Parcel & Express

America’s Heartland Is Now a Battleground for Competing Hyperloops

February 28, 2018

Ohio, home to some of the fastest roller coasters in the world, may soon have a high-speed transport system that will actually take people somewhere other than back where they started.

Drones Gaining Acceptance in Healthcare

February 26, 2018

SupplyChainBrain

Drones have captured the imaginations of many logisticians. The uses for drones are expanding as more logistics providers test these devices in a number of ways, including inventory and yard management and, of course, delivery. While government guidelines remain either vague or non-existent, drones are being tested and implemented particularly within the healthcare industry to deliver medicines in remote areas as well as in general areas of the US and Europe. -Cathy Morrow Roberson, Founder/Head Analyst, Logistics Trends & Insights LLC

D.C. Has Given Elon Musk a Permit to Do a Little Digging for the Hyperloop

February 23, 2018

Los Angeles Times

It's not much now, just a parking lot with a discarded gin bottle and an old exterminator receipt.

How E-Commerce Has Changed the Landscape of the Parcel Industry

February 16, 2018

SupplyChainBrain

The parcel industry is projected to grow 9 percent annually to more than $343bn globally by 2020, according to Accenture, thanks to the increase in e-commerce orders, which are forecast to surpass $600bn by 2021 in the US alone. Parcel carriers are challenged in this era of explosive e-commerce growth to maintain historic profitability as the number of stops per delivery and the size of packages increase, while customer expectations for speedier deliveries continue to heighten. -Dan Clark, Founder and President, Kuebix

Parcel Carriers Manage Revenue and Finance as Disruption Impacts Business

February 16, 2018

SupplyChainBrain

The growth of e-commerce is transforming the last mile at a rapid rate. Start-ups such as Deliv, Roadie and Instacart, along with Amazon’s own logistics network build-out, have caused a shakeup in the traditional hub-and-spoke system that FedEx and UPS spent years building. As a result, the Big Two have become reactive by raising rates and increasing surcharges to maintain market position while investing in infrastructure to meet changing needs. -Paul Steiner, Vice President of Strategic Analysis, Spend Management Experts

Sam's Club, Vying With Costco and Amazon, Offers Free Shipping to Premium Members

February 16, 2018

Los Angeles Times

Sam's Club is offering free shipping for premium members and simplifying its membership tiers.

Trump Wants to Cut Food Stamps — and Replace Them With Blue Apron-Like Meal Kits

February 15, 2018

Fortune

The Trump administration wants to overhaul the longstanding food stamp program, replacing it with a box of canned goods that it has likened to Blue Apron — a high-end meal kit service.

Delivery of Online Bulky Items Creates New Competition for FedEx and UPS

February 14, 2018

SupplyChainBrain

Omnichannel fulfillment has been increasingly adopted by big-box retailers and other outlets with large brick-and-mortar footprints. Online sales of large bulky items, such as furniture and kitchen appliances, are a rapidly growing segment as shown by the growth of white glove delivery companies such as XPO Logistics. Reliance on these last-mile delivery companies and the physical nature of bulk size items will push omnichannel fulfillment adoption at an increasing rate. -Paul D'Arrigo, Vice President of Information Technology, Spend Management Experts

Airbus Shows Off Its New Automated Delivery Drone Service in Singapore

February 13, 2018

Fortune

Airbus is enthusiastically pushing into the drone segment — the company showed off its Alpha One drone taxi earlier this month — and now it has for the first time demonstrated drone-based package deliveries.

Robot Delivery Vans Are Arriving Before Self-Driving Cars

February 9, 2018

Bloomberg

The future of driverless driving looks like a giant toaster with a funny hat.

Parcel & Express

The latest news, analysis, services and systems regarding express and small shipments and their impact on global supply chains. Today’s companies are transporting and delivering perishables and manufactured goods in a more timely and efficient manner than ever before thanks, in part, to the boom in e-commerce. New technologies that provide information during express and small shipments are transforming the way companies do business - and allowing them to stay ahead of the competition in their industries. As these cargo services continue to evolve, businesses are discovering new ways to increase efficiency and cut costs. Learn how companies are using express shipping solutions to power their supply chains.