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Amazon RelayCon 2026 Draws Record 1,000 Carriers Seeking Growth Strategy

Amazon's RelayCon conference expanded significantly this year, drawing more than 1,000 transportation professionals to Las Vegas in September. Attendance grew from over 600 in 2025 and more than 500 in 2024. The e-commerce giant restructured the event format around three tracks—build, scale and optimize—enabling carriers to network with peers operating at similar business stages rather than in general mixers. The shift proved consequential. Small operators meeting counterparts running comparable fleets engaged in more substantive discussions about growth metrics and operational costs. Carriers arrived prepared with detailed financial data, including cost-per-mile calculations and idle equipment expenses. Many had mapped equipment purchases and sought critical feedback. Veteran carriers operating 25-year-old businesses emphasized lifestyle sustainability over freight rates, highlighting how they've constructed profitable operations independent of rate competition. Amazon director of North America surface transportation John Hartland delivered keynote remarks addressing carrier priorities.