PeopleNet made several new product announcements this week at the American Trucking Associations (ATA) Management Conference & Exhibition in Orlando. A new gateway, fault intelligence, document scanning program and wireless trailer camera were on display at the company’s booth.
TMW Systems is working on blockchain-enabled products and gave a demonstration and update on how that work is progressing on Friday.
Ever since Bitcoin gatecrashed into the financial market scenes in late 2009, the technology underlying the virtual currency has had people talking. Blockchain, a ledger of records arranged in data blocks, uses cryptographic validation to link themselves together, resembling an unending chain, and it is disrupting the way FinTech market works.
Hyperloop companies have raised hundreds of millions of dollars to develop a new, high-speed form of transportation, but regulatory frameworks haven’t yet caught up with their technology.
Paper Transport, Inc. has been accepted as a member of the Blockchain in Transportation Alliance. Paper Transport, Inc. choose BiTA because of the alliance’s commitment to building a standard communication framework for the next generation of logistics providers.
Hyperloop has been touted as a way to move passengers long distances quickly, but it is most likely going to find its footing first in the freight world, according to those working to develop the technology.
While not new to the supply chain, technology is lowering barriers and offering new opportunities for 4PLs to move in and control entire supply chains, creating greater efficiency for all involved.
While the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued an exemption to the electronic logging device (ELD) rule for certain rental vehicles, the exemption has opened up several questions, including whether there is a potential loophole in the rule.
With the freight industry being one of the largest contributors to the U.S. economy, it is imperative that it makes way for technology infusion. San Diego-based startup LoadExpress is looking to disrupt the way logistics is handled in the industry right now.
Protests on both coasts in the past few days have placed truckers in the spotlight. Truck drivers in California and Washington, DC, staged protests to highlight the implementation of the electronic logging device (ELD) rule.
For the uninitiated, systems built on cryptocurrency can be unfathomably complex, with confusion exacerbated by their constantly changing nature. Unfortunately, in the world’s modern business climate, understanding these intricacies is critical to nurturing a thriving business. There may be no aspect of technology that is more greatly tied to this truth than that of smart contracts.
Daimler has been given permission by the Oregon Department of Transportation to test truck platooning on the roads of Oregon following successful trials in Madras, OR. The company has said it will first test the platooning technology on two connected heavy-duty Cascadias in the first step called “pairing.”
The world is going electric, and according to a McKinsey Energy Insights report, it is leaving the U.S. behind. According to the report authored by Chrsiter Tryggestand, Namit Sharma, Jasper van de Staaij and Arjan Keizer, because of market dynamics, the U.S. and China are lagging in the development and cost parity needed to make electric trucks viable.
An entirely new generation of technological change is now occurring in the transportation industry, and it’s called the autonomous truck, or what design specialists refer to as “intelligent engineering.” But what are some of the benefits, and risks, associated with the technology?
Chris Burruss, formerly with the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), is the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance (BiTA)’s first President. The Alliance was launched in September 2017 to develop blockchain standard and certifications for the freight industry, has 160+ applicants, and 85% of the truckload transactions can be represented in the space.
The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration announced a completion of an environmental impact study that highlights a proposed route for an Atlanta to Chattanooga rail line.
The potential for the hyperloop technology to take the world by storm is growing. Silicon Valley start-up Hyperloop One has finally chosen what the company views as the best areas to build its first hyperloop tracks.
Wabco’s acquisition of the remaining 50% ownership stake Meritor held in the Meritor Wabco joint venture, which began 27 years ago, a few weeks ago is one of the steps Wabco is taking to ensure its continued growth and positioning for the future.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is creating both hope and fear in the transportation industry; hope for the wealth of efficiency, cost savings, and safety improvement that AI promises, and fear that the ever-changing job market that accompanies the AI movement may put the careers of thousands in the transportation industry in jeopardy.
Businesses who trade internationally typically rely on freight forwarders to act on their behalf to transport product. The process of locating and arranging a forwarder is no easy task and extremely time-consuming, and over many decades this process has barely changed.
In recent years, players in the transportation industry have embraced technology and this has greatly helped in solving the many challenges associated with manual operations, and the future is even brighter in the years to come.
Larger fleet owners that have been looking forward to autonomous trucks to solve the pesky driver shortage may find themselves unemployed too
The ongoing and future transformation in the industry will not only benefit the carriers, truckers and shippers, but also the controlling authorities as well as positively impact other industries in the market and the economy at large. Here are a few of the technologies already impacting the industry.
Blockchain has taken center stage in 2017, and we are only at the beginning. But before everyone declares blockchain the solution to all the world’s problems, two authors note that there needs to be standards and governance to make it work.
Delphi CTO says that autonomous vehicles will come to cities and ports long before they will ever go into the highway or over-the-road trucking markets
One of the biggest trends in the field of freight logistics is the digitization of the trucking industry, which has a market of over $700 billion every year.
Brad Jacobs sits down with Jim Cramer and talks trucking, XPO, and the state of the economy. He makes a provocative prediction that will turn some heads that we could see fully autonomous trucks in less than a decade.
TMW acquires truckload visibility aggregator, 10-4, continuing a trend of FreightTech acquisitions in the market transparency space.
There are certain practices in trucking that are not above board and cause a lot of strain on the companies in the space. Will the implementation of blockchain smart contracts, these practices could be ended, ushering in transparency and fairness for all involved.
In the future, blockchain infrastructure will help mitigate the effect and scope of cyberattacks through its two fundamental characteristics: decentralization and cryptography so events such as last week’s Equifax breach don’t happen.
FreightWaves adds a startup directory to the site to help startups identify partners, investors, and talent in the emerging FreightTech space.
Blockchain has become the latest buzzword to enter industry lexicon. While many still may not know what it is, it is likely to be a technology that transforms trucking and the way it operates. Fleet Complete is one of the companies that has recognized its potential.
Blockchain is the perfect way to store maintence records, providing fleets with a complete record on everything that has happened to the vehicle from the time that it rolled off the factory floor to the time it is sold off.
Blockchain is expected to be a massive part of the economy in the near future- but what exactly is blockchain and why should I care? FreightWaves takes a look at this emerging technology.
Is a trailer just a box on wheels or potentially a portable battery charger? That is one of the questions that could be answered through the continued innovation of commercial vehicles.
Blockchain is predicted to radically change the financial services sector. Deloitte Tweeted that 10% of global GDP will be stored in blockchain. For companies like Deloitte, staying ahead of the curve in blockchain technology is paramount. But what about for logistics companies?
There is growing talk of a possible bill in Congress that would kill the upcoming electronic logging device (ELD) rule that goes into effect on Dec. 18 of this year due to the cost to individual truckers, sources have told FreightWaves.
It seems as though all new platforms these days feature two common denominators – create transparency and streamline processes. Many of them are now being developed with blockchain.
With consumers buying more online and more based on promotions, it has become less about brand loyalty and more about the benefits earned from digital purchases. All that is left is for shipping companies to provide app-assisted delivery.
Graphics processing unit (GPU) manufacturer Nvidia has invested into automated trucking company TuSimple, TechCrunch reports.
Talk about disruptive companies. Every startup in the transportation space these days is touting itself as a disruptive company. A few will become just that. Many, if not most, will not. But few are also introducing a technology, let alone a service, that is disruptive.
Many people don’t realize it, but construction firms have many of the same problems with truck visibility and tracking that less-than-truckload and truckload carriers have. And a truck arriving late can throw off an entire project’s schedule. That’s why Truck IT has introduce an app to help.
Uber threw its hat into the trucking industry with its own app earlier this year, but now it is upping the stakes with new features, The Verge reports.
Picture a 40-foot container traveling from Mainland China to a suburb of Los Angeles. It often experiences more complications between the Port of LA and final destination than it does during its international trip. Is blockchain the solution to these problems?
Hyperloop One completed a high-speed test of its pod on its Nevada track test at the end of July, moving it closer to its target speed for its planned pilot in Dubai.
A successful test of Hyperloop One’s technology has given rise the possibility that intermodal freight may someday be moved using the technology.
There is a new option that companies are flocking to quickly raise capital: an ICO – initial coin offering. But there are inherent risks in doing so, and they may be too great to overcome for transportation firms.
As much of the world is progressing towards Industry 4.0, Japan is going a step further. In its recently released Growth Strategy 2017 report, the county puts technological achievements, such as autonomous trucks and drone deliveries, on the fast track as it seeks to develop Society 5.0.
TaaS seems like another in a long line of acronyms that have infiltrated the transportation industrypromising to disrupt the world as we know it. But what is TaaS, and why will this be an acronym that might deliver on its promise?
Kenco Group is known for its logistics services, but it is also becoming known for its innovation. Inside the Kenco Innovation Lab, next-generation solutions are being developed for today’s logistics companies.
McKinsey & Company has recently issued a report on potential impacts to the trucking and rail freight industries in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The report, “Four forces to watch in trucking and rail freight,” identifies critical structural issues that executives must pay attention to in the immediate future.
If it seems that freight brokerage – both digital and traditional services – are popping up on a daily basis, it could be because they are, or it at least it seems that way. Digital freight matchers (DFMs) include familiar names such as Convoy, CargoMatic, Haulfox and HaulHound. But what if you want to enter the space? Here are some tips on how to be successful as a DFM.
Any trucker knows the importance of directions. Have the right ones, and there is a good chance you can arrive on time. But incorrect directions, and not only will you be delayed, but your employer may be out money for that late arrival. A new app is hoping to change that.
The upcoming electronic logging device (ELD) rule is a great example of the type of mandated technological change coming to the trucking industry, and yet it serves as a great reminder of the importance to perform due diligence before adopting such technologies.
The transportation industry is ripe with startups hoping to be the one that disrupts a $726 billion industry, but without help, most don’t last. Dynamo is a Chattanooga-based venture capital firm that specializes in the logistics space and is helping a few of these startups gain a solid foothold in transportation.
Unlike some technologies, blockchain technology is not likely to displace many workers in the trucking industry. It does promise, however, to streamline financial operations and compliance reporting to make those operations more seamless, potentially saving fleets tens of thousands of dollars.
“The potential here is phenomenal. The match between what blockchain offers and the industry pain points is incredible,” says Bridget McDermott, vice president of Blockchain Business Development for IBM. So what exactly is blockchain?
Blockchain is a relatively new term used to describe a series of distributed databases that act as a tamper-proof, verifiable ledger. As with any new technology, blockchain has its own terminology. Here is a listing of some of the most important terms and their meanings.
Since the dawn of the shipping industry, brokers, carriers and shippers have struggled with rate price swings, sometimes due to conditions outside their control, such as weather or politics. TransFX, a Chattanooga-based company located in Freight Alley, is trying to help change that by offering “freight futures contracts.”
As the next generation of the Fuller and Quinn families take on leadership roles of U.S. Xpress, data is becoming more important than ever. Eric Fuller, who succeeds his father Max as CEO, says that technology is poised to change the industry in ways never before imagined.
With truck driver turnover approaching and even surpassing 100% at times, costing carriers thousands of dollars to replace them, many fleets are doing what they can to keep their current drivers. This includes increasing pay and benefits, but one company thinks it has a better way and it starts with communication.
Amazingly, there’s one area of the country where more than 80% of the nation’s freight travels through on its way to its final destination. It’s not Chicago, New York or Dallas. It’s not even in the center of the U.S. Meet Freight Alley.
A University of Michigan study found that only 9.7% of those surveyed said they have no concerns about fully autonomous vehicles. But what about driving alongside an 80,000-lb. autonomous big rig? These are already being tested on roads and could be operational within five years. Is the industry ready for the disruption autonomous trucks will cause?
Steve Sashihara, CEO of Princeton Consultants, recently spoke about disruptive technologies and Big Data in the transportation space. Here are 9 areas of impact he identified. Each slide represents the belief that industry stakeholders surveyed have in digital disruption. (Click the arrow to scroll through).
