U.S. shippers would increase their use of rail if they had better visibility into goods in transit, according to new research commissioned by global SecurityTech company Giesecke+Devrient (G+D). The findings show that freight competitiveness increasingly depends on trusted, real-time data from connected assets, not just the physical movement of goods.
The survey of 500 U.S. logistics, transportation and supply chain decision-makers found that only 23% of shippers are currently able to continuously track and monitor the condition of goods moved by rail. At the same time, 84% said they would be more likely to increase their use of rail in future logistics operations if they had greater visibility.
For logistics providers and shippers, visibility is no longer limited to knowing where freight is. It increasingly means having access to reliable data from connected assets that can support faster decisions, stronger accountability and more resilient supply chain operations.
Respondents said this data layer would support their operations in several ways. The leading motivation for greater visibility was the ability to plan and optimize downstream operations, cited by 45%. This was followed by the need for verifiable evidence to contest accessorial and demurrage charges (33%), condition monitoring for perishable, pharmaceutical or hazardous goods (33%), and earlier alerts to theft or unexpected movement (32%).
The findings show that access to reliable real-time data is becoming a prerequisite in logistics. Almost three quarters of respondents (73%) said real-time visibility of goods in transit was a high priority1, with almost one in five describing it as critical.
End-to-end visibility across the freight journey is a key priority for shippers. Yet this view is often lost during the rail leg: only 26% of respondents had access to real-time location tracking in rail transport, while 14% were limited to occasional location updates and another 14% to departure and arrival times. Respondents identified this lack of visibility as their number one frustration with rail as a mode of transport.
“Supply chain professionals increasingly rely on live, verifiable logistics data to monitor and direct operations, and they want this visibility to extend to freight traveling by rail,” says Simon Wakely, President, Giesecke+Devrient Mobile Security G+D America, Inc. “For rail to play a stronger role in tomorrow’s supply chains, connected assets need to generate trusted data that enables better decisions, stronger accountability and more resilient, competitive logistics operations.”
The U.S. freight rail industry generates approximately $80 billion in revenues each year.* Survey respondents also said rail plays a significant role in their logistics operations, with 77% saying at least a quarter of their freight shipments move by rail. Greater visibility could help address concerns raised by respondents and encourage them to shift more freight to rail, especially since it could improve their ability to react to cargo theft. Nine in ten respondents (90%) said they were extremely or somewhat concerned about cargo theft.
Fees incurred during rail transit are another concern. Four in five decision-makers (80%) said charges such as demurrage and accessorial fees were at least sometimes inaccurate, excessive or otherwise worth contesting. A further 80% said full visibility into goods in transit would make them more likely to challenge such charges.
Beyond location tracking, respondents identified damage detection as the most valuable use case for condition monitoring during rail transit, followed by tampering alerts, door opening, temperature monitoring, moisture monitoring and shock detection. Together, these use cases show that visibility in rail freight increasingly depends on trusted data from connected assets rather than location information alone.
Methodology: The survey was conducted by Censuswide among 500 U.S.-based decision-makers responsible for logistics, transportation or supply chain operations between August 7 and August 17, 2026. Censuswide is a member of the Market Research Society and a signatory of the Global Data Quality Pledge.
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____________________________________ 1 “Critical priority” and “High priority” answers combined. |
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* Figure taken from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration, Freight Rail Overview. |
About Giesecke+Devrient
Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) is a global SecurityTech company headquartered in Munich, Germany. G+D makes the lives of billions of people more secure. The company shapes trust in the digital age, with built-in security technology in three segments: Digital Security, Financial Platforms and Currency Technology.
G+D was founded in 1852 and today has a workforce of 14,500 employees. In the fiscal year 2025, the company generated a turnover of 3.2 billion euros. G+D is represented by 118 subsidiaries and joint ventures in 41 countries. Further information: www.gi-de.com.
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