The Official Newsletter of The National Defense Transportation Association
December 17, 2025
Register Today
February 23 – 26, 2026
The National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA), in association with the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) and the General Services Administration (GSA), is hosting the 2026 GovTravels February 23-26, 2026, at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, Alexandria, VA.
GovTravels is a four-day event that brings together bringing together experts from across the federal government and the commercial travel industry to examine a wide range of issues that impact the government’s multi-billion dollar travel enterprise. During this event we educate and train DoD travel managers on best practices and strategies, allow government program administrators to learn more about emerging technologies, exchange ideas and collaborate on travel issues, identify & capture actions and build relationships among government and industry commercial travel experts. […READ MORE…]
Save the Date
May 18-21, 2026
NDTA-CAS
Surface Force Projection Meeting
Join the National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA) and Christopher Newport University’s Center for American Studies (CAS) Surface Force Projection Meeting (SFPM), May 18-21, 2026, at Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA. Connect with top U.S. government and industry experts to tackle deployment and sustainment challenges and address this year’s theme, “Projecting Power in a Globally Contested Environment — Ideas into Action!” Network with peers, attend insightful sessions, and hear from renowned speakers. NDTA, along with CAS, partners with the U.S. Army Transportation Command (ARTRANS), Military Sealift Command (MSC), U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD), the U.S. Coast Guard, logistics and transportation industry, and academia to provide the SFPM. Mark your calendar and don’t miss out! Details on agenda, lodging, and registration will be available on our website starting December 18, 2025. Registration opens on January 29, 2026. Become an NDTA member today for exclusive benefits!
NDTA Europe & Africa Regional Committee Meeting, January 20-21, 2026Workforce Development Center, Sembach Kaserne, Germany
Please join us for the NDTA Europe & Africa Regional Committee meeting at the Workforce Development Center in Sembach Kaserne, Germany. The theme of the meeting is “Building Trust and Collaboration: Fostering Partnerships for Sustainable Impact.”
This highly anticipated annual event serves as a forum that brings together government, military, industry, and allied stakeholders to coordinate and collaborate on defense transportation, logistics, and mobility challenges. The agenda includes several notable keynote speakers, committee sessions, and a sponsored off-site dinner with entertainment.
Four regional subcommittees will help bridge civil-military, industry, and government perspectives, offering a neutral, non-political space for problem solving, innovation, and strategic alignment:
Air / Airlift Subcommittee
Surface / Land Transport Subcommittee
Sealift & Ports / Sea & Port Operations Subcommittee
Passenger Travel Subcommittee
Please visit our webpage for registration details, the event agenda, sponsorships, information contacts, and more!
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy launched the “Make Travel Family Friendly Again” campaign ahead of the holiday travel season, aiming to ease challenges families face while traveling. The initiative targets needs, such as child-friendly spaces, nursing areas, exercise options, and healthier food choices to make travel more seamless. To improve airport experiences, Secretary Duffy announced $1 billion in funding to incentivize airports to add family-friendly resources across terminals nationwide during peak travel periods and holidays. […READ MORE…]
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy unveiled a new app in partnership with General Motors and HERE Technologies that will help the American people transform road trips into unforgettable adventures. The app — called Explore25 — is an opportunity for the public to re-discover the beauty of the country with the spirit of freedom on four wheels and celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026. […READ MORE…]
DHS Inks Contract to Create Fleet of Boeing Planes for Deportations
(thehill.com) The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reached an agreement to purchase Boeing 737 planes for deportation proceedings.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said that the planes will allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to “operate more effectively, including by using more efficient flight patterns.” […READ MORE…]
Trucking’s ‘New Ecosystem’ Isn’t a Cycle. It’s a Warning Sign We Keep Ignoring
(breakbulk.news) Every industry has its ups and downs. Trucking is practically built on that roller coaster. So, when Cliff Bates stepped in to turn around a struggling Arkansas carrier in late 2022, he expected the familiar story of rates falling and rising again as the market corrected itself.
But what he found was not a cycle at all. It was something entirely different. A new ecosystem taking shape right under our noses. And if you ask me, it is one we should all be paying very close attention to. […READ MORE…]
NDTA is proud to announce open season
to apply for 2026 NDTA Foundation Scholarships,
now through Wednesday, April 15, 2026
NDTA is announcing open season for NDTA Foundation Scholarship applications for the 2026-2027 academic year. Applications may be submitted now through April 15 via e-mail at ndtahq@ndtahq.com for our four academic scholarship programs for members and their children:
- Program A – for currently enrolled college students
- Program B – for soon-to-be high school graduates accepted at an accredited institution
- Program C – for currently enrolled, distance learning college students
- Program D, The Denny Edwards Graduate Scholarship – for graduate (master’s degree) students
NDTA offers all scholarship winners a unique opportunity to join our Industry Connect Program (ICP). The ICP links interested students with an industry mentor to help them bridge to the future. More information can be found here.
NDTA is excited about the education and development of our Nation’s future logistics and transportation leaders! Providing scholarships and the ICP helps us promote learning and professional development. To learn about scholarship qualification details and how to apply, go to https://www.ndtahq.com/
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
NDTA continues to be an advocate and supporter of The U.S. Army Transportation Corps Museum at Ft. Eustis, Va. Our mission is to develop future Logistics & Transportation leaders! During this year, the Center of Military History (CMH) has decided to close the museum. Since that time, the Army Transportation Museum Foundation (ATMF) has encouraged members of the Foundation to write letters and send emails to leaders supporting the educational value of the museum as a bridge to the future. To help support this effort, please review the attached information below.
With your help, we filled our conference room with toys once again for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. These toys and financial donations will help bring joy and brighten the holiday season for children in need in our community.
Thank you very much to our friends and Corporate Members, including American Maritime Congress, Apex Communications Corporation, Enterprise Mobility, International Auto Logistics, LMI, JET Infrastructure, National Air Cargo, Omega World Travel, Patriot Maritime, and SEKO for donating to the drive and coming out to support the event!
TRACK SANTA’S JOURNEY
High-Tech Helpers: NORAD Volunteers Track Santa’s Journey
Each December, millions of families around the world follow along as Santa Claus makes his Yuletide trek around the globe, but the holiday tradition wouldn’t be possible without the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s Santa Tracker.
The Santa-tracking enterprise has grown into a massive volunteer operation that started by accident decades ago.
Kids across the U.S. can track Santa online, by phone, or via the NORAD Tracks Santa app with games and videos. The effort is powered by NORAD volunteers, who begin preparations each November. About 50 contributors support platforms, while 1,000 volunteers answer questions about Santa and his whereabouts on Christmas Eve. […READ MORE…]
Editor’s Picks
U.S. Army Eyes Future New Propulsion System Designed for Safer, Quieter, High-Speed Operations
(armyrecognition.com) Jetoptera says its Fluidic Propulsive System is moving closer to practical defense use, according to new company data and recent U.S. Air Force AFWERX and DARPA program material. The approach matters because quieter, blade-free thrust could reshape how U.S. and NATO forces move in dense cities and contested environments.
Navy Invests $448 Million in AI and Autonomy to Accelerate Shipbuilding
(navy.mil) Secretary of the Navy John Phelan today announced a $448 million strategic investment in the Shipbuilding Operating System (Ship OS) to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence and autonomy technologies across the industrial base.
The announcement was made during the first Department of the Navy Rapid Capabilities Office Industry Day where Phelan was joined by Palantir Chief Executive Officer, Alex Karp. Ship OS will leverage Palantir’s software to bring modern best practices to the complex, data heavy environment of Navy shipbuilding.
Drone-fighting Software Chosen to Shorten Reaction Times for Army’s Patriot Missile Crews
(stripes.com) A software program that uses artificial intelligence to prioritize and destroy drone swarms will become the backbone of the Army’s new unified command and control system, according to its manufacturer. The selection of Anduril’s Lattice software as the next-generation fire control platform for the Integrated Battle Command System is the latest step in the service’s efforts to adapt to the rise of drone warfare.
U.S. Truckload Rates Jump on Poor Weather, Shorter Holiday Shopping Season
(joc.com) U.S. truckload spot rates have surged in recent days as cold weather, snowstorms and a compressed holiday shopping season tighten capacity ahead of Christmas, analysts say. Spot rates on the 50 largest US lanes rose 4% on average during the first week of December, according to DAT Freight & Analytics.
While dry-van spot rates typically climb in December, this year’s increase is the highest for early December in more than five years, according to DAT.
Slowdown in U.S. Cargo Volumes Likely to Persist in 2026
(supplychainbrain.com) Recent declines in U.S. import cargo volumes are expected to extend into 2026 as tariffs and economic uncertainty continue to dampen global trade. Estimates from the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates show imports at major U.S. ports falling more than 10% year over year in January, 8.5% in February, nearly 17% in March, and just under 11% in April, continuing monthly declines since September.
President’s Circle (upgrade):
Sustaining:
Sustaining:
Amazon Offers Money-back Guarantee to Air Cargo Shippers
(freightwaves.com) One year after launching an air cargo service for third-party shippers utilizing its parcel freighters, Amazon is offering a money-back guarantee to attract businesses that prioritize on-time delivery and upgraded its digital portal so customers can more easily quote, book, and manage air shipments.
GEODIS and EDF Commit to Decarbonizing the Supply Chain in France and Internationally
(geodis.com) GEODIS, a global leader in transport and logistics, and EDF announced the signing of a partnership aimed at decarbonizing the supply chain in France and internationally.
The purpose of this partnership is to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of GEODIS’ warehouses and transport flows worldwide, and examine the conditions under which GEODIS could provide logistics services on behalf of the EDF Group in the main countries where it operates.
Uber Freight Sees U.S.–Mexico Trade Driving Freight Rebound into 2026
Nearshoring, Mexico investment, and tightening truck capacity could reshape North American freight flows next year. Uber Freight’s latest market outlook points to a U.S. freight market that is quietly stabilizing and setting up for tighter conditions in 2026, with cross-border trade with Mexico emerging as one of the most important structural drivers.
The Source is a free educational publication for NDTA members, conference attendees, and associates.