Welcome to the WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Newsletter presented by XPO. In this issue, is a Tesla Semi breaking down a big deal?; TikTok enters fulfillment; Amazon parks Scout; and more.
Tesla Semi spotted … broken down
Prototypo — A video of a Tesla Semi broken down in Fremont, California, has been making the rounds online. It’s been five years since we first learned of the EV maker’s play into freight hauling, but delay after delay have left many wondering when deliveries would commence. Elon Musk tweeted on Oct. 6 that Pepsi would start receiving its first trucks on Dec. 1. However, just two days before that tweet, YouTubing trucker Serge The Car Hauler caught a Semi broken down in NorCal. Trucks break down all the time; that’s a reality of the business and we don’t know exactly what happened to the Semi here (or the truck that appears to have hit it either.)
“Obviously, we don’t know exactly what is happening in this scene here, but we know that early Tesla Semi customers are going to have to deal with some issues first before they can fully benefit from their electric trucks.” — Electrek
The good news is that Tesla’s service team was on the scene to get everyone rolling again, but we’d love to know what caused the failure. Did it simply run out of batteries, was there a mechanical failure, was it something else? Unfortunately, Tesla does not have a PR department to answer these mysteries of life. But, they’ll have to address these situations as trucks break down. EV or ICE, fleets need access to quick service. For the Semi to see wide adoption, Tesla will have to be able to provide that across the nation.
Fulfilled by TikTok?!?
Social media marketplace — According to recent job postings, TikTok is looking to bring its e-commerce shopping platform to the U.S. This shouldn’t really be a surprise, unless you haven’t been paying attention (like me. I’m surprised.) In fact, the memefactory began piloting its TikTok Shop program in the U.S., Canada and U.K. last year.
So what’s new? — As Axios reported, “The move signifies TikTok’s commitment to e-commerce as its next major revenue stream, following the explosive growth of its ads business.” Looking through TikTok’s job listings lends a lot of credibility to that idea. FreightWaves notes, “The LinkedIn postings include positions like a logistics solutions manager responsible for planning and designing fulfillment centers and e-commerce logistics solutions. Some roles even mention a global team that would be responsible for a worldwide logistics and warehousing network.”
TL;DR —While doubtful this is an Amazon killer, it does create an interesting opportunity for TikTok, its sellers AND its creators. Some of the largest accounts on the platform suddenly have a whole new pathway toward monetization. Or it could turn the platform into Gen Z QVC … we’ll see.
Meanwhile
‘American Idol’ star dies after collision with semi
So gone — Former “American Idol” runner-up Willie Spence died tragically Tueday when his 2019 Jeep Cherokee veered off the road and struck a semi stuck on the shoulder of Interstate 24 in East Tennessee. NBC News reports, “Both Spence, who is originally from Georgia, and the driver of the tractor-trailer, who is 68, were wearing seat belts.” Shortly before the accident, Spence posted his last singing performance on Instagram. RIP Willie Spence.
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Scout sucks?
The final footstep problem in final mile — Scout started its delivery journey in January 2019 but just three years later and it’s headed for the scrap heap. What went wrong with the program that reportedly had a 400-member team? It could be that it doesn’t solve any perceived problem that a consumer has and it is worse than a delivery driver. With one of these, someone has to actually go to the robot to get a package. Analytics India Mag suggests this could also be due to Amazon scaling back projects amid post-pandemic sales drops. What do you think? Are delivery robots dead in the water? Let me know.
Has anything been hit worse by inflation than ‘Star Wars’ figures
I am altering the deal. Pray I don’t alter it any further — Pour one out for nerds and parents as their wallets are getting walloped by the prices on their latest lineup of “Star Wars” figures. I’m both so this one stings. Back when “The Force Awakens” came out, I got my kids into collecting but figures were around $8. Slowly they started testing out much higher costs, but $24 is a massive jump for that variety of action figure. It’s not even a Black Series. Speaking of the “Star Wars” premium series of figures, those prices have gone to the moon too.
I take that back: Pour one out for Hasbro, because if those Reddit comments are any indication, they may be sitting on the shelves for a while. For us personally, I got my kids a $5 pack of Pokemon cards instead. We got enough “Star Wars” toys for now.
WTT Friday
College football logistics, bringing fashion to freight and driver training — Join The Dude and me on Friday as we learn about the logistics of college football and how Taimen got involved with game day. We’ll meet the founder of a trucking charity and hat company that’s supporting the invisible heartbeat of our industry. Plus, a look at what a great driver coaching program looks like; UCR 101; and the latest news.
With special guests Liz Murray, president at Murray Logistics and founder and CEO of Truckloco Hats; Ryan Pamplin, head of culture at Taimen; Rick Malchow, Transport Management editor at J. J. Keller & Associates Inc.; and Michael Krohn, regional sales manager at Netradyne.
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