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Proterra Inc. and Ouster Inc. are just two of many technology startups and growth-stage companies struggling financially.

At the market The year for beauty Some Dollar General stores are expanding their beauty products and that just seems like the right move to me. Supermarket News says the retail giant will add beauty aisles to nearly 300 stores this year. They would include more skin care products, hair care and makeup options under […]

It has been just over a year since Craig Fuller, CEO and founder of FreightWaves, wrote an article titled “Why I believe a freight recession is imminent,” published March 31, 2022, in which he predicted the U.S. trucking market was heading toward a significant downturn.

Some supply chain issues remain, but moderating inflation helps margins recover.

Startups aim to help CPGs achieve clean labels while governments revise health regulations.

Inside this edition: What a 32-hour workweek looks like for the supply chain; the weight of Easter candy; and Mexico collects another auto manufacturer.

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

TuSimple plans driverless trucking on a commercial basis in Arizona next year – without a manufacturing partner.

Rachel Premack, editorial director at FreightWaves, was interviewed Tuesday about her article on the impact of the ELD mandate five years later.

At the market What’s going on here? It seems every week some company is laying off more and more of its staff. Last week, Walmart announced layoffs of 200 people, Amazon said it’s cutting 9,000 jobs and Retail Dive reports more layoffs from Bed Bath & Beyond. FreightWaves’ JP Hampstead gets into the thick of […]

Inside this edition: The battle over broker transparency might finally be over; carrier retention helps in the long term; and the claim for TravelCenters of America gets another player. 

Here you’ll find the latest information on warehouse news, tech developments and all things reefer madness-related.

Production of palm oil, a common CPG ingredient, is associated with deforestation and human rights abuses.

Inside this edition: Sustainability measures become costly; fully automated warehouses could be the answer; and Walmart’s freshest collab.

The latest news for every retail supply chain nerd Attention shoppers and all you retail supply chain nerds. Welcome to Point of Sale: The Newsletter! Here you’ll find all the latest industry deals, tech developments and everything in between regarding shoppers’ interests. I’m Sydney Edwards, the voice in your head and the writer before you. […]

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

Negative headlines about Nikola Corp.’s finances raise justifiable concern. Visiting its electric truck plant tells a different story.

Last month, CloudTrucks surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults about general perceptions of truck drivers and if they have heard of the truck parking shortage. The results, published in CloudTrucks’ 2023 Truck Parking Shortage Survey, highlight that while Americans generally have a positive view of truck drivers, most respondents didn’t know that the parking shortage had a major impact on their quality of life.

Most food emissions come from ingredients, but the impact of packaging redesign is more immediate.

Inside this edition: Mexico hits back-to-back trading partner win; omnichannel the next big move for 3PLs; and big developments in the land of C.H. Robinson.

The latest news for every retail supply chain nerd Attention shoppers and all you retail supply chain nerds. Welcome to Point of Sale: The Newsletter! Here you’ll find all the latest industry deals, tech developments and everything in between regarding shoppers’ interests. I’m Sydney Edwards, the voice in your head and the writer before you. […]

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

How confident is Kodiak Robotics of the safety of its autonomous system? How about cutting a sensor cable while the truck is running?

Inside the WHAT THE TRUCK?!? newsletter tracking recycled sneakers; Optimus vs bullies; MoLo shake up and more.

A plan to allow 18-to-20-year-old truck drivers to haul interstate cargo got a sharp rebuttal at the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) conference by Knight-Swift President and CEO David Jackson. The plan was conceived as a way to address the driver shortage and is strongly supported by the Biden administration and the American Trucking Associations (ATA).

Automation benefits go beyond productivity and extend into food and worker safety.

Inside this edition: the Amazon Effect on the supply chain; AI’s role in forecasting; and some acquisitions and growth sweeping the nation.

The latest news for every retail supply chain nerd Attention shoppers and all you retail supply chain nerds. Welcome to Point of Sale: The Newsletter! Here you’ll find all the latest industry deals, tech developments and everything in between regarding shoppers’ interests. I’m Sydney Edwards, the voice in your head and the writer before you. […]

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

Falling spot rates, falling contract rates and falling revenues create rising stress and blood pressure in truckload operations teams.

Walmart and Target look to save shoppers from the indignity of checkout counters

Inside this edition: workplace trends for 2023; growing demand for industrial space at the border; and the hunt for a new CEO.

The latest news for every retail supply chain nerd Attention shoppers and all you retail supply chain nerds. Welcome to Point of Sale: The Newsletter! Here you’ll find all the latest industry deals, tech developments and everything in between regarding shoppers’ interests. I’m Sydney Edwards, the voice in your head and the writer before you. […]

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

What does it mean to have a former Daimler Truck executive in charge of Torc Robotics? Experience guides a big mission focus

Inside the WHAT THE TRUCK?!? newsletter: Is a truck driver exodus coming; brokerage layoffs; NFS bends on sick time and safety; more

On Tuesday, FreightWaves Research released survey data suggesting declining freight conditions are impacting owner-operators especially hard. An important takeaway is the potential for many more owner-operators to leave the industry if conditions do not improve.

Mixed commentary suggests that further ticket revisions will be ‘more surgical.’

Inside this edition: Showdown between freight forwarders and customs brokers; FMCSA’s new regulations; and shiny new purchases for Overhaul and DHL.

The latest news for every retail supply chain nerd Attention shoppers and all you retail supply chain nerds. Welcome to Point of Sale: The Newsletter! Here you’ll find all the latest industry deals, tech developments and everything in between regarding shoppers’ interests. I’m Sydney Edwards, the voice in your head and the writer before you. […]

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

In this issue of the WHAT THE TRUCK?!? newsletter: most dangerous roads; how runaway truck ramps work; Apple’s growing pains in India and more.

On Thursday, according to a news release, BP Products North America Inc., a subsidiary of BP, reached an agreement to purchase TravelCenters of America for $1.3 billion in cash. The purchase of TA is expected to add around 280 travel centers and double BP’s global convenience gross margin.

TreeHouse Foods gains share despite lingering supply chain issues.

The latest news for every retail supply chain nerd Attention shoppers and all you retail supply chain nerds. Welcome to Point of Sale: The Newsletter! Here you’ll find all the latest industry deals, tech developments and everything in between regarding shoppers’ interests. I’m Sydney Edwards, the voice in your head and the writer before you. […]

Inside this edition: Double-brokering tips; the stats on Valentine’s Day; and 2023 might have its theme of the year.

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

In this issue of the WHAT THE TRUCK?!? newsletter: does age matter in trucking; trucking and ocean markets; aid for Turkey and more.

FreightWaves’ Noi Mahoney reports that, according to CargoNet data, a surge in cargo thefts near the end of 2022 led to an estimated $223 million in goods being stolen across Canada and the U.S. 

In addition to sugar, other regulatory updates pertain to sodium, whole grains and flavored milk.

Inside this edition: A merger or acquisition might be worth considering; big trends in the supply chain world this year; and a cannabis/3PL deal closes.

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

Inside this edition: The U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index makes a splash; for-hire carrier rankings are out; and Nowports comes stateside.

Christopher Thornycroft, executive vice president at Redwood, joined us to talk about the Lunar New Year and what it means for freight demand. For those unaware, the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday began Jan. 22 and typically lasts two weeks. This year, it will end with the Lantern Festival on Sunday.

Commodity prices have come down, but manufacturers say their costs are still rising.

Inside this edition: Regulations for customs brokers get a facelift; Laredo is the MVP; and Credit Suisse provides some new year ratings.

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a 60-day notice of its plans to conduct research on front-of-package nutrition labels.

In this issue of the WHAT THE TRUCK?!? newsletter: Final mile fails, LEGO HQ moves to Boston, Tesla’s new SEMI and Cybertruck plant

A report published Wednesday by Morgan Stanley Research highlights demand expectations and how carriers and brokers are hungry for freight.

Inside this edition: Warehousing automation will be key; the automotive sector is hot for 2023; and an upsetting trend hits too close to home.

CPGs’ worst nightmare For certain CPG categories, I would argue that the worst thing that could happen isn’t a recession but consumers getting religion on healthy eating and avoiding the center of the grocery store altogether. Healthy eating aside, earlier this week The Wall Street Journal highlighted a second concern that may be gaining traction […]

Josh Smith, vice president at Variant and over-the-road operations at U.S. Xpress, spoke to FreightWaves about the Variant program and how technology and operations are vital to success in trucking.

Inside this edition: designer brands relying more on 3PLs; Mexico gains another manufacturer; and more acquisitions.

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

Sugar reduction startups The consumer-packaged-goods-related article that I found most interesting this week was in FoodBusinessNews and it described three startups focused on developing very innovative sugar reduction alternatives. Here is a quick synopsis of those companies: Growing concern about sugar and salt intake Of course, there are easy ways for consumers to cut sugar. […]

On Tuesday, FreightWaves interviewed Werner Chief Information Officer Daragh Mahon about the company’s recent partnership with Samsara, diving into how AI and updated legacy systems are transforming Werner’s 8,500-truck fleet. 

Inside this edition: It’s time for Lunar New Year stoppages; rent is on the rise; and big promotions in the logistics world.

Growing evidence of ‘shopper rebellion’ Elasticities, or the negative change in sales volume in response to rising prices, has been one of the main topics in the CPG industry in the past year. Despite two consecutive years of steeply rising prices, including last year’s CPG price growth of upward of 15% or more in many […]

A Republican-backed bill introduced by U.S. Rep Brian Mast, R-Fla., seeks to exempt underage truck drivers from rules that prohibit them from hauling containers to and from marine terminals.

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

Inside this edition: Accessibility training for visually impaired freight brokers; California continues to be complicated; and GXO sets the bar high.

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

It is pretty much acknowledged across the trucking industry that a consolidation of players in autonomous trucking is coming.

Deceleration in Constellation Brands’ shipment growth and disappointing margin outlook Constellation Brands, the owner of the Corona and Modelo beer brands and various wine and spirits brands, such as Svedka Vodka, was among the first CPG companies to report earnings in the new year and it proved to be a controversial quarter. Shares declined 10% […]

Wabash and J.B. Hunt Transport have signed a multiyear deal that will supply J.B. Hunt with 15,000 trailers. The size and scope of the pact are significant, as the past two years saw pandemic-related supply chain disruptions throttle up new trailer orders, causing the average age of existing trailers to rise.

Inside this edition: FTC proposes to ban noncompetes; the nonshortage shortage of medicine; and Estes moves to hand down the family business. 

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

On Tuesday, FreightWaves interviewed Josh Bouk, president of Trax Technologies, about the recent Securities and Exchange Commission rule-making recommendation back in March 2022 regarding scope 3 emissions. Scope 3 is a part of a larger greenhouse gas emissions overhaul by the SEC, the intent being for companies to disclose their impact on the environment.

Inside this edition: Nearshoring to Mexico on the rise; Canada comes out on top again; Not your average Super 8-K makes headlines.

Bob Biesterfeld, president and CEO of C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc., stepped down Tuesday. FreightWaves’ Mark Solomon wrote that according to a person familiar with the matter, this departure had been planned months in advance and mostly was a matter of timing. 

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

In this issue of the WHAT THE TRUCK?!? newsletter spot rates hit high, C.H. Robinson fallout; a new trucking movie and more.

Inside this edition: Money can’t fix a people problem; FMCSA announces new oversight plan; and Forward Air adds to its family.

Persistently higher inventory levels are causing a drag on truckload tender volumes as 2023 begins. 2019 and 2018 SONAR data indicates we may approach levels of pre-pandemic seasonality, but higher truckload capacity will continue to negatively impact rates until enough truckload supply leaves the market.

Your latest info on all things in the cold chain world

Inside this edition: Prospecting gets creative; size matters in final mile delivery; and C.H. Robinson makes executive changes.

In this issue of the WTT newsletter distracted driving at sea; the cheap freight problem; is automation coming for all of us; a sauerkraut spill and more.

In this issue, real vs fake Christmas trees; East Coast spot rates sink; Tesla Semi event and more.

In this issue of the WTT newsletter: C.H. Robinsons latest layoffs; freight community offers roles for displaced CHRW workers; Truckersgiving comes to Love’s; more

In this issue of the WTT newsletter, all call to action to help fight back against falling rates; drop in home sales hits freight; Starlink coming to your truck

Sick of earnings season yet? It’s this time of the quarter when I miss my old position as a sell-side stock analyst the least. For those looking to get caught up on earnings, there is plenty of coverage on FreightWaves. For freight carriers, the themes so far have been loosening market conditions and the lack […]

Inside the WHAT THE TRUCK?!? newsletter; is Tesla Semi breakdown a big deal; TikTok gets into fulfillment; Amazon parks delivery robot and more

Outbound tender rejection rates, a measure of the percentage of truckload shipments tendered to carriers by shippers, have reached a record at 5.05%. For trucking, this will be a cause of mostly stress instead of celebration. 

Uber Freight recently released a report on contracted rates. Its consensus is that contract rates are indeed falling, but like a game of contracted musical chairs, we still do not know when the music will stop. 

In this issue, markets continue their collapse; Amazon drivers delivering during Ian; man rides on back of semi for 100 miles; robot french fry apocalypses; Tesla ditches sensors; and more.

Atoke, a town of 3,000 people nestled in the Choctaw reservation in southeast Oklahoma, used to be home to herds of buffalo and bison (there is in fact a difference). Now this reservation, a hidden 11,000-square-mile parcel of land, has become one of the largest drone delivery testing sites in the world, according to FreightWaves’ Jack Daleo. 

One of the most interesting takeaways in the chart above details how traditional freight brokerages that have built and marketed their own apps have taken the lead in downloads over third-party load boards.

Daimler Truck CEO Martin Daum has strong opinions on cabovers versus conventional trucks, fuel cells and other issues.