Last-Mile Delivery

CIO named for soon-to-be-spun-off company

The New York City last-mile fleet will have 40 electric vehicles, with the Los Angeles region adding 50 more, IKEA said.

Strong e-commerce demand, tight supply and higher construction materials costs are a challenging brew for occupiers, CBRE says.

Parcel initiatives are expected to bring in $24 billion in new net revenue by 2020, the agency said in releasing its 10-year reorganization plan.

Even as the relationship between Ryder and Chanje was hitting the rocks, Ryder continued to do new deals with the supplier of electric vehicles and touted its role in the company’s green plans.

The company moves to broaden its footprint and introduce services as it posts stellar fiscal 2021 third-quarter results.

UPS needs to step up its weekend game if it plans to overcome FedEx’s advantage in e-commerce transit times, a former UPS executive says.

Fluid Truck specializes in box trucks and cargo vans and focuses on last mile

FedEx rebrands the service FedEx Ground Economy to reflect full control of last-mile deliveries.

As Amazon continues to dominate e-commerce, major retailers are stepping up their investments hoping to benefit from shifting consumer demands.

The company sets ambitious fleet electrification goals and establishes a center at Yale University to research climate-capture techniques.

The store’s opening is part of DHL unit’s focus on contactless transactions, social distancing, it says.

Together for Safer Roads President David Braunstein discusses the potential Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan holds for safer freight movement.

The e-commerce shipping platform said it is now valued at nearly half a billion dollars.

Nicholas Cogan, director of international e-commerce at Walmart International, discusses omnichannel last-mile delivery and challenges created by increased demand for e-commerce and home delivery.

Kevin Walker, president of Accentrics Home, and Doug Ladden, co-founder and CEO of Deliveright Logistics, talk about challenges and best practices for the heavy-goods logistics industry.

Geodis’ Jeff McDermott joined FreightWaves to talk about challenges that parcel carriers are facing and lessons learned from the pandemic.

Greater Philadelphia’s near-invisible vacancy rates paced the logistics real estate market’s 2020 gains.

Andrew Lockwood, senior manager of solutions design at Suddath Global Logistics, discusses last-mile logistics strategies for manufacturing companies.

XAct Solutions Director of Supply Chain Jamie Dixon discusses the need for brands to utilize technology in last-mile logistic strategies.

A $250 million e-commerce- and transportation-focused SPAC was filed Friday. Logistics industry veteran Dick Metzler is behind the deal.

Uber recently sent out a white paper on its views of compensation and other benefits for its drivers in Europe.

Walmart shares drop hard as investors focus on lower-than-expected fiscal year 2021 fourth-quarter results and uninspiring FY 22 guidance.

The rate increases could generate needed revenue and profits, but they may narrow the price-service gap between the Postal Service and its rivals.

Appearing at an investor conference, J.B. Hunt CEO John Roberts said this year’s intermodal bid season will go a long way in determining whether the company curtails the division’s margin target.

The activist investor group seeking changes at Forward Air said the company’s recent results and guidance are “substandard” in a letter to shareholders. The group also asserts that Forward was “disingenuous” in the way it provided updates on fourth-quarter results, suggesting it was fearful of receiving other board nominations.

CenterPoint acquires Houston-area distribution facility while Genesee & Wyoming reports industrial development results for 2020.

CEO Alain Bedard said renting out terminal space is a way to buoy TFI’s real estate portfolio.

Amid heightened scrutiny over the direction of the company, Forward Air’s management team defends its current strategy. Fourth-quarter results were negatively impacted by a December cyberattack.

Leaf Logistics CEO Anshu Prasad believes manufacturers of food and consumer packaged goods could be in jeopardy of missing earnings expectations as transportation rates remained elevated throughout the quarter.

XPO Logistics sees strong momentum coming off an excellent fourth quarter.

An open letter from activist investor Ancora Advisors says “ineffective capital allocation” and diversification into “margin- and return-dilutive service offerings” have led to inferior results for Forward Air compared to other less-than-truckload carriers.

A top FedEx reverse logistics expert says the online returns tsunami has just begun.

Amazon reportedly will nurture hundreds of startup trucking companies to haul its goods.

Amazon CEO steps away after going where no retailer had gone before.

Amazon announces a leadership shift as it crushes fourth-quarter 2020 estimates and reports $125 billion in revenue.

Scott Ruffin’s company is poised to exploit weaknesses in legacy delivery networks to take B2C share.

Could DB Schenker be the next TFI International? TFI just agreed to buy UPS Freight. DB Schenker is ready to become a pure play trucker in the U.S. and will be looking for sellers.

UPS lost its 16-year battle to succeed in LTL. Now it’s TFI’s turn.

UPS takes part in a business panel on why Congress should support last-mile delivery and electric vehicles.

Past Forward Air CFO Andy Clarke outlines his outlook for improving returns at his former company. He represents an activist investor group, which includes turnaround investment firm Ancora Advisors and Forward’s founder.

Deliveright, a digital delivery network for heavy goods, announced the launch of a new app with e-commerce company Shopify.

Cardinal Logistics has acquired heavy-goods final-mile provider NRX Logistics. The deal marks the third final-mile transaction for M&A advisory firm Tenney Group in the last year.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services’ fourth quarter came in better than expected. However, the company said it was reviewing long-term margin targets across all segments. Intermodal margin forecasts may be reduced but other units could see upward revisions.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services’ fourth quarter outpaces analysts’ forecasts. Brokerage, truck and final-mile divisions benefit from revenue surge.

The levy will apply to customers tendering 30,000 weekly parcels from Jan. 4 to Jan. 31.

Deutsche Post DHL’s Express and E-Commerce units report strong numbers.

OneRail’s $6.7 million in late seed financing will help the delivery orchestration and fulfillment platform scale its business development, sales and marketing operations.

ShipMatrix reports a solid performance by carriers, while a Convey survey shows that U.S. consumers were tolerant of shipping issues.

The Seattle-based e-tailer currently operates 10 sites in Detroit that support customer fulfillment and delivery operations.

Uber’s stock dips on a report that Goldman Sachs is looking to unload 38 million shares. The company has made several moves recently to shore up the balance sheet and sustain its cash-intensive brokerage segment.

Traffic is expected to spike 23% compared to the highest-volume period in last year’s peak.

Albertsons, subsidiaries turn to alternatives such as DoorDash

Former executives at Forward Air along with an activist investor have been acquiring shares since October in efforts to make changes to the management team, board and capital allocation strategy, which may include divesting “non-core assets.”

DHL Freight promotes two and ev Transportation appoints two to board.

Parcel-delivery surcharges are to be front and center in conversations next year.

Mainstream commercial use of small unmanned aircraft for a variety of applications, including package delivery, is around the corner. New FAA regulations create a pathway for drones to operate safely with fewer limitations.

FedEx will mark its 50th year by harnessing IT for pitched battles with Amazon and UPS.

FedEx Corp.had announced acquisition of e-commerce platform ShopRunner earlier this month.

A partnership this year with CRST uncovered a huge opportunity for trucking technology startup Baton and its customers.

Lawmakers agree to convert $10 billion loan to a grant.

With vaccines in tow, the transportation industry will deliver a lot of much-needed holiday cheer over the next few weeks.

UPS cuts parcel-induction levies much deeper than FedEx, starting mid-January.

Amazon to build three facilities, create 1,500 jobs in San Antonio

FedEx shares get hammered despite record performance at Express and LTL units. The focus is on lagging margins at FedEx Ground.

Shares take a hard hit in after-hours trade despite blowout fiscal second-quarter results across the board.

Storms, Warp Speed and COVID put retailers and consumers in an anxious holiday mood.

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

FedEx to cut prices from holiday levels on three surcharges.

Canadian last-mile delivery firm secures CA$20 million Series A and expands its U.S. footprint.

COVID vaccines take priority, straining already ultra-tight delivery capacity.

Onfleet hires Scott Cross as CFO, and Stephanie Riffell joins Perishable Shipping Solutions as COO.

Forward Air is growing its traditional less-than-truckload terminal count. This time it is adding California’s Inland Empire to the roster.

FedEx, UPS, AIT to get their delivery marching orders.

Operation COVID Logistics is underway, with the auxiliary materials to administer vaccines moving out to local distribution sites.

U.S. officials at Operation Warp Speed say they are ready to go with the COVID-19 vaccine distribution, but a high-ranking state health official says people should be prepared for hiccups based on recent trials

Black Friday-CyberWeek performance of mid- to high-70% range for FedEx and UPS was way off from 2019 levels, Convey data shows.

Local deliveries are now available in 2,400 U.S. markets, the unit says.

Hub Group’s acquisition ambitions land in the final-mile sector in a $94.5 million deal for non-asset provider NonstopDelivery.

Shares hit record close as UBS markedly boosts EPS for fiscal 2021 second quarter and raises 12-month price target to $380 from $320.

DHL will be the first to deliver COVID-19 vaccines in Germany. Integrated logistics companies like DHL, FedEx and UPS have an advantage with their closed networks and sophisticated delivery methods for keeping vaccines at the correct temperature.

Increase in reverse logistics demand spawned by the continued growth of e-commerce activity.

How long will Brad Jacobs stay on after split and spinoff of logistics business?

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 or Christmas tree lot purchases. Shipping costs also are on the rise, as freight capacity remains tight and rates soar. Nationwide, Christmas tree sales this […]

Domestic and international delivery rates rise 5.9%; the rate on returns shipments rises 4.9%.

Expansion includes an 855,000-square-foot fulfillment center in North Las Vegas.

FedEx goes beyond partnerships to swallow e-commerce platform provider.

Walmart ends the minimum order requirement for shipping benefits on Friday.

A November supply chain survey shows the rates at which transportation capacity is shrinking and pricing is climbing are increasing.

J.B. Hunt adds to its final-mile network through acquisition for the fourth time since 2017. The company announces the acquisition of commercial fitness delivery and installation company Mass Movement.

AIT Worldwide Logistics expands its global operations with the acquisition of final-mile white-glove specialist Panther Logistics.

On this week’s Drilling Deep podcast, Thomas LaSalvia of Moody’s Analytics REIS looks at the market for warehouse space additions being driven by the growth in e-commerce. And he finds that even as demand for it is soaring, the supply of new space is keeping up and it’s keeping rents relatively soft. Also on this […]

J.B. Hunt Transport Services announces several changes to the executive roster on Tuesday, including the appointment of John Kuhlow as the company’s permanent chief financial officer.

Forward Air adds to non-airport less-than-truckload service by opening a facility in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

A detailed analysis shows UPS plans to push higher costs and fees on e-commerce users next year.

In partnership with Quest Diagnostics and DroneUp, Walmart on Tuesday announced a new drone delivery system for one of its stores in El Paso.

Holiday orders will be spread evenly throughout cycle, CEO says.

Former Bethlehem Steel plant site at Sparrows Point, Maryland, attracts shippers and 3PLs to build Northeast distribution centers.

Expedited shipping rates rise 1.2% to 3.5%; other rates rise more.

Pricing and delivery bundle will be tough for traditional pharmacies to match, consultant says.