Amazon to spend over $1 billion on transportation safety services

McClellan says safety investments for truck fleet in coming years include collision avoidance technology, speed limiters

Terri Creech, head of product and learning at Amazon Freight Partner, spoke with Hannah McClellan (left), vice president of Amazon Freight, at the F3: Future of Freight Festival about Amazon Freight’s plans to invest billions on safety-related investments for its trucks and trailers over the next few years. Photo Credit: Dan Henry/FreightWaves

This fireside chat recap is from Day 3 of FreightWaves’ F3: Future of Freight Festival live event in Chattanooga, Tennessee. For more information on the event, click here.

FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: Driving innovation across the middle mile

DETAILS: Terri Creech, head of product and learning at Amazon Freight Partner, spoke with Hannah McClellan, vice president of Amazon Freight, at the F3: Future of Freight Festival about Amazon Freight’s plans to investment billions of dollars across its product portfolio. 

SPEAKER: Hannah McClellan, vice president of Amazon Freight, which operates across North America, the UK and Germany

BIO: McClellan has served as vice president of Amazon Freight for 12 years. She also leads Amazon’s Worldwide Returns, Recommerce & Sustainability organization, as well as the portfolio of inbound transportation services offered to suppliers shipping inventory into Amazon’s fulfillment network. 

KEY QUOTES FROM McCLELLAN: 

“In 2022, we’re going to spend more than a billion dollars on safety-related investments across our product portfolio.”

“We’re spending more than $100 million this year on a lot of sensor technologies [for trailers] … that will allow us to figure out if something’s wrong with a light or a braking system, tire pressure and just making those trailers are as smart as possible so that we can get ahead of any issues.”

“We’re spending nearly $1 billion dollars across our tractor fleet for everything from front collision warning systems and lane departure avoidance, speed limiters and technology like that.”

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
Compliance

Brokerage Compliance Symposium

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Awards

F3 Awards Dinner

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
FreightTech

F3: Future of Freight Festival

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

October 27, 2026 – October 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Compliance Brokerage Compliance Symposium Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
Awards F3 Awards Dinner Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
FreightTech F3: Future of Freight Festival Oct 27 – Oct 28 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now

One Comment

  1. John jordan

    The fact is that $1 billion would be better spent in driver bonuses issued by someone who needs the trucking industry and what a driver Hass to go through daily to get your product where it needs to be early. The way you were going about this problem with electronica surveillance you will need 1 million mechanics on call which will use another billion dollars for repairs. That basically the drivers could have done on site but have no reason to do so because with their income they are not happy. These problems will never be addressed if someone sitting at a desk thanks they know they can solve everything. The driver himself is your number one safety person. They have experience knowing whether the truck is ready or not or is feeling on the road. I am 69 years old I still drive 70 hours a week I have no blemishes on inspection reports for the last 10 years no accidents no speeding tickets no problem at all on the driver report. I was a mechanic and driver for 20 years. You are much better view up a good mechanic course short course for each driver. Have them prepared to do their work. Not just sit behind the wheel. And what to do when they become the crossover. In my experience I have found if you cross the line either way when driving down the road. Crossett just in a minor situation two times you pull over and sleep one hour. Safety number one issue. If you have never driven a truckPeople have no idea how things can happen so quickly. And from what I’ve seen last week to Amazon trucks hitting each otherOn the New Jersey Turnpike he won’t be able to control that from the desk. There is no excuse no response from the driver can’t justify this type of accident.

Comments are closed.

Clarissa Hawes

Clarissa has covered all aspects of the trucking industry for 18 years. She is an award-winning journalist known for her investigative and business reporting. Before joining FreightWaves, she wrote for Land Line Magazine and Trucks.com. If you have a news tip or story idea, send her an email to chawes@firecrown.com or @cage_writer on X, formerly Twitter.