Last mile delivery

OneRail has launched a solution to address in-transit problems that lead to lost inventory.

Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen says he has returned to rescue the company after Dave Clark wore out his welcome.

FedEx Corp. has laid off more than 900 workers at facilities across the country since June.

Jim Waters, Frayt’s vice president of marketing, said the company’s survey highlighted the growing need for last-mile services; 37% of respondents said 50% of their logistics operations fell into the last-mile category.

“We are looking to empower these independent contractors and truly treat them as owners of their businesses,” Luke Denny, co-founder and CEO, told FreightWaves.

Last-mile companies poised to shake up the market

Make last-mile logistics more sustainable with 3 key initiatives

Delivery management platform Locus has added a new option for retailers to better optimize last-mile delivery while optimizing capacity and business needs.

A Circuit survey shows that most delivery drivers are concerned about losing their jobs, but they are interested in working with driverless and drone deliveries.

Robotic delivery firm Kiwibot has launched service at Loyola Marymount University, leveraging Nvidia technology and satellites to create campuswide delivery.

While there is interest in EVs in the last-mile space, many companies are reluctant to adopt them at this point.

OneRail plans to scale sales, marketing and data science.

Predictability is no longer the norm, but shippers can manage the uncertainty by following a few simple tips to ensure a smooth holiday delivery season.

Scandit has released a report showing that last-mile delivery drivers are working harder and faster than ever before.

Several high-profile commercial electric vehicle makers have faced recent struggles, but BrightDrop says it is on pace for $1 billion in revenue next year.

Stord has added a carrier-agnostic last-mile delivery solution to its product suite, allowing brands to find the most efficient delivery partner for their items.

ShipBob has launched new integrations with Amazon, giving merchants faster inventory and shipping services when selling through the e-commerce platform.

More than 49 million Americans were victims of porch pirates in the last year, and that is leading to a push for more alternative delivery options.

Embattled ultrafast delivery service Gorillas could be acquired by Getir, according to sources.

GigaCloud Technology’s last-mile and white-glove service will reach the entire contiguous United States.

FarEye is working to create a shared ecosystem of delivery data, helping brands of all sizes reduce final-mile costs.

Sunday parcel deliveries

Many retailers and delivery providers choose to develop their own routing and fleet management software, but that can limit their flexibility and add unnecessary cost.

OneRail’s Bill Catania sees better asset utilization as a key to improving last-mile delivery capacity constraints.

With its fleet of electric vehicles, GoBolt will offer same- and next-day delivery of small parcels in the U.S. and Canada.

While drones have received plenty of hoopla, there are many questions that need to be answered. Efficient ground transport, though, is a viable and sustainable model for package delivery.

A new Descartes survey found that a majority of consumers will favor longer delivery times when it is better for the environment.

Bringg has joined forces with Uber Eats in France to provide retail delivery services through Uber Direct.

Bringg and WorkWhile have launched a gig driver network to provide on-demand workers for last-mile delivery.

Geodis is acquiring Need It Now Delivers, adding 300 locations to its U.S. e-commerce network.

With fuel costs rising and a potential recession looming, providers need to be find a better way to optimize delivery instead of just passing along costs.

DoorDash continues expanding its grocery delivery business, adding 420 locations through Grocery Outlet Holding Corp.

Veho is quickly expanding its last-mile delivery network. But what makes the company different? It’s all in how it builds routes.

Electric vehicle maker Rivian is cutting its workforce by 6% amid growing inflation pressure and tightening capital markets, according to reports.

Many delivery providers use a delivery management system, but costs can escalate quickly if proper planning was ignored.

Storefront delivery platforms exploded during the pandemic, but for many retailers the loss of customer control could be costing them revenue.

The explosion of online shopping and our growing global economy makes shipping and delivery more important than ever.

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

Fleets have been able to find more control over their transportation spend using PTV Route Optimizer’s features designed to suit the specific logistical last-mile delivery needs for CPG items.

ABI Research predicts the last-mile robot delivery market will grow rapidly in the years ahead, delivering more than $3 billion worth of items by 2030.

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

Locus has turned its routing solution into an end-to-end delivery management platform for companies of all sizes.

“One of the more challenging aspects of any tech startup is to strategically coordinate the scale of the organization. Working closely with Microsoft will help ensure we are utilizing best practices to develop rapidly without incurring technical debt,” says FetchGoat’s CTO.

As e-commerce accelerated, so too did the evolution of last-mile delivery. Now it seeks to find a sustainable and profitable future.

Walmart announced it will add drone delivery to 32 locations in six states this year with partner DroneUp.

Ree Automotive will team with EAVX on an electric Class 5 walk-in van that will enter trials this summer.

Israel-based drone delivery company Flytrex will deliver subs from Jersey Mike’s to customers in a North Carolina town.

Collaboration and data sharing are two of the keys that will drive more success in the last mile.

Lightning eMotors, which electrifies commercial vehicle chassis, is teaming with Perrone Robotics to offer Level 4 autonomous vehicles for sale.

Shopify announced a $2.1 billion acquisition of last-mile delivery technology company Deliverr, but its stock tumbled after a Q1 earnings miss.

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

One year after acquiring Grubhub, Germany’s Just Eat Takeaway is looking to sell the delivery business.

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

Retail customers looking for same-day delivery are willing to pay more for the service, a new survey has found.

Long considered a technology of the future, drones are steadily carving out a niche in the final mile.

Ignoring logistics leads to negative feedback from customers, harming the ability of e-commerce merchants to grow their businesses.

Automated trucks and buses are expected to number 1.2 million annually by 2032 compared with about 1,000 in testing today.

Capital Express and ADL Delivery, two regional last-mile delivery providers, established a new holding company to build a nationwide final-mile network.

Boox is looking to evolve the circular economy with reusable packaging for direct-to-consumer brands.

Banyan Technology has introduced a new first/final mile software offering for fleets, helping shippers and 3PLs connect with providers.

TForce Logistics is adding a distribution center in the Toronto area, boosting its last-mile delivery capabilities in the region.

Flytrex is now delivering chicken wings via drone in Texas as it expands its test programs with Brinker International’s It’s Just Wings brand.

Last-mile delivery technology provider Dispatch has raised $50M to fuel its expansion across the U.S.

2 new offerings are geared toward last-mile delivery

Crowded city streets and limited spaces slow down the last mile, drive up costs

Google builds on its mobility solutions offering with the launch of two products, Last Mile Fleet Solution and Cloud Fleet Routing API.

As fuel prices rise, the ability of last-mile delivery firms to either absorb those costs or pass them along to customers could be key to their survival.

Last-mile delivery firm Veho is adding reverse logistics to its portfolio with the acquisition of returns specialist QuikReturn.

As more gig workers take up the final mile of delivery, they face a lack of parking spaces, driving up costs and forcing more illegal parking.

Electric Last Mile Solutions is under scrutiny for insider trading and failure to fulfill promises to investors.

Understanding the difference between routed and scheduled deliveries is a key to last-mile delivery success.

The U.S. Postal Service wants to grab a larger share of the parcel business, and it is rolling out programs designed to do just that.

Kroger is rapidly expanding its e-commerce grocery capabilities, announcing three new locations for fulfillment centers.

We’re breaking down the last mile ahead of FreightWaves’ Future of Supply Chain event.

EcoCart will manage a new carbon-offset program for Walmart Canada that will aim to eliminate emissions from its last-mile delivery operation.

After reporting stronger-than-expected FY2021 earnings, Target announced that it would be adding distribution and sortation facilities in 2022.

A U.S. Postal Service evaluation concluded that electric vehicles make sense for its next-generation delivery vehicle, but a short time frame and lack of funding require the deployment of gasoline-powered vehicles initially.

As inflation has taken hold at record levels, e-commerce brands need to offer options to combat rising prices and keep consumer shipping costs low.

DoorDash is buying Bbot, which provides in-store technology to blend online and offline ordering experiences.

Brian Kava has taken over as CEO of last-mile delivery firm Pickup, with plans to expand its coverage area and grow revenue.

Cannabis retailer High Tide, which operates banner stores like Canna Cabana, is adding a two-hour delivery service.

Australia’s Zoomo, which builds light-electric bikes geared toward last-mile delivery services, gets a funding boost.

The U.S. Postal Service is expanding a pilot program that will offer small businesses next-day and even same-day shipping at affordable prices.

Robotic delivery provider Kiwibot has announced a new funding round and a major contract with food services provider Sodexo.

Modern Shipper sat down with Pilot Freight CEO Zach Pollock to discuss how the newly acquired company fits into Maersk’s e-commerce strategy.

A new survey of online shoppers found that 72% have ordered groceries online in the past 90 days.

Data capture firm Scandit has raised $150 million in a series D investment round as it looks to expand the customer base for its retail technologies.

Last-mile logistics cloud provider Bringg is adding Zenkraft, the No. 1 company handling parcel deliveries and returns for Salesforce, to its arsenal.

FarEye, a SaaS provider for last-mile delivery operations, is bolstering its presence in North America.

With convenience and sustainability top of mind for consumers and retailers, Ohi is starting carbon-neutral deliveries in under two hours.

E-commerce is becoming an increasing area of focus for some ocean carriers.

Data collection is only part of the solution for e-commerce brands. It’s understanding what to do with that data and how much to share with customers that really matters.

Robomart, the company pioneering the store on wheels, is ready to shape the future of retail delivery with its store-hailing model.

Point Pickup is launching a gig economy app that rewards workers for making deliveries through the platform.

E-commerce personalization platforms are playing an increasingly important role in the success of last-mile delivery.

DroneUp CEO Tom Walker sat down with Modern Shipper to discuss his company’s expanding delivery business, including its partnership with Walmart.

Electric cargo bike delivery provider Urb-E is expanding to Los Angeles as the first city in an expansion of its service in 2022.

Data indicates delivery companies may have been overstaffed for the peak shipping season, leading to fewer delays and a successful season.

Autonomous sidewalk delivery company Serve Robotics completed robot deliveries with zero human interaction — an industry first.

Robotic Assistance Devices Mobile is looking to bring to market a 700-pound autonomous robot for logistics and last-mile delivery operations.