment and reduce waste.
For example, The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that more than six billion gallons of gasoline and diesel combined are lost to idling every year. Even when fuel prices are as low as $2 per gallon, that wasted fuel translates into more than $11 billion annually. Using fleet card tools like telematics can help you avoid those wasteful costs. And predictive maintenance systems can also help you schedule repairs before they result in breakdowns, keeping vehicles in service longer.
Strategic cost containment amid shifting trade policies
Monitor tariff-driven expenses
Tariffs don’t just affect raw goods—they impact every piece of your cost structure. That includes vehicles, upfits, tires, batteries, and even repair equipment. These costs are often passed down from manufacturers and upfitters to fleet buyers.
Fleet managers need to stay current with policy changes and review pricing clauses in supplier agreements. When possible, lock in quotes early, use historical data to project cost increases, and maintain a rolling forecast for fleet expenses based on multiple pricing scenarios.
Lock in predictable pricing where possible
From maintenance bundles to fuel spend, predictability is your ally. WEX fleet fuel cards, for instance, offer gallon-based rebates, real-time spending controls, and Level III data that gives you line-item purchase visibility. These tools help fleet operators keep fuel budgets on track—even in a volatile pricing environment.
Explore vendor programs that offer fixed maintenance pricing or prepaid service plans. These agreements can insulate you from rising costs and give you more financial certainty month over month.
Conclusion – Don’t wait for the market to normalize
Fleet operators can no longer afford to hope that global trade conditions will settle soon. The next six to twelve months will likely continue to bring price pressure, sourcing difficulty, and budget strain.
But economic headwinds don’t have to stall your operation. Fleet managers who lean into planning, technology, and smart vendor relationships will be better positioned to weather the storm and come out stronger.
WEX is here to help. With 40+ years of experience, we know what fleet operators need to simplify the business of running a business. Our commerce platform connects fuel and fleet data, supports preventive strategies, and helps you get more from every dollar, mile, and asset in your fleet.
Need help planning for what’s next?
Download our free Fleet resilience planning checklist to start building your strategy today.
Read more from “Beyond the Curve:”
- Business resilience and risk management during times of economic uncertainty
- Fuel volatility, inflation, and cost containment: A fleet survival guide
All fleet cards are not the same, and different types of fuel cards suit the needs of different kinds and sizes of businesses. View WEX’s fleet card comparison chart to see which fleet fuel card is right for you.
WEX speaks the language of small business operators. Whether you’re looking to modernize your insight and reporting efforts, save on fuel costs or take advantage of the latest GPS tracking technologies, WEX offers solutions to simplify the business of running a business. To learn more about WEX, a dynamic and nimble global organization, please visit our About WEX page.
Learn more on how to better manage your commercial vehicle fleet:
Resources:
McKinsey & Company
CNN
Reuters
U.S. Department of Energy