Truck platooning happens when a fleet of trucks drives closely together with very little following distance between each vehicle. It is a way of maximizing the capacity of a road while also saving on fuel consumption. The University of Purdue aims to study truck platooning technologies to help industry partners with their research. Truck platooning…
The trucking industry is crucial to the success of the American economy. Shipping by truck is typically less expensive than air freight. In addition, trucks can reach more locations than container ships, rail cars, and other types of transportation. That’s why it’s not surprising that the freight truck industry is expected to grow dramatically over…
Driverless trucks are undergoing testing in several states, and Ohio is creating the ideal testing environment with its “smart” road plan. The state plans to build this road over a 35 mile stretch. Take a look at what the state hopes to accomplish with this smart road.
Amazon is testing online grocery shopping and delivery in key cities, and Walmart and several other grocers have implemented online grocery shopping with store pickup programs. This is a grocery shopping trend that will continue in 2017. Check out why it’s booming and how it’s affecting retail logistics.
At the end of 2016, cargo imports surged. Retailers had experienced strong holiday spending and were stocking up on inventory for 2017. The increased container cargo volume was a welcome change from the lows of 2016, when overcapacity and weak demand caused rates to drop to the lowest they had been in years. This even…
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for administering the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for families in the U.S. who don’t have the resources to buy sufficient groceries. The program is getting an upgrade in 2017 with the introduction of online grocery shopping. Starting in the summer of 2017, some program participants…
It’s typical for shipping rates to increase every year to accommodate employees’ annual salary increases and new technology upgrades. At the end of 2016, however, UPS, FedEx, and the United States Postal Service (USPS) increased their rates higher than what’s normally expected. It’s important to understand shipping rates when choosing a delivery service provider because…
It will still be a decade or more before driverless trucks and other vehicles are commonplace in the shipping industry, but Otto just made an important step towards this reality. The Uber subsidiary made the first revenue-generating shipment by driverless truck on October 20, 2016.
Gold is one of those precious metals that has remained popular throughout history. The demand for gold has gone up and down, but overall it has experienced an upward trend. The price of gold saw a sharp increase in 2016, and it’s proving to be resilient in foreign markets. Analysts continue to debate if the…
Staple grains like wheat and rice were produced in record numbers in 2016. This high level of production has helped stabilize the global food market and keep the world food import bill low. This is good news for consumers who have faced increasingly higher prices for staple grains over the last few years.