Target provides an optimistic shot in the arm as the mega-retailer reports a strong quarterly performance and raises its full-year outlook.
As the world’s largest retailer, the company is often seen as a bellwether for the overall retail landscape.
On today’s episode we’re talking about the Dow dropping, freight rates popping, California’s new CORE program, Freight Futures, project44 adding visibility to Amazon and Walmart, Market Expert Trivia, Big Deal Little Deal and so much more. Rewatch the LIVE experience
Kick off the week with the headhaul edition of WTT?!? Emily Szink returns as a special guest co-host with Dooner to bring you headlines about Walmart’s autonomous final-mile delivery vans, a giant deal in the on-demand delivery space, the Port Report and SONAR’s blockbuster new feature. JP talks mergers and acquisitions, market expert trivia and […]
Pilot in partnership with Gatik will run robovans on a two-mile route between a distribution center and retail store in Arkansas.
Walmart to open more than 10 DCs in China in next 1-2 decades
Two large private carriers are set to combine in a $2 billion deal that rebalances the food and beverage distribution landscape.
While shoppers are flocking to e-commerce sites, that is not the case for grocery shoppers, who remain more interested in seeing and feeling their produce before buying.
Supermarket workers at Albertsons, Vons and Ralphs stores voted today (June 26) to give union leaders the authority to call a strike. A tally of the votes was not immediately available. The decision itself does not trigger a strike, but gives the union the authority to call a strike any time in the future. In […]
You may have to become a super-shipper of choice. Don’t underestimate Walmart
Working with over 100 outside carriers and brokers, Walmart (NYSE: WMT) is likely to be a shipper of choice for many already. But even one of the U.S. freight industry’s largest customers realized it could do better for drivers. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based company came in third in a field of 135 shippers for theShipper of […]
Target looks to find a way into a delivery niche with the launch of same day deliveries
Walmart has exported its on-time, in-full requirement on the international marketplace. The results are improving but there is a lot of work to do.
The company launches today, with Walmart as a partner.
Plus: Port of Everett lands new tenant; biodiesel trumps other clean fuels in California and Europe gets a luxury CBD e-commerce site
A report indicates that the EU is slow to adopt alternate truck fuels. Indian logistics startups are flourishing. Chinese logistics firms that help Chinese businesses relocate are winners in the US-China trade war.
Tracy Rosser tapped for executive vice president post at transportation management services provider after helping oversee big-box retailer’s transport and supply chain operations.
Commenters want DOT to keep policy guidance, and not remove it. Walmart executive says lack of IT hurts driver productivity.
Amazon.com breaks ground on its air hub in Cincinnati suburb of Hebron, Ky
Walmart launches one-day delivery in Phoenix and Las Vegas two weeks after Amazon announces its plans to start the service
The Plug and Play tech center is opening a new supply chain and logistics accelerator program in Bentonville, Arkansas, the center announced on May 14. The program will bring startups from around the world to a region that is home to the program’s three founding partners – J.B. Hunt, Tyson and Walmart – along with […]
The countdown for bringing Chinese goods into the U.S. ahead of new import duties is now underway. But it’s unclear whether the sequel will match last year’s container crush due to high inventories and sourcing changes. As FreightWaves reported, last week’s breakdown in trade talks between the two world’s largest economies pushed President Donald Trump […]
Nikola executive Elizabeth Fretheim’s journey to a company developing zero-emissions trucks had an unlikely start in Canada’s oilpatch.
In partnership with Slync… Supply chain exceptions are being automatically moved toward resolution and visibility into the problem provided to all relevant partners.
Ford invests $500M in electric pickup maker; plus U.S. may be pulling freight from trucking, India seeks logistics technology upgrades, and scientists call for unity on electric vehicles.
Isuzu with partners Supreme and Delivery Concepts have introduced a truck body designed for craft brewers, complete with taps. Plus, ports seek alternative fuels, concerns over fracking, and Walmart pressures suppliers.
Walmart has introduced Voice Order, that allows people to add items to their Walmart online cart by giving voice commands through any Google Assistant enabled device.
Hwy Haul is a freight logistics startup that uses data science and optimization algorithms to connect carrier capacity with freight volumes over a digital trucking marketplace.
Innovations in last-mile delivery continue, but each faces challenges to widespread adoption, although UPS, which will trial Thor electric trucks, encourages fleets to test out new technologies.
Walmart’s latest earnings report beat analysts expectations today, with e-commerce sales growing by 43 percent during the company’s fourth quarter.
It won’t make it here.
New York City’s shared mobility transit for city officials; electric cars have trouble running during extreme cold; Amazon is hauling cargo in self-driving trucks.
“You don’t want to start a trade war with China for the same reason you don’t fight a land war with Russia: They will ‘out-suffer’ you.”
Walmart will deploy autonomous vehicles to deliver groceries for customers, according to Tom Ward, senior vice president of digital operations for the retail giant. Autonomous vehicle company Udelv is providing the technology to make the pilot program possible.
Detroit tops list of places for online retail start-ups; climate change seen having a major impact on U.S. infrastructure.
Upcoming summit could provide surprise deal, but acrimony and lack of consensus puts deal in doubt.
Tuesdays may not be good days to be on the road; transport firms need to boost analytics usage to match what customers are doing.
For the first time ever Target will offer free, two-day shipping with no minimum purchase required this holiday season, in a bid to win shoppers over rivals like Walmart and Amazon.
Most of the move has no impact on ecommerce or last mile, but one small change could bring some new demand.
According to an open letter from Walmart to its leafy green suppliers, the company will forge ahead in blockchain development as part of the Food Trust as soon as early 2019.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation says not to travel in or to the state; Walmart grabs a 200K square foot foothold in NYC; the IMF says British economy will contract if no deal on Brexit; Freightos raises $45M; global seaborne coal trade grows 4%; Tesla’s having a hard time delivering cars.
Drones may someday soon become a primary delivery method of last-mile, but they likely won’t be the only solution, as flexibility in methods will be key to successful delivery.
Low-speed vehicles are not often considered when companies are looking for commercial vehicles, but upgrades to a line of electric compact utility vehicles could change that.
Springfield, Illinois hits Walmart with a $50k fine for allowing truck parking. Safeway delivery drivers make history with a newly ratified union contract. We interview Senator Bob Corker about Trump’s tariffs. 162 transportation and logistics companies make the 2018 Inc. 5000 list. JP and Chad discuss all this and more on this week’s episode.
The growth for Walmart was strong across the board, but ecommerce and groceries were key contributors.
Global sugar prices fall over record production and decreasing demand; oil squeeze looks to be inevitable; Walmart’s size might not help much if prices keep increasing and trucking market remains tight.
Walmart is facing a $50,000 fine for allowing trucks to park at one of its Illinois stores. The penalty came from the city of Springfield, which claims the store is not following the parking plan approved by the city when it was built.
Ultimately, the winner of the e-commerce battle, whether groceries or the greater retail one, will come down to which company better understands human behavior.
Ultimately, the winner of the e-commerce battle, whether groceries or the greater retail one, will come down to which company better understands human behavior.
Nestlé is the latest company to turn to blockchain technology to ensure the safety of their supply chain, particularly narrowing in on the ingredients that go into the baby food purees and pouches produced by Gerber.
The next big thing is food. Not just food, but hot food, and not just hot food but hot–delivered–food.
The summer slump continues; Steve Eisman explains why he’s shorting Tesla; Walmart discovers that last mile delivery is hard; once-exported U.S. cherries find domestic customers; oil trade routes are threatened by geopolitical risk.
Turns out, of blockchain’s many potential (and developing) applications, few could be as game-changing as what it would mean for the food industry.
Target’s Restock program is a direct competitor to Amazon Prime Pantry, and now the retailer is rolling out the program nationally with free shipping and next-day delivery for all Redcard purchases.
On the earnings calls, lots of talk about driver shortages but no suggestion that companies see it as hindering their growth.
The U.S. Treasury said it would revoke authorization for aviation exports to Iran within 90 days, all but prohibiting big orders Iran placed for Boeing Co. and Airbus SE jets.
Walmart is in talks to buy 75% of Flipkart, the largest Indian e-commerce company for $15 billion, which is set to be a game changer in the Indian e-commerce ecosystem.
The demand for last-mile services has increased by 50% in the last 18 months, driven primarily by the B2C companies.
Carriers are not the only ones benefiting from the current freight environment, so are freight brokers.
Morgan Stanley says that shippers with low gross margins, bulky merchandise, and relatively low cost of goods sold who outsource their transportation needs are at the mercy of rising freight costs and will face EPS headwinds in 2018.
The Tesla Semi has finally hit the road. Tesla founder Elon Musk posted a picture of two Tesla Semi’s leaving the company’s Gigafactory in the Nevada mountains for a trip to California.
Walmart did well in the fourth quarter in many areas, but not in eCommerce. As a result, it’s stock has been hammered.
The ELD compliance rate continues to inch up among fleets according to the latest survey conducted by CarrierLists.
After several delays, Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) workers have begun installing truck toll gantries in the state this week. The project, which will collect truck-only tolls at 12 locations in the state, is estimated to raise about $470 million in tax revenue over 10 years.
Lost in the flurry of news yesterday from Walmart was a little nugget of information that will have profound impact on freight movements both within the Walmart supply chain and for carriers who transport goods to Walmart.
51% of all returns occur in January, when Americans will send back $30B of unwanted gifts. Reverse logistics represent a huge cost increasingly eaten by retailers, while 3PLs stand to make big margins.
Target acquired same-day grocery delivery service Shipt for $550M in a bid to boost its online food sales and compete with Walmart and Amazon. Our infographic compares the performance and recent investments made by the three companies.
Target has made a massive investment in Shipt, a same-day grocery delivery service for online orders that relies on personal shoppers. Target hopes to challenge the rapid growth of Walmart’s online food sales and wants to offer same-day shipping for all of its products by the end of 2019.
Walmart has patented an ‘unattended retail storefront’ that would be located in customers’ homes and stocked by autonomous vehicles, part of its quest to compress or eliminate delivery delays altogether.
Kroger has joined Walmart in charging accessorial fees for late deliveries to their retail stores, citing lost sales of 10% due to spoilage and understocking.
Walmart’s commitment to digital sales, grocery pickup, and two day delivery mean a newly intensified supply chain: more truckloads to its stores, which are now acting like fulfillment centers, more expedited service in the holiday shopping capacity crunch, and more demand for last-mile delivery to its customers’ homes.
In an effort to ramp up its customer experience for the mobile shopper, Walmart has confirmed its relationship with search engine giant Google, Bloomberg reported, to allow customers to order goods with their voice. The company is also making it easier for consumers to return goods bought through its mobile app.
In the rush to develop autonomous, long-haul trucks (and trains) that could double productivity – driving for 24 hours a day with no need for rest – it may turn out that the competition for freight may really be in the sky.
Walmart is taking its battle for online market share to Amazon with the acquisition of New York-based Parcel, a last-mile, same-day delivery company specializing in perishable and non-perishable delivery in New York City.
Following allegations of unfair treatment to port truck drivers, Pacific 9 Transportation is getting dropped by Costco as a supplier of transportation over the potential labor violations, USA Today reported.
Even as the industry steps up to help, dedicating thousands of trucks and millions of cubic feet of capacity to relief efforts, an analysis from FTR says that approximately 7% of the industry has been affected already and some of that will be affected for weeks.
The battle for the quickest delivery is on. Arkansas-based retailing giant Walmart has official filed to patent a blimp-style warehouse, Fortune reports.
Volkswagen has continued to increase its stake in Navistar following its initial buy-in in 2016. The company purchased approximately $10 million worth of shares in July through five transactions, according to documents filed with the SEC.
A USA Today investigation into port trucking operations in California has led to three U.S. Senators sending letters to national retailers demanding they crack down on trucking companies and their alleged unfair labor practices directed at drivers.
A ride-sharing company could be the perfect fit to solve the last-mile delivery problems of e-commerce. Here’s why a Walmart acquisition of Lyft could be the edge it needs to overcome Amazon.
Eight people were found dead this morning inside a trailer after a call by a Walmart employee directed authorities to the tractor-trailer. Police found a total of 38 people inside the trailer, 30 seriously injured.
Multiple reports have indicated that Walmart has threatened to withhold business from any trucking company that continues to haul goods for Amazon. Walmart has denied making any such threats, but the mere suggestion of it raises questions that carrier executives need to address.
The battle between Amazon and Walmart took another turn when Amazon announced it would begin offering discounted Prime memberships to those on U.S. government assistance. That could pull shoppers, and freight, from Walmart.
Walmart is testing a program where store associates will deliver online purchases, which could have a major impact on package delivery companies. Also, Waymo is testing a self-driving truck and monthly freight index climbs.
The expansion of fuel cell trucks is continuing, with an announcement from Ballard Power Systems that its 85-kilowatt fuel cell engine will power a Class 8 Kenworth drayage truck at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Also, Uber Freight launches, a fuel tax hike is still on the table and Amazon pushes furniture.
