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.
In the constantly changing world of last-mile delivery, it can no longer operate as a siloed operation from middle mile.
Analysts said Shein could help Flexport get a boost in volume and revenue that the firm has seen decreasing throughout the freight recession.
This week, Gartner wags a finger at project44’s path to profitability, Flowspace customers see promise in AI and the Digital Container Shipping Association gets a new member.
Drones offer various inventory management solutions, including audits, cycle counting and stock taking.
Stord’s purchase of ProPack Logistics grows the company’s fulfillment centers to 1.6 million square feet.
The dynamic nature of logistics calls for a new method of negotiating rates, through real-time data and automation.
Express delivery giant UPS is recruiting pilots again after beating out FedEx for the Postal Service’s air transport contract.
The U.S. Postal Service picked UPS to replace FedEx as its primary partner for moving parcels by air, but analysts say FedEx actually comes out ahead by losing the business.
Uber Freight has brought on talent with decades of experience from C.H. Robinson, Amazon and Walmart.
Over the past five quarters, Blue Yonder has spent over $1 billion in supply chain acquisitions, including Doddle and Flexis AG.
Here is the weekly rundown of FreightTech news you may have missed
FedEx and UPS have recently announced job reductions as part of ongoing efforts to streamline operations and boost profits.
An earlier ruling that a group of drivers in Amazon’s Flex program in Wisconsin are employees rather than independent contractors has effectively been upheld.
UPS told investors it is leaning into automation and robotics to increase parcel capacity, which in turn will allow the company to operate fewer physical facilities.
The FedEx pilots union has a new chairman who is more aligned with the majority of the Master Executive Council, which wants to press FedEx harder on a new contract.
A DePaul University report says Amazon’s air logistics unit is increasing efficiency by adopting a hub-and-spoke operating system for its cargo jets and airport locations.
Uber Freight’s Powerloop offering has served more than 220,000 loads using over 10,000 carriers. Powerloop saw a 43% increase in power-only load volume in 2023.
Uber and Lyft have declared their intention to pull out of Minneapolis after a minimum pay ordinance for app-based drivers survived a mayoral veto.
A study by last-mile solutions provider OneRail addresses retailers’ concerns about diversifying delivery networks and highlights strategies such as leveraging technology for strategic planning.
Newly launched LocusHub lets warehouse managers customize autonomous mobile robots’ workflow routes, forecast staffing and orders with machine learning, and pinpoint bottlenecks.
LG Business Solutions USA will unveil its family of autonomous mobile robots at industry trade show MODEX in Atlanta.
Shippers should facilitate supplier collaboration while bracing for potential freight market turn.
Transfix’s new feature aims to streamline logistics for small and midsize businesses by addressing manual processes and securing competitive rates, in line with an integrated marketplace approach.
Samsara is working to create a system of record specific to physical operations, helping users conceptualize variables like fuel consumption and asset location.
Uber Freight plans to make its API publicly available for scheduling in the second half of the year.
This feature empowers GoodShip’s shippers to craft personalized constraints, aligning with supply chain goals for optimal, strategic procurement decisions.
Ex-Slync CEO Christopher Kirchner was found guilty Thursday of four counts of wire fraud and seven counts of money laundering following a four-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District in Fort Worth, Texas.
Walmart partner DroneUp can now fly drones beyond the visual line of sight.
Fleet telematics provider Samsara Inc. (NYSE: IOT) filed suit against rival Motive Technologies in federal court Wednesday, alleging Motive, formerly KeepTruckin, copied and used its proprietary technology and engaged in false and misleading advertising.
Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen on Friday announced the company has raised $260 million from shareholder and e-commerce provider Shopify.
Alphabet’s drone delivery service is working on a larger drone design that will be able to handle orders that currently need more than one drone to handle.
What will it mean for a consumer drone manufacturer from China to enter the delivery drone market on a global scale?
Walmart’s latest drone news could be a huge steppingstone for delivery drones in the United States.
Thefts from a storage facility have raised concerns from a government watchdog agency as the Postal Service moves to electrify its delivery fleet.
A rule on warehouse emissions that the California Trucking Association viewed as like a zero-emission vehicle mandate has been upheld in court.
Cart.com recently secured $30 million in venture capital aimed at boosting the e-commerce startup’s balance sheet.
Japan Airlines is restarting its freighter division after 13 years and will fly three 767s exclusively for DHL.
Major advances from two drone companies move the industry forward.
An earlier Uber/Postmates court victory over AB5 in California has been vacated.
While navigating shifting market conditions can be stressful, shippers that focus their attention on increasing their own operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness can thrive during this time.
Casey Armstrong, chief marketing officer at ShipBob, talks about the recent Black Friday shopping holiday and how e-commerce shopping has evolved over recent years.
Mike Branch, vice president of data and analytics at Ontario-based Geotab, joins FreightWaves’ Thomas Wasson to talk about generative AI and its possible impacts on the domestic supply chain.
Technology advancements will make it easy to automate warehousing operations right from your phone.
XPO said Tuesday it’s excited about a “once-in-a-generation” terminal acquisition that will facilitate the next decade of growth.
Sean Cassidy led Amazon Prime Air’s safety, flight operations and regulatory affairs. His departure costs the firm a key relationship with the FAA.
Big and bulky items sold online need more finance in logistics. Luckily today, there’s a growing number of new technologies to help.
Reliable Robotics successfully tested its autopilot system with no one on board the Cessna cargo plane.
Reelables says technology will eliminate the need for manual label scanning across the supply chain.
Uber’s new feature allows shoppers to arrange for drivers to pick up purchased items and deliver them to a residence.
CloudTrucks CEO Tobenna Arodiogbu has announced that his company is exiting the factoring business and will be transitioning its current customers to RTS Financial in the coming weeks to focus on its core business offerings, Virtual Carrier and Flex.
The flight follows Zipline’s FAA approval to remove visual observers from its drone delivery operations, opening up longer routes and becoming accessible to more customers.
Drone manufacturer Elroy Air names its new aircraft a turbogenerator-hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft — hVTOL for short — and claims it’s the first of its kind to fly.
DHL Express has doubled the size of its Asia air hub in Hong Kong.
Workhorse Group made progress toward scaling its electric truck business, but being shut out of California incentives dented revenue.
More than a dozen logistics firms have been recognized among North America’s fastest-growing companies.
The Utah Department of Transportation’s Aeronautics Division released a report on how drones, electric air taxis and other new aircraft may fit into the state’s skies.
Online sales are expected to grow between 7% and 9% over 2022 levels, the National Retail Federation says.
Zipline is growing its presence in the medical space, enabling patients to get their prescriptions delivered by drone.
Last-mile delivery is complicated. Technology can make it more efficient, but the key is successfully integrating multiple systems.
Flexport’s acquisition comes weeks after the venture-funded trucking startup closed down. Convoy has some 400,000 truck drivers in its network.
A source wonders if UPS’ new offering is a reconstituted version of an earlier stab at quick delivery.
UPS said it hopes to scale service to as many locations as possible by year’s end.
Electric vehicle manufacturing efforts have been marching south. In fact, EV manufacturing investments in the Southeast alone reached $54.6 billion in 2022 –– a 128% year-over-year increase, according to the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.
The decision to prioritize technology in a business so reliant on people to cover loads and deal with exceptions is poignant in the wake of the past week’s events.
Omnichannel fulfillment provider Stord’s new service is designed to make delivery to retail DCs more affordable for smaller merchants.
With the last mile the most complicated part of the shipping process, new solutions could help, but it will take a strong balancing act.
Wing gives an inside look into its expansion as drone delivery becomes more widespread.
UPS has stopped flying to Israel while competitors DHL and FedEx have maintained air service to the country, which is at war.
OSM follows the lead of work-share partner U.S. Postal Service in not imposing peak-season delivery surcharges.
A report by project44 said delivery performance was the highest since March 2020.
Even as a Wall Street bank counts up the possible losses at Estes, the LTL carrier tells customers things are looking up.
Uber drivers will pick up return parcels and deliver them to postal, FedEx and UPS locations.
Amazon Air is downsizing operations at Leipzig/Halle International Airport.
August was a better month, but express carriers are still flying less than they were a year ago because of slow shipping demand.
The on-paper benefits of out-of-home delivery are clear. Customer acceptance is somewhat less so.
Loadsmart CEO Felipe Capella said there’s “massive value potential for the whole freight industry” by applying computer vision technology.
DHL is moving its A300 fleet from Asia because the region doesn’t have sufficient aerospace support services for the aircraft.
According to a recent study by SkyQuest Technology, every year more than $750 billion worth of losses occur worldwide due to poor cold chain logistics and facilities and improper handling procedures.
What’s next for the three-headed beast of AB5 litigation in California? It might be whether the state’s Supreme Court takes up the so-called Olson case.
The latest FAA approval for Zipline could mean a huge step forward in drone delivery.
A new service called Roadie Direct integrates technology to provide fast delivery from warehouse locations.
With Oracle and Uber Direct, retailers can now offer same-day delivery and returns.
Free shipping remains a make-or-break deal for many online orders, a Ryder survey finds.
Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen says he has returned to rescue the company after Dave Clark wore out his welcome.
The NRF has bought a leading trade group to expand its sustainability solutions for members.
The partnership offers e2open TMS users seamless access to FlockDirect, a terminal-free shared truckload solution from Flock, enabling real-time quoting and booking.
When the ELD mandate was put into effect, fleets across the nation became vulnerable to cybersecurity threats.
Workhorse Group stockholders approved a proposal to more than double the number of authorized shares, one of few paths to new capital.
