Last mile

A long-promised service has launched out of a Walmart Supercenter in Mesquite, Texas: Zipline drone delivery.

Amazon beat expectations for revenue and earnings for the fourth quarter, but it predicts slower growth in the next quarter.

Seven-year-old electric vehicle startup Canoo has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and announced an immediate halt to operations weeks after it furloughed its remaining workers and idled its Oklahoma factory.

Some Amazon employees are preparing to strike or protest on Black Friday as part of the “Make Amazon Pay” demonstrations against alleged labor abuses.

Last-mile solutions provider OneRail has raised $42 million in venture capital backing to streamline the last mile of the delivery process.

New bills in both the Senate and House of Representatives would upgrade the 45G tax credit for inflation and expand trackage covered under the program.

In the constantly changing world of last-mile delivery, it can no longer operate as a siloed operation from middle mile.

Uber Freight has brought on talent with decades of experience from C.H. Robinson, Amazon and Walmart.

A study by last-mile solutions provider OneRail addresses retailers’ concerns about diversifying delivery networks and highlights strategies such as leveraging technology for strategic planning.

Alphabet’s drone delivery service is working on a larger drone design that will be able to handle orders that currently need more than one drone to handle.

Zipline is growing its presence in the medical space, enabling patients to get their prescriptions delivered by drone.

With the last mile the most complicated part of the shipping process, new solutions could help, but it will take a strong balancing act.

AxleHire CEO Adam Bryant says the most significant impact on the carbon footprint will come from the ability to drive more efficient utilization and aggregation processes in last-mile delivery.

Last-mile companies poised to shake up the market

Who are the key players in the rapidly growing last-mile delivery space? Coresight Research highlighted 10 companies.

Make last-mile logistics more sustainable with 3 key initiatives

Locus is expanding its workforce and solution offerings for Mexico’s booming e-commerce market.

The e-commerce boom of the last decade paired with ongoing supply chain disruption has caused an influx of logistical challenges for carriers of all sizes that is affecting the customer experience.

How does nearly three years as a nuclear machinist’s mate in the U.S. Navy prepare someone to be CEO of Wabash?

Technology firm Grip has emerged from stealth with a $2 million funding round and plans to reimagine direct-to-consumer perishable shipping.

E-commerce platform eBay has extended agreements for Pitney Bowes to continue providing cross-border shipping services to eBay customers.

As Fernish has grown, it continues to evolve its logistics strategy.

Ulta Beauty turns 1,300 stores into fulfillment centers; Seko Logistics launches tech to support customer service in the final mile.

HyperTrack has raised $25 million as it looks to build an API-first approach to routing the final mile.

Inflation has taken a bite out of furniture sales, but consumers are still buying, according to a delivery expert.

FarEye is rolling out the Last Mile Mandate this month, an effort to provide guidance to retailers seeking to succeed in the last mile.

Using a combination of technology and proactive management, shippers can turn failed deliveries into happy customers.

Decades of experience delivering critical health care products has shaped Capstone Logistics’ last-mile solution for e-commerce and grocery delivery.

Retailers need to rethink last-mile delivery, moving away from the idea of just delivering goods and toward the concept of a customer experience.

As consumer demand rises, so do the challenges and costs of final mile delivery of oversized items.

Data is showing improvement in the last mile as the industry recovers from the supply chain chaos of 2021.

As e-commerce growth slows, last-mile delivery providers remain under pressure to deliver for shippers, even if they don’t know how much of their services will be required.

In the world of last mile-delivery of big and bulky items, timing is everything.

Big and bulky last-mile deliveries need to be on time, but the ultimate key to customer satisfaction is communication.

Heavy goods delivery platform Deliveright is opening up access to its technology on a trial basis.

2 new offerings are geared toward last-mile delivery

As parcel demand has skyrocketed, shippers have obviously been faced with serious capacity issues.

Walmart InHome customers in Florida will get first access to HomeValet’s Smart Box, a lockable, temperature-controlled porch box.

New last-mile delivery vehicles and electric platforms from Udelv, Ree Automotive and Lightning eMotors have been announced in recent days.

AIT Worldwide is expanding its final-mile capabilities, acquiring New York-based Select Express & Logistics, adding 400 employees and 47 cross-dock facilities.

Bed Bath & Beyond said it has become the first home goods retailer to list its products directly on DoorDash Marketplace, giving it the opportunity to reach more potential customers with same-day delivery.

2022 could be a busy year for the Surface Transportation Board if it decides to tackle a number of long-standing, hot-button issues.

UniGroup Logistics’s Meghan Meurer sees shopping from home as the new normal for a growing number of larger products, suggesting that the final-mile delivery experience is now of utmost importance.

The agency is seeking comments from freight railroads on whether it should collect data pertaining to first- and last-mile movements.

Same-day versus next-day delivery: Which is more sustainable?

Pitney Bowes has added ParcelPoint Smart Lockers to its parcel locker portfolio, providing a secure, technology-enabled solution for enterprises.

Increased use of micro-fulfillment centers and more efficient vehicles and routing can reduce carbon emissions by 25% in urban environments, according to Accenture.

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.

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.

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

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, double-digit rate increases are coming, the FMCSA will listen to complaints about brokers, and which states are the worst for truck drivers in bad weather?

Liftit co-founder Brian York on the challenges and opportunities of last-mile trucking in Latin America.

Many shippers have encountered fulfillment issues and transportation breakdowns as consumer demand for their products surged.

The last mile. It’s the most critical—and the most challenging—part of today’s supply chain. From warehousing to tiered delivery options that include white glove delivery and integrated returns management, Ryder Last Mile delivers flexible solutions for big and bulky shipments, so you can focus on your core business.

Isuzu continues to invest in its medium-duty truck lineup, adding two new gas engines for its Class 3-5 models, giving users more power choices.

OneRail is a last-mile orchestration and fulfillment platform that consolidates the needs of shippers and retailers onto a single platform.

More mergers and acquisitions in the final-mile space as Atlas Logistics acquires last-mile solution in TopHAT deal.

While capacity utilization in long-haul trucking is going down, the capacity needs of last-mile delivery are increasing due to the rise of e-commerce.

Spartan Motors has sold its emergency vehicle manufacturing division so it can focus on growth opportunities in commercial and last-mile vehicle development. Plus, Connecticut plans a toll vote, a startup wants to move freight transport underground, and Oregon truckers are ready to protest.

Market expert David Faulkenberry explains the details of final mile delivery.

Consumer demands and expectations are rising dramatically. Up to 25% of consumers are willing to pay extra for same-day delivery. Some estimate same-day delivery will reach a 25% market share by 2025. E-commerce is the driving force behind the revolution in the last mile final frontier. Real-time data analytics is also proving to be a […]

On today’s episode – Just in time for the holidays, Amazon cans FedEx over on-time delivery, Boeing 737 MAX stops going, a tribute to American Shipper founder David A. Howard, Zach Strickland talks a couple of freight recessions, Emily Szink knows what’s a big deal and what’s a little deal, plus market expert trivia.  Apple […]

E-commerce’s role in transforming supply chain logistics should be a factor that Congress considers during the next surface transportation bill authorization.

Market Expert David Faulkenberry writes about the increasingly important “final mile” and why estimates of its size vary so widely.

In what appears to be a trend, another transport and logistics company has reported a weak overall year-to-date but with a steeper downward dive in the third quarter. Retail logistics specialist LBC Express revealed a small loss in the third quarter of the year against a background of rising revenues.

Sometimes, beyond the final mile there are even bigger challenges. Here’s one story:

Tech-enabled last mile is still in early innings, and there are a number of competing strategies.

Flytrex is an Israeli on-demand small payload drone delivery company that will be delivering products ordered online straight to the consumers’ house.

The deal coincides with an ambitious new initiative aimed at making Amazon carbon neutral by 2040.

Cabinet backs draft law aimed at curbing illegal employment practices for final-mile drivers handing growing volumes of parcels.

Last-mile movement is one of the least energy-efficient operations within supply chains, and efforts need to be taken to consciously reduce energy expended in that stretch.

Last-mile delivery is critically important to both consumers and the companies that sell to them. Read about six challenges and changes in last-mile delivery.

The Urban Freight Lab (UFL) is hosting its third annual Tech Day: Transforming the Final 50 Feet of Delivery, a pitch competition for innovators improving the last leg of the urban goods delivery system, also known as the final 50 feet. That stretch begins at the load/unload space located at the curb, in an alley […]

Kal Atwal becomes executive vice president as Canadian transportation and logistics company integrates bankrupt courier BeavEx’s business.

U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority served an initial enforcement order to both Amazon and Deliveroo over concerns about the transaction that took place during the latter’s fundraising in May this year.

Canadian courier plans to build new “super hub” in Toronto and purchase 1,000 new vehicles in response to record volumes.

Dolly has raised $7.5 million in Series B funding, which is expected to expedite Dolly’s entrance into new markets and also help grow its operational and technical teams.

The two leading shareholder advisory firms have said they will support an International Brotherhood of Teamsters proposal to separate the chairman and CEO positions at XPO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE:XPO) and appoint an independent director as chair. If that happens, it could eliminate the dual role now performed by Brad Jacobs, the company’s founder. Glass Lewis […]

FleetZoo is a delivery and service optimization startup that is solving the last-mile problem by providing a solution that lets companies optimize and visualize all their delivery routes in a matter of minutes.

Toronto firm courting couriers as it expands beyond pilot projects.

A fold-down ramp is just one of the innovations Morgan Corp. has introduced recently at it looks to build truck bodies to match the growing demands of e-commerce last-mile operations.

The vehicle adds to the increasingly crowded last-mile delivery vehicle space, now featuring robotic, bicycle and scooter entrants.

Last-mile delivery network aggregator Shipsi announced a new roster of ecommerce and retail partners across the U.S. to support and fuel its march towards the future of retail.

Shale oil rig count on decline since November last year; price of renewable hydrogen fuel decreases; Apple lays off 190 employees of its self-driving car program; Europe looking to create standard regulations for hyperloop infrastructure across the continent.

An overview of what’s happening in the global markets right now.

As the U.S. government works to ease restrictions on where drones can fly, they could become an attractive target for hackers.

Home Depot, a Roadie customer, takes financial stake in delivery firm.

Food delivery startup Zomato is mobilising its last-mile workforce to move towards mechanical and electric bikes for delivery – a move that the company believes would drastically reduce its carbon footprint.

TechCrunch reports that SoftBank, a Japanese multinational holding group, has led a $940 million investment in autonomous delivery startup Nuro.

When you consider all the implications of the service, it may be one of the biggest deals happening in the industry that you haven’t heard about.

Sears was also a pioneer in all things omnichannel and what we now call last mile. Why did they fail to innovate this time around?

Most of the move has no impact on ecommerce or last mile, but one small change could bring some new demand.

Consumer expectations with regard to last-mile delivery have been evolving rapidly, and businesses need to look towards technology to address those needs.

A group of 90 Safeway.com drivers became the first grocery delivery drivers in the nation to ratify a union contract this week. The final vote came after almost a year of negotiations and a strike authorization vote.

Ultimately, the winner of the e-commerce battle, whether groceries or the greater retail one, will come down to which company better understands human behavior.

XPO’s Last Mile business in Canada previously had been serviced out of retail stores. Now it has its first facility.

Ultimately, the winner of the e-commerce battle, whether groceries or the greater retail one, will come down to which company better understands human behavior.

XPO Logistics announced this morning that it will be adding augmented reality to its Ship XPO platform, giving end customers the opportunity to visualize how items such as sofas, beds and appliances, will look inside their home.

Given just 3 minutes to make their pitch and an additional 2 minutes to answer judges’ questions, 15 startup companies did their best to show judges at the Movin’ On conference why their solutions will change the market.