ABOUT

The Process

About the Process

Steps and elements of the development of the Annual Third-Party Logistics Study include

Accessibility

Links to the web-based survey were circulated to members and affiliates through organizations that support the Annual Third- Party Logistics Study. This year's survey closed in July 2025 and gathered responses from both users and non-users, as well as providers of 3PL services. The study report and additional materials are also presented via its dedicated website: www.3plstudy.com

Topics

In addition to measuring core trends in the 3PL industry, the Annual Third-Party Logistics Study conducts in-depth examinations of supply chain topics that affect both users and providers of 3PL services. This year's topics focused on the transition from transactional to strategic relationships, partnership assessments and emerging technologies.

Contributing Sponsors

Sponsors of the 2026 30th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study include NTT DATA and Penske Logistics.

Copyright

Copyright for the 2026 30th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study is owned by C. John Langley Jr., Ph.D. and NTT DATA.

Lead writer

Mindy Long, Mindy Long Freelance LLC.

Citation guidelines

2026 30th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study: The State of Logistics Outsourcing, C. John Langley Jr., Ph.D., and NTT DATA, 2026.