Amazon Opens Third-Party Logistics Network to Outside Fleets

What does Amazon's logistics expansion mean for trucking fleets?

Amazon announced May 4 it will open its logistics and fulfillment network to outside businesses, extending capabilities the company built for its own retail operations and third-party sellers on its marketplace. The service — branded Amazon Supply Chain Services — gives external companies access to warehousing, last-mile delivery, and freight management infrastructure Amazon developed over two decades.

The expansion does not involve Amazon purchasing trucks, contracting dedicated fleets, or launching an asset-based carrier division. Businesses using the service will tap Amazon's existing network of fulfillment centers, sortation hubs, and delivery stations — the same facilities that handle Prime orders. Amazon did not disclose pricing, minimum volume thresholds, or whether the service includes access to Amazon's branded delivery vans and contract carriers.

How Amazon's network compares to traditional 3PLs

Amazon Supply Chain Services competes directly with third-party logistics providers like C.H. Robinson, XPO, and DHL Supply Chain. Those companies broker freight, manage warehousing, and coordinate last-mile delivery for shippers who lack their own distribution infrastructure. Amazon's advantage is scale — the company operates more than 1,000 fulfillment and logistics facilities in North America and moves roughly 5 billion packages annually through its own network, according to industry estimates.

Traditional 3PLs rely heavily on contracted carriers and owner-operators to move freight. Amazon's model blends contracted capacity with its Amazon Logistics delivery network, which uses a mix of Amazon-branded vans driven by delivery service partners and independent contractors. The company has not disclosed what percentage of line-haul moves between fulfillment centers use Amazon-owned trailers versus third-party carriers.

What this does not change for trucking companies

The announcement does not create new freight lanes, alter equipment specifications, or shift maintenance requirements for carriers already moving Amazon freight. Trucking companies that haul Amazon loads today — whether under dedicated contract or spot bids — will see no immediate change to trailer specs, dock procedures, or detention policies. Amazon Supply Chain Services is a customer-facing product aimed at shippers, not a fleet-expansion initiative.

Carriers hoping to win Amazon freight still bid through the same channels: Amazon Freight for brokered loads, or direct contracts with Amazon's transportation procurement team. The company has not indicated whether opening its logistics network to outside businesses will increase total freight volume enough to materially affect carrier demand in specific lanes.

Where the service fits in Amazon's broader logistics strategy

Amazon has steadily reduced its reliance on UPS, FedEx, and the U.S. Postal Service since 2018, when it began building out Amazon Logistics. By 2023, the company was delivering more than 60 percent of its own packages in the U.S., according to logistics analysts. Amazon Supply Chain Services extends that infrastructure to businesses that sell outside Amazon's marketplace — a direct challenge to incumbents like Shopify's fulfillment network and traditional 3PLs.

The service gives Amazon a revenue stream from logistics capacity it already built. Fulfillment centers that handle seasonal peaks for Amazon retail can now backfill slower periods with third-party volume. That could smooth demand curves for the carriers and delivery service partners Amazon contracts, though the company has not disclosed how it will allocate capacity between its own retail operations and outside customers during peak periods.

Takeaway for fleets and owner-operators

Amazon's move into third-party logistics does not change the equipment, maintenance, or operational requirements for carriers moving Amazon freight today. Fleets already hauling Amazon loads will not see new trailer specs, ELD mandates, or dock-scheduling systems as a result of this announcement. The service is a business-model expansion, not a fleet-procurement initiative.

Carriers looking to win Amazon freight — or freight from shippers who may now route volume through Amazon's network — should focus on the same fundamentals that win any 3PL contract: on-time performance, clean CSA scores, and competitive rates. Shippers and brokers can verify a carrier's active authority and safety profile before tendering loads, a step that remains critical whether freight moves through Amazon's network or a traditional 3PL.