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.
BoxC’s data-sharing initiative with the FDA showcases the growing need for government regulators to work with supply chains to fix operational inefficiencies.
Two Chinese logistics companies have started their own airlines and now have expanded their routes within China, and internationally.
In a blockbuster new partnership, Walmart will offer its GoLocal and Store Assist technologies through the Salesforce app.
Cargo drone manufacturer and delivery provider Elroy Air hit a new high after signing a deal with Dublin-based LCI.
Starting Jan. 31, more U.S. merchants, including those on the BigCommerce platform, can access Amazon Prime services like free and next-day delivery.
See how Walmart — quickly becoming one of the biggest names in drone delivery — and its network fared in 2022.
The number of truck transportation jobs rose in December, but following revisions of the earlier months, the fourth-quarter gain was minimal.
Electric vehicle fleet provider Lightning eMotors has introduced a new tool to help operators get the most out of their EV fleets.
Locus is expanding its workforce and solution offerings for Mexico’s booming e-commerce market.
E-commerce giant Amazon will lay off over 18,000 workers during its current round of job cuts, first reported in November.
Shopper engagement services provider Relationshop acquired grocery e-commerce firm Stor.ai for more than $50 million.
Food delivery app DoorDash gets into parcels with its new Package Pickup feature.
Cepton’s Vista-X120 Plus is billed as the world’s slimmest software definable, top-end automotive lidar solution.
Demand for 3PL services to handle last-mile shipments of heavy goods will grow by double digits annually through 2025, according to a report by Armstrong & Associates and the National Home Delivery Association.
Tesla, GM, Chevy and other EV makers may see early volume before revised tax credit provisions’ full criteria take effect.
Electric vehicle maker Workhorse announced that it escaped action from the Securities and Exchange Commission related to fraud accusations.
For the fourth time this year, grocery delivery platform Instacart has cut its valuation, despite hints of an IPO.
In yet another drone-related patent filing, Ford is looking at flying within aerial corridors above roads.
The e-commerce giant’s long-awaited drone delivery service finally got off the ground on Christmas Eve.
FedEx Express is looking to trim fat at the largest cargo airline in the world and lean on rental fleets to fill in needs.
A new survey of gig workers found that a majority have no plans to leave the industry, despite concerns of income stability and health benefits.
FedEx must convince stakeholders that it will stay the course on cost reductions.
The Warehouse Worker Protection Act is designed to provide transparency and worker protections to warehouse employees in the state of New York, which has seen several skirmishes over working conditions at Amazon facilities.
FedEx’s 2023 second-quarter results proved its ability to quickly slash costs but also showed the damage a demand slowdown is inflicting on its top line.
American Eagle’s logistics arm has partnered with JLL to open fulfillment centers with a rent-as-a-percentage-of-revenue payment model.
The Postal Service said it will double its EV investment from its July forecast.
An appellate court that will determine whether the Prop 22 gig worker vote in California is constitutional recently heard arguments.
Each carrier will come in below the other on certain services, but the net effect will be a wash, TransImpact says
Route-planning platform Circuit surveyed delivery drivers about their biggest pet peeves around the holidays.
Delivery management platform Locus has added a new option for retailers to better optimize last-mile delivery while optimizing capacity and business needs.
Walmart and DroneUp continued to expand their drone delivery footprint this week with launches in three new states.
Amazon has made the returns process easy and convenient for customers, but many retailers have yet to master the art of the return. Spencer Kieboom, founder of Pollen Returns, talks about the role technology can play in the process.
Amazon has shifted middle-mile parcel deliveries to UPS and last-mile deliveries to the U.S. Postal Service, Jindel says.
A tax code throat punch promises to make gig work and online selling as fun as a trip to the morgue and as profitable as the average Mega Millions ticket.
An analysis of supply chain job postings has found that, despite interest in automation technology, many companies are not seeking candidates with technological experience.
Building on partnerships with Motional, Serve Robotics and Nuro, Uber Eats announced a collaboration with self-driving vehicle maker Cartken.
The Government of Rwanda will enlist Zipline to be able to make autonomous deliveries to the nation’s entire population.
A Circuit survey shows that most delivery drivers are concerned about losing their jobs, but they are interested in working with driverless and drone deliveries.
Although retailers may be past the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, other headwinds persist, reminding storefronts the importance of having a resilient supply chain, according to National Retail Federation’s Jon Gold.
Jack Echeverria, senior manager of Wayfair’s global logistics arm, CastleGate Logistics, discusses how the online furniture retailer planned its peak season amid this year’s supply chain uncertainty and looks ahead to key factors that will affect market conditions in 2023.
Geodis is now offering U.S.-based e-commerce companies air zone skipping service to Canada.
DHL Express is responding to demand for e-commerce with the addition of a new cargo route — this time to the Dominican Republic.
Outrider continues transforming yard operations to autonomy, adding a robotic arm to connect and disconnect brake lines.
Electric vehicle users on the Lyft platform will be eligible for up to 45% savings when charging within EVgo’s network.
The constitutionality of California’s Prop 22, which barred AB5 from being implemented against gig drivers, gets another court hearing Tuesday.
Consumers can take drop-offs to any of 2,000 FedEx Office locations
Matternet drones will begin flying a 7-minute route in Zurich, Switzerland, in one of the world’s largest beyond visual line of sight pilot programs.
Japan Airlines will fly freighters for Yamato Transport, which needs airlift to supplement a shrinking pool of truck drivers in Japan.
Robotic delivery firm Kiwibot has launched service at Loyola Marymount University, leveraging Nvidia technology and satellites to create campuswide delivery.
Customers can now tip Amazon drivers by saying “thank you,” but a lawsuit accuses the company of using tips for itself.
The on-time delivery rates for the November shopping holidays were better than in 2021, Ship Matrix said.
The terms of the merger between the two rapid grocery delivery firms may look different than previously reported.
Industry groups are urging the IRS to delay changes to the tax code that could see gig workers and online sellers facing large tax bills.
Canada’s GoBolt, which is building an end-to-end supply chain network powered by an all-electric fleet, receives Series C financing.
Einride has raised $500 million through a combination of equity and debt financing, giving it more funding to accelerate deployment of its autonomous and electric vehicles.
The approximately $10 million settlement includes around $3.3 million that the firm repaid merchants in 2021.
While safety is top of mind for fleet operators, addressing negative driver behaviors remains unpopular.
Ford will help DHL electrify its last-mile fleet worldwide as it moves closer to its own sustainability goals.
BrightDrop said large-scale production of its vans will begin at its Ontario, Canada, assembly plant, and DHL Express is adding the EVs to its fleet.
The carriers have had their day, and the pendulum appears to be swinging back in the shippers’ direction.
A FedEx Ground driver has been arrested and is facing capital murder and aggravated kidnapping charges after the body of 7-year-old Athena Strand was found Friday evening less than 10 miles from her home in Paradise, Texas.
Drone delivery provider Matternet is ready for takeoff after receiving a milestone Production Certificate from the FAA this week.
It wasn’t a large gain, but truck transportation jobs in November continued an almost unbroke upward trend of gains since the worst of the pandemic.
The health and wellness retailer will offer more than 27,000 products for delivery in as little as one hour, 24 hours a day.
While there is interest in EVs in the last-mile space, many companies are reluctant to adopt them at this point.
Drivers affected by FedEx Freight’s furloughs will receive return-to-work guarantees and a $300 weekly incentive while they are out of work.
Cupertino, California-based Inxeption looks to overhaul B2B commerce through a new end-to-end partnership.
OneRail plans to scale sales, marketing and data science.
A Mercatus Center senior fellow said efforts to classify independent contractors as employees could result in fewer jobs.
AWS Supply Chain has launched an application to unify supply chain data from multiple systems and vendors.
As part of an effort to get items to customers quicker, Macy’s has opened up mini distribution centers inside 35 retail stores to handle online orders.
With a valuation of close to $2 billion after its latest round of funding, Locus is “ready to go” for IPO.
Despite high inflation, big discounts drove shoppers to stores and online, with e-commerce sales posting records over the Thanksgiving holiday shopping weekend.
According to a report by the Financial Times, TikTok is struggling to grow its e-commerce business — and it’s looking for outside help.
Retailers have had to get creative to deal with too much inventory, but from moving inventory into stores to better inventory management, there are steps that can be taken.
Each year since the onset of the pandemic, peak season has looked a little different. What should retailers expect this year?
As more retailers implement fees to return items purchased online, a new survey shows consumers are pushing back.
Predictability is no longer the norm, but shippers can manage the uncertainty by following a few simple tips to ensure a smooth holiday delivery season.
UPS has raised rates on the last-mile delivery product it operates in concert with the U.S. Postal Service.
Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter has been widely panned for driving away advertisers, but could he have a larger plan?
Sapphire Ventures executive Demi Obayomi explains what trends the venture capital firm is seeing in the supply chain — and where technology can help.
The hub outside Philadelphia will support next-day ground deliveries between southern Maine and southern Virginia.
A cease-and-desist order filed by a New York City court could give Amazon warehouse workers added protections when attempting to unionize.
Scandit has released a report showing that last-mile delivery drivers are working harder and faster than ever before.
Amazon is expected to fight a new effort by workers at its air cargo hub in Northern Kentucky to form a union.
Launching in California this week, Xpede looks to shake up the app-based delivery game with an unorthodox selection.
E-commerce sales taxes vary across the country, creating a patchwork of regulations that sellers must follow. The GAO says Congress should fix this.
Supply chain and logistics companies got time in the limelight on Time magazine’s list of the 200 Best Inventions of 2022.
FloorFound, which specializes in oversize-item recommerce, has opened five dedicated facilities to make the resale of items easier.
Several high-profile commercial electric vehicle makers have faced recent struggles, but BrightDrop says it is on pace for $1 billion in revenue next year.
Following through on a legislation package approved last fall, New York City is eyeing unprecedented wages for delivery workers.
Amazon has rented a new air cargo facility in New Hampshire and launched daily freighter service to shorten delivery times.
Stord has added a carrier-agnostic last-mile delivery solution to its product suite, allowing brands to find the most efficient delivery partner for their items.
E-commerce platform Cart.com is working with FedEx to streamline the online shopping experience for merchants and consumers.
ShippingEasy is the latest company to offer carbon offsets to merchants shipping this holiday season.
GXO Logistics said it has doubled the use of automation in its facilities and is operating nearly 7,600 pieces of technology.
The latest round of funding for Attabotics supports the 3D robotics firm’s goal to revolutionize legacy fulfillment centers across the supply chain industry.
If Amazon goes ahead with mass layoffs to its retail division, the cuts could impact the firm’s e-commerce and logistics services.
Uber just rolled out several features ahead of the holidays, including a new Holiday Shop and an upgrade to Uber Connect.
The e-commerce boom of the last decade paired with ongoing supply chain disruption has caused an influx of logistical challenges for carriers of all sizes that is affecting the customer experience.
