Watch Now

Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Linda Baker is a FreightWaves senior reporter based in Portland, Oregon. Her beat includes autonomous vehicles, the startup scene, clean trucking, and emissions regulations. Please send tips and story ideas to [email protected].
Jan - 2021 -
27 January
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Battery constraints a drag on the Tesla Semi

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said constraints on battery production limit the company’s ability to move forward on the long-delayed Tesla Semi.

Read More »
26 January
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Owner-operators, small trucking companies key to success of clean truck programs

The success of California’s ambitious clean truck programs hinges on giving financial incentives to small trucking companies so they can afford to pay for the vehicles.

Read More »
24 January
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

‘Insatiable demand’ drives Southern California warehouse boom

The Inland Empire continued a record streak of warehouse development, with over 50 million square feet of transactions in 2020.

Read More »
21 January
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Transfix launches TMS for small businesses

Transfix has released a transportation management system (TMS) for small and midsize shippers, continuing a trend in which digital freight brokers expand their reach with software targeting carriers and shippers […]

Read More »
20 January
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

PACCAR taps Aurora to help develop autonomous Kenworth, Peterbilt tractors

Fresh from its takeover of Uber ATG in December, autonomous vehicle company Aurora has signed an agreement with heavy-duty truck manufacturer PACCAR to commercialize autonomous Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks.

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

VectoIQ, U.S. Xpress leaders included on TuSimple executive advisory board

Autonomous trucking company TuSimple establishes a high-powered executive advisory board; takes equity investments from Werner Enterprises and Schneider.

Read More »
19 January
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

PACCAR and Aurora to build autonomous trucks

Fresh from its takeover of Uber ATG in December, autonomous vehicle company Aurora has signed an agreement with heavy-duty truck manufacturer PACCAR (NASDAQ: PCAR) to commercialize autonomous Peterbilt and Kenworth […]

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Rivian secures $2.65B; sees life after Amazon

Rivian has closed an investment round of $2.65 billion as the electric truck company best known in freight circles for making the Amazon custom delivery van gears up for mass production.

Read More »
18 January
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

California’s road to reducing truck emissions runs through warehouses

The Southern California warehouse industry is pushing back against a proposed emissions rule that would make operators of distribution centers responsible for pollutants generated by trucks going into and out of their facilities.

Read More »
15 January
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

German digital freight forwarder Sennder raises $160M

Berlin-based digital freight brokerage Sennder closed a $160 million series, exceeding a $1 billion valuation.

Read More »
14 January
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

French visibility platform secures $32M

French company Shippeo, a supply chain visibility platform, has secured $32 million to continue product innovation and market expansion. The round, announced on Thursday, was co-led by Battery Ventures, along […]

Read More »
13 January
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Walmart CEO makes case for retail giant as innovator

During a CES2021 keynote, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon talked about the retail giant’s technology transformation, and the evolution of its equity and sustainability initiatives.

Read More »
12 January
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

California governor proposes $1.5B for clean transportation

California’s proposed 2021-22 budget would sink $1.5 billion into clean trucks, buses and cars, as well as infrastructure to fuel those vehicles.

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Driving forward: A roundup of latest freight tech, autonomous trucking stories

A roundup of the latest trade news in the world of freight tech and autonomous trucking. Embark, Kodiak and TuSimple join Self-Driving Coalition Embark, Kodiak and TuSimple became the first […]

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Digital payment startup raises $43M

​Relay Payments, a fintech company operating in the logistics space, has raised $43 million in funding over the last six months as it seeks to digitize an industry that has long relied on checks and cash.

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Motiv Power Systems secures $20M

Electric vehicle chassis maker Motiv Power Systems has secured $20 million in debt financing from Crescent Cove Advisors.

Read More »
11 January
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

GoFor, Royale EV partner on fleet electrification

Canadian last-mile delivery company partners with California’s Royale EV to electrify vehicle fleets.

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Kodiak Robotics hits milestone in driverless trucking (with video)

Kodiak Robotics, one of a handful of startups aiming to automate commercial trucking, has successfully completed “disengage-free” deliveries on a 205-mile stretch of Texas highway.

Read More »
05 January
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

PINC, Lazer Spot partner on digital yard management

Digital yard management solutions company PINC partners with Lazer Spot to improve efficiency and visibility in trailer yards.

Read More »
01 January
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

New Jersey first state to adopt California electric truck sales mandate

New Jersey has become the first state in the nation to announce plans to adopt California’s Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) and Heavy-Duty Omnibus rules as momentum builds to expand the […]

Read More »
Dec - 2020 -
30 December
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

How COVID vaccine transport will reshape freight tech

New and existing companies are ramping up GPS and temperature-tracking technologies to deploy in vaccine transport and beyond.

Read More »
27 December
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Loadsmart solidifies status as one-stop logistics shop

igital freight startup Loadsmart ranks No. 18 on the 2021 FreightTech 25 list of most innovative and disruptive companies.

Read More »
23 December
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Nuro just likes Ike

Autonomous delivery company Nuro has acquired Ike, a trucking technology startup founded by veterans of Apple, Google and Uber ATG.

Read More »
22 December
17 December
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

International shipping startup raises $12M Series A

Passport, a startup that helps brands with all aspects of cross-border shipping, has raised $12 million in Series A funding.

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Canoo unveils electric delivery vehicle

EV company Canoo unveils its all-electric multipurpose delivery vehicle to be priced starting at approximately $33,000.

Read More »
16 December
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

CloudTrucks secures $20.5M Series A

Virtual carrier CloudTrucks raises $20.5 million Series A and launches instant pay and cash card.

Read More »
15 December
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Report: Amazon generated 465M pounds of plastic packaging waste in 2019

A report released by environmental nonprofit Oceana states Amazon produced enough plastic waste last year to encircle the globe 500 times.

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Gatik bids adieu to safety drivers in fully driverless Walmart pilot

Walmart pilot to remove safety drivers from behind the wheel of trucks manufactured by Gatik, the autonomous box truck company.

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Tive visibility platform secures $12M Series A

Tive Inc., a supply chain visibility platform, announced on Tuesday that it secured a $12 million Series A funding round.  Leading the round was  RRE Ventures, followed by Two Sigma […]

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

How a legacy logistics company moved to the front of the freight-tech line

FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller talks supply chain tech with Kendra Phillips, CTO, VP of New Products, Ryder System, at the North American Supply Chain Summit

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Plus to sell autonomous trucks on Chinese freight-matching platform

Plus will sell trucks powered by its automated driving system on Full Truck Alliance, the Google-backed Chinese digital freight-matching platform.

Read More »
11 December
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Analysts: Tesla Semi a ‘distraction’

Few doubt that Tesla (TSLA) has deep pockets, but some wonder whether the electric vehicle company should bite the bullet and abandon one of its most highly anticipated but long […]

Read More »
09 December
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

California governor nominates new leader of powerful air pollution agency

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday nominated Liane Randolph as the new chair of the powerful California Air Resources Board (CARB).   Randolph, an attorney, has been a commissioner at the California […]

Read More »
08 December
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

SmartHop snags another logistics partner

SmartHop, an early-stage startup offering a dispatch solution for small carriers, on Tuesday announced its partnership with Redwood Logistics, a third-party logistics company. The companies will integrate Redwood’s API with […]

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Uber hands over autonomous driving unit to Aurora

Uber (NYSE: UBER) is handing over its troubled self-driving vehicle unit to Amazon-backed Aurora as the tech giant continues to unload unprofitable business divisions and the industry moves away from […]

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Electric truck startup gets purchase order from Dickinson Fleet Services

Electric vehicle startup Xos Trucks has inked a deal with Dickinson Fleet Services involving the purchase of five medium-duty, zero-emission, fully electric service trucks. Under the order, the electric truck […]

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Growth in carbon neutral RNG spotlights debate on electric- vs. renewable-powered trucks

Renewable natural gas (RNG) is having a moment, and California, naturally, is at the epicenter. In 2020, a company that sells renewable natural gas to California medium- and heavy-duty trucking […]

Read More »
04 December
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Atlanta startup builds an Amazon ‘for everyone else’

Helping small businesses compete with the Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) e-commerce juggernaut has become more than a cottage industry, as dozens of technology companies create platforms aimed at helping retailers and […]

Read More »
03 December
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

ShipMonk secures $290M in growth equity

ShipMonk, an online fulfillment and technology solutions company, has completed a $290 million growth equity round as the global e-commerce surge shows no signs of abating.  Growth investor Boston-based Summit […]

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

O COVID Christmas tree

The pandemic is leaving its mark on the real Christmas tree market with an apparent uptick in sales, a compressed selling season and direct-to-consumer deliveries that are replacing some retail […]

Read More »
02 December
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

PG&E releases online tool for electrifying medium- and heavy-duty trucks

The EV Fleet Savings Calculator allows businesses with medium- to heavy-duty fleet vehicles to explore EV investment estimates based on fleet sizes, infrastructure, budget and other factors.

Read More »
01 December
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

On-demand warehousing startup raises $70M Series C

FLEXE connects warehouse providers with excess capacity to retailers and brands in need of flexible fulfillment solutions.

Read More »
Nov - 2020 -
27 November
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Designing for freight tech: Q&A with Uber Freight’s new head of design

Design as a profession is a relatively new animal for the freight industry, which has focused on assets and operations, less so on how a given TMS might look, function […]

Read More »
26 November
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Diesel sees life after Biden

Rumours of diesel’s death under the incoming administration are greatly exaggerated, industry advocates say.

Read More »
24 November
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Elon Musk: Tesla Semi may hit 621 miles of range

The weight of an electric semi truck battery has been a longstanding conundrum for electric vehicle advocates, as conventional wisdom posits that it would need to be so dense and […]

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Google-backed Chinese trucking startup raises $1.7B

Full Truck Alliance is an investor in Plus, an autonomous trucking company rolling out a Level 3 truck in China starting in 2021.

Read More »
23 November
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Gatik drives into Canada, closes $25 Million Series A

Autonomous delivery company Gatik partners with Canada’s largest supermarket to deliver goods from distribution centers to retail stores.

Read More »
20 November
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

BlackRock bets on Loadsmart with $90M investment

BlackRock leads a Series C round in the digital freight company, with participation from TFI International and Maersk

Read More »
17 November
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Self-driving big rigs: More like the internet than the iPhone

Industry panel: Autonomous trucks will be phased in gradually, eventually transforming a huge swath of economic activity.

Read More »
16 November
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Grocery, new tech define next phase of robotic delivery

The pandemic has accelerated deployment of delivery robots, but questions about performance and business case remain.

Read More »
12 November
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

California ban on diesel opens new front in hydrogen vs. electric trucking battle

Nine California state legislators send letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom urging him to take a technology-neutral approach to decarbonizing medium- and heavy-duty trucking.

Read More »
10 November
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Loadsmart picks up rail, less than truckload

Loadsmart has added less-than-truckload (LTL) and rail services as the digital freight brokerage continues to expand its multimodal offerings. The expansion, announced Tuesday, allows customers to book shipments across all […]

Read More »
09 November
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Nuro raises $500M Series C

Self-driving vehicle company Nuro has raised a $500 million Series C round of funding, as autonomous delivery continues to pick up new markets. The raise, announced on Monday, was led […]

Read More »
08 November
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

What a Biden presidency means for zero-emission and autonomous vehicles

The incoming Biden administration is expected to increase regulatory oversight of electric and self-driving vehicles.

Read More »
06 November
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Bikes and smart grids: How UPS manages urban delivery (with video)

UPS International Sustainability Director Peter Harris talks e-bikes, smart grids and other innovations to manage congestion and reduce emissions in urban delivery.

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

From Canada with love: Northern neighbor bullish on Tesla Semi

A Canadian trucking and logistics company has put money down on 150 Tesla Electric Semis in what could be the biggest big rig order yet for the electric vehicle company.

Read More »
04 November
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

In autonomous trucking, Ike bets on humility, not disruption (with video)

Ike founder Alden Woodrow talks about the company’s unconventional approach to securing funding and bringing its product to market.

Read More »
03 November
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

How California uses tech, partnerships to nail trucking emissions violators

Data mining and telematics are changing the way air quality regulators are enforcing trucking emissions regulations in California.

Read More »
01 November
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

EV roundup: LA mayor seeks proposals on zero-emission drayage technology

California air quality chief on short list to helm Biden EPA; 125 zero-emission models in production; LA mayor seeks proposals on zero-emission drayage technology.

Read More »
Oct - 2020 -
30 October
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Onfleet raises $14 million as retailers flock to delivery management software

Onfleet​, a San Francisco-based provider of delivery management software, announced on Friday it has raised $14 million in Series A.

Read More »
29 October
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Plus releases voluntary safety report describing approach to autonomy

Autonomous trucking company Plus has filed its safety self-assessment report as concerns persist about the usefulness of the voluntary reports in determining the safety of a given self-driving system.

Read More »
28 October
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

TuSimple teams with Hillwood on Texas logistics hub

TuSimple has secured property for a new logistics hub in an innovation zone located near the Fort Worth Alliance Airport.

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Outrider reins in $65 million to automate distribution yards

The freight industry is inching closer to electrification and autonomy, and much of the action is taking place in the distribution yard. Among the beneficiaries is Outrider, a startup that […]

Read More »
27 October
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Truck drivers: Get paid to build global mapping network

Hivemapper, a crowdsourced mapping network, will expand its collection model to include capturing data via cars and trucks.

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Daimler, Waymo joining forces to build autonomous Freightliner Cascadia

Two of the biggest names in trucking and autonomous vehicles to partner on Class 8 truck development and deployment

Read More »
23 October
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

CKE Restaurants manager talks COVID, breakaway success of Beyond Meat (with video)

During the FreightWaves Cold Chain Summit, CKE’s director of logistics talks about the breakaway success of Beyond Meat products.

Read More »
22 October
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Plus taps AWS as cloud provider as Amazon tightens grip on autonomous vehicles

The autonomous trucking company is moving toward commercialization of Level 3 trucks, with mass production to start next year.

Read More »
21 October
20 October
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Tesla’s secret weapon: Renewable energy credits

Zero-emissions credit sales drive Tesla profitability; heavy-duty truck manufacturers to access REC markets

Read More »
19 October
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

EPA settles with three trucking companies for violating California trucking emissions laws

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has settled with three trucking companies for violating the California Air Resources Board’s Truck and Bus Regulation.

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Telematics and carbon credits: DynaCert hits the 21st century sweet spot

The maker of fuel-efficiency technology for heavy-duty trucks bets on logistics software and the carbon markets.

Read More »
15 October
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

New alliance targets deployment of heavy-duty hydrogen vehicles

The Western States Hydrogen Alliance will focus on maximizing rollout of hydrogen fuel cell electric technology across multiple commercial sectors in 13 Western states.

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

I, Robot: Agility Robotics raises $20M for bipedal automation

Agility Robotics, a maker of legged, walking robots, announced Thursday the close of a $20 million investment to meet demand from logistics providers and e-commerce retailers. DCVC and Playground Global […]

Read More »
14 October
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Southern California coalition’s last-mile impact study urges mitigation efforts

A coalition of Southern California government organizations has released an in-depth report examining some of the deleterious impacts associated with last-mile freight transportation. A primary purpose of the study is […]

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

From Waymo, a smattering of detail about its autonomous trucking technology

Autonomous vehicle company Waymo provided a glimpse of its autonomous truck technology in a blog post this week, as the Alphabet-backed startup best known for self-driving passenger vehicles steps up […]

Read More »
12 October
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Women in Trucking, CarriersEdge to launch Diversity & Inclusion Index

The program dives into the transportation industry’s efforts to create a more inclusive workplace for both driving and nondriving staff.

Read More »
09 October
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

A new front in the grocery wars

Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) vs. Walmart (NYSE: WMT)? That one-on-one skirmish is old news. As COVID-19 reshapes the American shopper, money is pouring into a cluster of new and existing grocery […]

Read More »
08 October
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Point Pickup raises $30M to grow e-commerce platform

Point Pickup’s CEO, Tom Fiorita, goes to considerable lengths to distinguish the final-mile delivery company from Silicon Valley tech platforms. “We’re an East Coast firm — I wouldn’t call us […]

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Amazon unveils first custom electric delivery van built by Rivian

A “dance floor” inside the driver’s cabin for easy movement.  Exterior cameras linked to a digital display inside the cabin, giving the driver a 360-degree view outside the vehicle. Those […]

Read More »
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Einride’s driverless, cabless electric trucks hit the mass market

Swedish trucking startup Einride makes its autonomous electric “Pods” available for pre-order. Expert: Sweden’s collaborative, vehicle-centric economy drives autonomous trucking leadership. Fresh off a $10 million raise, Swedish trucking technology […]

Read More »
01 October
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

Einride secures $10 million to speed truck deployment

The Swedish autonomous technology company is known for its electric “T-Pod” truck that doesn’t have a cab or driver.

Read More »
Sep - 2020 -
30 September
Linda Baker, Senior Environment and Technology Reporter

TuSimple names former FMCSA administrator as chief legal and risk officer

Jim Mullen previously served as the acting administrator and chief counsel for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Read More »
Loading Posts