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.
What once felt like a seasonal novelty, insulated boxes of pears, steaks, or chocolates arriving just in time for the holidays, has quietly transformed into one of the most complex and consequential segments of modern e-commerce. The temperature-controlled shipping model popularized decades ago by brands like Harry & David and Omaha Steaks is no longer […]
Amazon has more than doubled its same-day delivery footprint for fresh groceries since the summer.
The big three domestic parcel carriers are consistently hitting on-time benchmarks even as holiday package volumes spike.
Bouqs has added same-day flower delivery in select markets with the help of Roadie, a UPS company.
Lean Solutions Group has spent the last decade building its reputation as a people-first partner in the logistics industry. Its embedded teams became fixtures inside freight brokerages, 3PLs, and carriers across North America, powering back-office operations and customer service functions with nearshore talent. But the company’s newest technology announcements, LeanTek AgentEdge and LeanTek Connect, signal […]
SpeedX has invested in a huge parcel center in Chicago as the arms race among parcel carriers to build competitive networks escalates.
Pallet just debuted the newest logistics series: Supply Chain Insiders. Leaders are getting candid about their real experiences and we got the inside scoop. “Supply Chain is built on the conversations that happen behind closed doors,” said Supply Chain Insiders host and General Manager at Pallet, Michael Burg. “We wanted to create a space where […]
Amazon is testing an ultra-fast delivery service in Seattle and Philadelphia, but in the United Arab Emirates shoppers the service is so fast shoppers can get orders within 15 minutes.
Amazon has closed a distribution center in Little Rock, Arkansas, so the building can be retrofitted to protect the structure from potential earthquake activity.
Walmart posted strong e-commerce numbers for the third quarter and is developing digital tools to make it even easier for customers to place online orders for delivery.
After the U.S. Postal Service deemphasized last-mile delivery service for parcel consolidators, the new chief now says workshare partnerships are a path to revenue growth.
The European Union is cracking down on the wave of low-value e-commerce shipments from China. Importers could soon have to pay duties on parcels that currently can enter the zone for free.
Uber Freight enters the last mile delivery market through an investment in technology platform Better Trucks.
UPS could unite management, its union workforce and the cost-efficient crowd-sourced delivery model by trying a new triple-win strategy centered on the UPS Store.
The Teamsters union plans to file a grievance against UPS over the use of non-union drivers by a UPS e-commerce subsidiary, FreightWaves has learned.
About 2,000 unionized delivery drivers accepted a buyout offer from UPS in the third quarter, according to an estimate by Satish Jindel, a long-time parcel shipping consultant and president of ShipMatrix. UPS CEO Carol Tomé said during Tuesday’s earnings briefing that the buyouts will cost the company $175 million. The Atlanta-based parcel logistics giant has […]
UPS wants to outsource final-mile delivery of its two economy parcel services to the U.S. Post Service, which is better suited to make residential drops because of its lower cost structure.
Last-mile parcel carriers Veho, SpeedX and Gofo continued to build out their capabilities, either through geographic expansion, hiring top executives or partnering with other vendors.
For the second time in the last two years, the transportation of bread will be the focus of a Supreme Court case involving the rights of the drivers who deliver those loaves and other baked goods. The case is also the second transportation-related case the Supreme Court has selected for review this term. It earlier […]
By Satish Jindel (The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.) In 2019, FedEx dropped Amazon as a customer for B2C parcels because the retailer was becoming a competitor, with its own last-mile delivery solution that mimicked FedEx Ground’s model for […]
The United Kingdom’s postal operator, Royal Mail, is putting its multi-channel parcel shipping strategy into overdrive, offering more out-of-home delivery options.
CSX reported third quarter adjusted net earnings of $818 million, or $0.44 per share, beating forecasts of $0.42 for the eastern railroad operator.
Australia Post is investing heavily in its e-commerce logistics business, including parcel hubs and local delivery stations.
A new Amazon fulfillment center near Portland, Oregon, is open for business and the retailer is ready to develop another facility in the Midwest.
Final-mile courier Frontdoor Collective is testing a fleet of Chevy electric vans on delivery routes for Target.
Veho is continuing its rapid growth in the parcel delivery industry by expanding warehouse infrastructure in multiple markets to support rising parcel volumes.
The latest AAR analysis offers a cautious outlook after September rail volumes reflect the uneven pace of the U.S. economy.
A group of New York City retail stores that offer parcel pick up and drop off counters is adding parcel lockers from GoLocker to increase convenience for online sellers and shoppers.
Startup e-commerce logistics companies Gofo Express and Veho have invested in new high-capacity sortation centers to help speed deliveries for retail customers.
Walmart is investing $300 million in a huge fulfillment center near Gastonia, North Carolina.
DoorDash on Tuesday unveiled a fulfillment service for retailers, a road-capable delivery robot, an autonomous delivery platform and a smart-scale device to ensure order accuracy.
DHL eCommerce is expanding its footprint in Poland with an agreement to buy the remaining shares of its parcel locker partnership.
Parcel carriers like FedEx and UPS are implementing peak season surcharges to recover costs when there isn’t a spike in volume to gear up for, leaving frustrated customers looking for alternative providers.
Deutsche Post and Australia Post are among the first postal operators to restart parcel shipments to the U.S. after the duty-exemption for low-value goods was terminated last month.
Target is offering next-day delivery to 35 major cities by the end of October after tweaking its stores-as-hubs logistics model.
Amazon is expanding its multi-channel fulfillment service to merchants on three major off-Amazon platforms.
DHL Express and Singapore Post are partnering to facilitate parcel shipping through the postal network.
Regional parcel carrier Veho has begun offering retailers last-mile delivery in the Los Angeles area as it continues to grow.
The U.S. International Trade Commission has ruled in favor of Motive, rejecting Samsara’s claims of patent infringement.
U.S.-based Cerberus Capital Management and HD Hyundai of South Korea announced an investment partnership in the American maritime sector.
Ajex Logistics acquisition boosts DHL’s presence in the Middle East e-commerce market.
In an environment where volatility is the only constant, simply tracking shipments isn’t enough. Supply chain professionals have outgrown passive visibility. They need systems that do more than just show them where a truck is. They need systems that help them decide what to do next. That’s the shift project44 is taking on. Its Movement […]
Outpost has announced the launch of its gate automation platform using AI and computer vision technology to improve security and reduce costs
Amazon is scaling up same-day delivery for fresh groceries, giving it the ability to capture more of the online grocery market.
The FedEx Dataworks unit provides deep insight into parcel shipping operations. The best value play is to sell it.
UPS is closing a shift in Texas and a facility in North Carolina as part of network reconfiguration, which will cost dozens of workers their jobs.
Amazon’s second quarter earnings beat Wall Street expectations, but the company provided mixed guidance for the third-quarter.
The Teamsters union says the UPS offer to buy out delivery drivers from their contract is a slap in the face.
Many businesses are diverting parcel shipments to cheaper carriers as FedEx and UPS hike rates and surcharges, according to the latest TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index.
Cold and frozen eCommerce brands get the reliability needed to better serve customers.
Australia Post is responding to e-commerce growth by building dedicated parcel post offices and rolling out an ultra-low cost shipping option aimed at small retailers.
International mail systems grew revenue in 2024 as e-commerce shipments negated a downward trend in letter mail.
FedEx is cutting hundreds of jobs in North Carolina, Iowa, Nebraska and Texas.
Poland-based InPost continues to implement its pan-European expansion strategy with the acquisition of Spanish parcel operator Sending.
Regional courier service Deliver It has gone out of business.
A bevy of new final-mile delivery companies is eating into the market share of FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service. The competition is keeping a lid on rates to the benefit of e-commerce shippers.
DHL Parcel in Germany is looking to expand use of parcel vending machines.
UPS will offer an early retirement package to drivers as it looks to cull 20,000 workers amid slower parcel growth.
FedEx will soon provide a single pricing structure for parcel pickups to coincide with restructuring of Express and Ground networks into a single network.
Amazon is celebrating the deployment of its one-millionth robot as the company continues to advance its automation efforts.
DHL Group has replaced the heads of Global Forwarding, eCommerce and Supply Chain at various levels within the Americas region.
DHL Express Canada will resume parcel deliveries on Monday after settling a labor dispute that resulted in a three-week strike.
Geodis, the global logistics and supply chain specialist, has modules to streamline retail returns.
Warehouse automation appears to be gaining traction despite a lowered forecast in market growth for autonomous mobile robots.
FedEx is accelerating the overhaul of its express and package delivery networks to eliminate excess capacity and improve customer service.
The powerful Teamsters union is accusing UPS of failing to fully honor terms of its 2023 contract related to air conditioned vehicles, hiring full-time workers and forced overtime.
DHL Express Canada could resume operations within days if union workers ratify a preliminary contract negotiated by Unifor.
Amazon is ramping up Same-Day and Next-Day delivery for small towns, rural areas.
FedEx has named a new chairman after founder Fred Smith died over the weekend.
DHL Express Canada was forced to suspend operations Friday. The company wants the government to override a new law prohibiting the use of replacement workers.
Canada Post has agreed to a new contract with its rural postmasters, but remains at loggerheads with its largest union.
Scottsdale, Arizona-based supply chain management company Blue Yonder announced Wednesday that it has acquired full ownership of Inmar Post-Purchase Solutions and will continue to support FedEx Easy Returns.
A new robot that flips packages so labels can be scanned is helping FedEx more accurately sort packages at its Cologne, Germany, air station for final delivery.
Amazon’s air logistics unit has started flying internationally for the first time from the U.S. to help fulfill e-commerce orders in Colombia and is leaning on a U.S. cargo airline to fly the aircraft and a Colombian airline for revenue on the return leg to Miami.
DHL Express Canada will stop accepting shipments on Tuesday and suspend all operations on Friday in response to a work stoppage by 2,100 employees.
DHL has been expanding its Middle East presence in conjunction with the region’s economic development. The next evolution is a nearly $600M investment in facilities, equipment and technology in Saudi Arabia and the UAE over five years.
DHL Express Canada says it has taken steps to minimize any disruption from a lockout and strike over a contract dispute with union workers.
Project44 (P44) has a new business plan, and it’s remarkably ambitious. Jett McCandless, Project44’s founder and CEO, has a long-term vision to position Project44 as the operating system for the logistics industry, seamlessly integrating every component and shipment across a shipper’s network, all powered by AI. This vision extends far beyond visibility, which has become […]
Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers are not giving an inch in their fight over a labor contract, with Canada Post showing frustration with union leadership and opposing its call for binding arbitration.
Transfix’s latest tools are designed to preserve strategic intelligence by embedding historical context directly into the workflow, helping brokers make more informed decisions and maintain continuity even as teams evolve.
DHL Express workers say they are willing to walk off the job in less than two weeks if a new labor contract isn’t in place by then.
The postal workers union is disparaging what Canada Post called an enhanced offer on Wednesday as the sides struggle to finalize a labor agreement after nearly 18 months of negotiations.
Canada Post’s financial troubles have been compounded by the ongoing labor dispute and the inability to generate more revenue from parcel delivery.
Veho, a tech-enabled parcel courier, is testing a delivery robot that can walk, climb and roll to customer doorsteps in cityscapes.
Canada Post workers backed away from going on strike, opting instead for a ban on overtime work. But the threat of a strike has already allowed competitors to take parcel business from the national post.
The CEO of Mercado Libre, the dominant e-commerce player in Latin America, has decided to turn control to one of his lieutenants and move to the board room.
Postal workers in Canada have threatened to go on strike Friday, which would shut down most delivery services and hurt businesses that depend on Canada Post to fulfill orders.
Waabi CEO Raquel Urtasun says autonomous truck developers should show their safety data rather than make opaque claims about their safety.
E-commerce logistics startup Stord has acquired Ware2Go from UPS.
From oversharing on socials to leaving systems unsecured, your data can smooth the path for freight fraudsters.
Overhaul’s CEO breaks down why today’s cargo theft crisis is less about missing locks and more about missing identities – and what the supply chain must do to fight back.
DAT is positioning itself not just as a load board, but as the freight industry’s central exchange through its acquisition of factoring and fintech provider Outgo.
The White House has temporarily relaxed duties on parcel imports from China that entered the country without duty prior to May 2, but efforts continue to eliminate the de minimis exemption altogether.
DHL continues to ramp up investment in the e-commerce space with a large stake in U.K.-based parcel delivery company Evri.
Flock Freight is positioning itself not as a competitor to procurement platforms, but as a specialized supplier that can solve a problem they cannot.
Amazon will outsource delivery of large packages to FedEx in a deal that should prove more profitable on a per-shipment level than shipments under the companies’ partnership that ended six years ago.
Fraud Watch also salutes a detective fighting cargo theft in Philly.
DHL has targeted e-commerce logistics as a primary growth area. On Tuesday, it acquired Indiana-based specialist IDS Fulfillment.
Amazon is investing heavily in rural last-mile delivery as a hedge against Walmart, a prominent analyst says.
Amazon contract carrier Sun Country Airlines says finding parts is slightly slowing deployment of new Amazon freighter aircraft.
