Transportation TIP List: Week of December 4th, 2016

This past weekend, the regular NCAA football season concluded – and the playoffs are right around the corner. While the college teams are perfecting their playbooks with the best strategies for the upcoming big games, we too, are coming to the field with the top transportation industry trends. This week’s TIP List has a game plan for victory, including stories about Otto’s upcoming autonomous truck shipment and innovations in digital freight matching technologies. Tackle the full round-up of articles in this week’s TIP list!

• 8 Things Keeping Supply Chain Professionals Up At Night: Pressure to reduce transportation costs, adapt to changing customer demands and a constantly-uncertain market are currently on the minds of shippers.

• Autonomous Truck Startup Otto is Set to Haul Second Load: Otto, which is owned by Uber, made its first self-driving delivery last month and is scheduled to travel 35 miles next week on U.S. Route 33. This shipment will also include navigating through traffic.

• Should Freight Carriers Swipe Left on Digital Freight Matching?: Most of the conversation surrounding DFM — matching capacity with cargo using digital apps, like Uber does for drivers and passengers — has focused on how this new type of service will affect shippers.

• Trucker, Small Fleet Owner Delivers U.S. Capital Tree: After about 4,000 miles and a three-week journey from the Payette National Forest in Idaho, the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree arrived and was unloaded in Washington, D.C. last Monday.

•  Trucking Under Trump: Opportunities for Hours Reform: While the federal government’s ELD mandate is likely protected from interference from President-elect Trump, Republican control in Washington gives the industry hope for a more relaxed regulatory environment.

• CPG: The Post-Replenishment Supply Chain Challenge: E-commerce continues to not only grow, but also accelerate, and it now comprises over 8% of US retail sales. The industry has increased by at least 15% year-over-year for the past five quarters, and is defining the future.

• Class I Railroads Forced to Share Intermodal Network Efficiency Metrics: Intermodal shippers will get a closer look at how efficiently their freight is being moved, as U.S. federal rail regulators have adopted a new rule requiring all Class I railroads to report detailed weekly performance metrics.

What transportation industry trends are you planning for?