Modern Shipper covers the gig economy, including same-day, on-demand, and last-mile delivery jobs and services. Readers will find current news on gig economy companies, gig economy workers, gig economy data and trends. In addition, Modern Shipper focuses on e-commerce, e-commerce platforms and companies, and e-commerce services and technologies.
Uber is reportedly close to a deal with GMB, a U.K.-based labor union, to provide representation for rideshare drivers as it works to comply with a recent U.K. Supreme Court decision saying drivers were entitled to minimum wage.
A survey from SOTI has found transportation and logistics companies trying to keep up with the e-commerce demand continue to face technology integration issues, costing them several days per month per employee in productivity.
FedEx is raising the fees on U.S. residential deliveries, its Ground Economy service and on packages requiring “additional handling.”
The FAA has approved a request from Flytrex to expand its drone delivery pilot program in North Carolina to include delivery to customers’ yards.
CEO Kushal Nahata says FarEye brings cost savings to its customers but also improves the workflow and overall experience of their employees.
As more brands roll out next-day and same-day grocery delivery, the long-term profitability of these programs depends on innovation that can drive down cost and increase flexibility.
Skycart, a San Francisco-area drone startup, announced its Nimbus drone is capable of making four separate deliveries on a single flight.
Even as brands turn to more digital tools to engage with customers, many are finding success with a more traditional item — catalogs.
Amazon confirmed its annual Prime Day event will be held in Q2 (likely June), as it seeks to improve on a record Q2 2020, when revenue grew 40%. But there’s also major supply chain reasoning behind the decision.
Regulations coming out of SCQAMD are usually for stationary sources of pollution, but the rules on trucks are an expansion of its authority.
The best-in-class retailers navigated well, and managed to grow inventory considerably in the first months of the year.
The California Air Resources Board has voted to require rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft to conduct 90% of all rides in electric vehicles by 2030.
This is an excerpt from Monday’s (5/13) Point of Sale retail supply chain newsletter sponsored by ArcBest. There’s a startup that was first created to deliver essentials to college kids but is quietly […]
Like the rest of the economy, gig economy companies are struggling to find drivers, and that could have a negative impact on the growth opportunity for the industry moving forward.
The electric vehicle pilot is part of Walmart’s last-mile delivery initiatives.
Upgrading fleets and equipment from 3G mobile technology to LTE requires upfront planning with a strong partner.
Oklahoma has passed a law that would remove delivery services such as Amazon Flex drivers from compliance with state trucking regulations.
“We have added the ability to have an app-based experience versus an online website to manage your back room and that kind of innovation is a big reason why our retail customers have been working with us.”
The CHIPS Act aims to subsidize companies that can set up domestic manufacturing plants to create a more resilient supply chain for the future demand of semiconductors.
More manufacturers are looking into digital sales and marketing channels as their customers increasingly move online.
People are eager for face-to-face gatherings. But health and safety issues will still call the shots.
Four FreightTech companies demonstrated their innovative technology solutions during FreightWaves LIVE @HOME on Wednesday.
Four FreightTech firms demonstrate their innovative technology solutions for transportation companies during FreightWaves LIVE @HOME.
Arrival, which has a large electric van order from UPS, has selected HERE Technologies to provide turn-by-turn navigation and a location visibility platform for vehicles.
The company’s pickup and delivery revenue jumps; about 95% of sales were fulfilled from stores
The Kansas City region, with its centralized location, is becoming a prime area for commercial warehouse space, with KC Smartport expecting 15 million square feet to become available in 2021.
J.B. Hunt’s 360 digital freight-matching platform will play a core role in helping the company and its customers thrive in a historically challenging environment, Simpson says.
Fidelity had led a $360 million private funding round into BETA Technologies to speed development of small electric aircraft for passenger and cargo usage.
Major e-commerce growth led DHL Express to change aircraft and routes in Southeast Asia for package delivery.
AT&T and Sony have teamed up for a new shipping label that activates sensors to track and monitor packages as they travel throughout the supply chain.
Founders Camp, the Dynamo-powered event for founders and startup companies, will take place in November alongside FreightWaves’ F3: Future of Freight Festival in Chattanooga.
The lower court ruling favored Uber in the summary judgment but drivers won on appeal.
Ondas Holdings is acquiring American Robotics with the expectation that it can incorporate the drone company’s data-collecting capabilities into its platform for industry verticals.
Today there are two types of manufacturers: old school and new school. Which one you are will help decide the future of your business.
To help highlight its appeal to small and midsized shippers, Sendle is offering a special $1 flat rate shipping charge next week between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PDT.
Investors sent DoorDash stock soaring on Friday after the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings in Q1 and raised its guidance for full-year 2021.
DoorDash reported a 198% increase in Q1 revenue compared to Q1 2020, and a 219% increase in orders, although it still posted a negative 34-cent EPS.
Steel costs and availability could delay projects for the rest of the year, expert says.
Amazon planes are shuttling between more than 40 airports in the U.S. That translates into faster e-commerce deliveries by eliminating trucks.
PayPal is acquiring Happy Returns, a firm dedicated to improving the returns process for e-commerce orders.
ParcelLab’s platform takes in data on the ordered product but even includes weather and traffic updates to customize the delivery experience.
The staffing will be weighted toward the fulfillment and delivery centers, Amazon says.
Startup Curri is trying to apply gig economy principles to the building and materials industries. Its founders answered Modern Shipper’s questions.
ACERTUS will connect DrivrzXchange users to a network of preapproved, vetted carriers representing 20,000 tractor-trailers.
Ghost kitchen operator C3 is bringing its dining brands to brick-and-mortar locations with the launch of Citizens, a hybrid dining option offering in-person as well as pickup and delivery services.
Hypower Lab said its hydrogen fuel cell can power drones for more than three hours, increasing flight time and utility.
The use of legacy technology and the lack of real-time visibility continue to impact the ability of last-mile delivery providers to increase business, according to a Bringg report.
Rite Aid is adding same-day delivery of more than 24,000 items through DoorDash, joining competitors Walgreens and CVS in offering the service.
Sonic+ believes its super app is the key to lowering food costs and waste by connecting consumers directly with wholesalers.
How reverse logistics creates value for large-product retailers
Workhorse Group built 38 last-mile electric delivery vans in Q1 and revised its build to 1,000 trucks from 1,800 for the full year.
Vendoo’s technology allows resellers to list items on multiple marketplaces like eBay, The Real Real and Poshmark while streamlining the listing process.
Peloton stated it expects to incur $50 million in refund expenses from its treadmill recall. What will the logistics costs be?
The facility will be located about 8 miles from the Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City Terminal.
Analysts are looking at various explanations for why the number of drivers today is lower than it was two years ago.
Growing e-commerce sales of large and bulky items is creating a logistics headache for items that must be returned. It is why retailers need to have a reverse logistics process in place.
While many restaurants are getting into the ghost kitchen craze, a New York City company, WoodSpoon, believes the best meals come from a home kitchen.
By either the standard of seasonal or not seasonal jobs, gains in employment are slow given the demand for drivers.
An improving economy and a $170 million investment in Bitcoin drove payment provider Square’s revenue up 266% and profits up 79%.
The appeals process can be short or long, and the date when AB5 could be enforced remains in flux.
While some organizations blasted the Biden administration’s decision to withdraw a rule on employee classification, executives from Lyft and Uber have struck measured tones.
Wayfair said its active customer base grew 57.1% in the past year, and those customers are ordering more items, leading to a nearly 50% increase in Q1 revenue.
The earnings call revealed that Uber, like so many others, is working to fill out its driver ranks.
PayPal reported its “strongest first-quarter results” in company history on Wednesday, posting $6.03 billion in revenue and a 46% increase in total payment volume.
The across-the-board gains exceeded expectations and reflect increasing end-market strength, Trimble CEO says.
The rule was introduced in the waning days of the Trump administration but was never expected to be enacted.
There is a small window for new loans to underserved communities, but after spending of about $800 billion, the cupboard is bare.
In 2017, Lyft launched its Level 5 division, which would focus on developing an autonomous vehicle. Last month, the company pivoted away from that, selling the division, although it still harbors visions of Lyft riders in autonomous vehicles.
Purolator is considered the FedEx or UPS of Canada. The express delivery company has hired an airline to help it move more packages between the U.S. and Canada.
Foodetective has raised $2 million in seed funding to help it expand its multichannel restaurant commerce platform to new markets, including the United States.
The German company posts record first-quarter profits and substantially raises full-year earnings and cash flow targets.
Lyft reported a narrower loss in its Q1 earnings as riders began returning to the platform.
Former PayPal executive John Lunn has returned to payments with Gr4vy, which has landed an $11.1 million Series A funding round.
Electric vehicle startup Arrival announced it would build a ride-hailing specific electric car for Uber to use in the U.K. and Europe. Separately, Uber said it will now deliver everyday essential items to customers from Gopuff in the U.S.
By killing off Trump-era rules, the Biden administration has lots of room to make big changes in the independent-contractor-versus-employee debate.
Ware2Go, which offers shipping to merchants of all sizes with a specialization in e-commerce, will automatically purchase carbon offsets through Pachama for its customers.
Manufacturing’s traditional selling processes are broken. Our next chapter requires a savvy digital approach backed by a deep understanding of buyer expectations. In turn, this empowers manufacturers to focus on what they do best – building amazing products.
Amazon’s Prime offering, with its shipment tracking and fast delivery, continues to add pressure to other retailers to match the service. Technology can help up their shipment games, making for happier and returning customers.
“This imagery could be a huge benefit to our office,” NWS meteorologist Alex Sizemore said about using drones to survey storm damage in remote areas.
A big revenue gain in global e-commerce is the high point of the quarter.
The New Jersey Senate majority leader’s proposal would require communities near a proposed warehouse to have input but no veto power.
“It’s about speed, convenience and also being greener,” says Chris Jarvis, chief logistics officer at GoFor.
AgEagle CEO Michael Drozd discusses the kinds of situations in which drones will play a role in the short term — and how those roles will evolve in the longer term.
Drone delivery planning in urban environments requires many considerations, including emergency landing zones, no-fly zones, route planning, takeoff and landing sites and governmental regulations.
Anthony Smith, director of market experts for FreightWaves, and Yariv Bash, co-founder and CEO of Flytrex Aviation, dive into the near future for drone delivery and dispel misconceptions about the industry.
“You can’t just go buy a drone like ours and take off and start flying,” said Wingcopter exec on airspace regulation during the DroneWaves Summit.
To gain public acceptance, drones need to be unobtrusive as much as possible, says veteran aviator and Workhorse Aerospace President John Graber.
As more commerce moves online, some businesses are struggling with payment options, especially in cases where credit cards may not be accepted. That is giving rise to alternative payment processes.
UPS has ambitious plans for its drone airline, Flight Forward. Kevin Wasik, Flight Forward’s head of business development, explains why UPS is moving aggressively on drones during the DroneWaves Summit.
Bobby Healy, founder and CEO of Manna, sits down with Kevin Hill, executive publisher at FreightWaves, at the DroneWaves Summit to chat about the capabilities and economics of drone delivery.
Deep Trekker’s work with the maritime shipping industry is deepening.
Keynoting the DroneWaves Summit, Parimal Kopardekar said that safe and efficient drone integration depends on telling users where not to go.
Olsavsky says the one-day delivery service needs to get on top of burgeoning demand and warehouse space shortages.
Shipping costs rise 57% to $17.1 billion.
Wabash National spent $364 million to buy into final-mile products in 2017. It is finally starting to realize the hoped-for potential.
Manna, a drone-as-a-service company based in Ireland, has secured $25 million in funding to fuel its research and development as it plans for production of delivery drones by 2023.
Seattle-based Minnow Technologies has secured $3 million to fund production of its Pickup Pod, a contactless food delivery station.
Getting around the B prong of the ABC test is going to be complicated for companies trying to use independent owner-operators in California.
Oshkosh can make 100% battery-electric delivery trucks for the U.S. Postal Service, likely dashing Workhorse’s hopes of reigniting the competition.
In what is expected to be its final earnings report as a stand-alone company, Grubhub reported 52% growth in revenue, but said restaurant fee caps hurt its bottom line, resulting in a quarterly loss.
