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Warehousing & Distribution

EV charging infrastructure is not keeping up with driver demand

Despite decreased incentives and regulations over the past year for U.S. drivers to purchase electric vehicles (EVs), charging infrastructure is still not keeping up with driver demand, according to a report from charging solution provider ChargePoint.The number of EVs on the road is growing faster than the charging infrastructure needed to support them, the California-based firm said.Whether charging demand is evaluated by volume or utilization,...

Emily Miller in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-07-02 11:21

Werner acquires dedicated fleet specialist FirstFleet

Transportation provider Werner Enterprises Inc. has acquired First Enterprises Inc., a Tennessee-based, privately-owned dedicated trucking company, for $245 million. Separately, Omaha, Nebraska-based Werner will also pay $37.8 million to acquire a portfolio of 11 real estate properties from First Enterprises, which does business as FirstFleet.According to Werner, the two moves establish it as the fifth-largest dedicated carrier in the U.S., meani...

David Williams in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-07-01 18:38

How a cookware company is using Amazon’s supply chain services

Small and mid-sized manufacturers increasingly leverage comprehensive distribution platforms to streamline inventory management and logistics operations. Recent implementations demonstrate significant time reallocation potential—executives report reduction of daily operational oversight from 30+ hours weekly to under six hours through automated replenishment and coordinated logistics systems.This operational compression enables strategic resource...

Aurora Cruz in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-06-30 18:08

Fleets adjust focus from efficiency to resilience, Geotab says

The fleet sector is facing a perfect storm of inflation, high interest rates, and a cycle of mass fleet asset retirement referred to as “the pandemic echo,” according to a report from Geotab, a provider of video telematics and asset tracking solutions.Against those challenges, operational efficiency remains a priority, but resilience—the ability to absorb market shocks without losing momentum—has emerged as the primary survival strategy. That is ...

Robert Davis in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-06-29 11:13

Walmart $330M Opelousas DC Automation Plan to Double Shipping Capacity

Walmart will pump $330 million into its 1.2 million-square-foot regional distribution hub in Opelousas, Louisiana, starting in 2026, aiming to double daily throughput with hundreds of autonomous vehicles while keeping 1,900 existing workers on the payroll. Walmart Opelousas Hub to Double Volume After $330M Upgrade The multiyear overhaul will add self-guided forklifts, high-density storage racks and IoT sensors throughout the facility that now shi...

Nora Sanchez in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-06-28 11:45

8-Point Checklist for Choosing a Third-Party Warehousing Partner

Vacancy rate at 4.5 % pushes fast-growing firms to screen third-party warehouses on eight hard metrics before peak seasonTight market raises stakes for provider selectionOnly 4.5 % of Class-A industrial space is empty in major U.S. markets, and e-commerce tenants are signing leases 2.5 times faster than traditional retailers. The wrong choice now costs more than a few cents per pallet: overflow to backup buildings can add 8-12 % to parcel shippin...

Evelyn Powell in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-06-24 11:21

A. Duie Pyle to build warehouse and LTL hub near Port of Virginia

Transportation and supply chain solution provider A. Duie Pyle today said it has broken ground on an integrated logistics campus designed to support warehouse operations, less than truckload (LTL) cross-dock services, and transloading moves in the Norfolk region, specifically serving the Port of Virginia.The company purchased the 43-acre site in Suffolk, Virginia, from Rockefeller Group and Matan Companies, which operate a planned logistics facil...

David Davis in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-06-23 11:47

Tesla to install battery chargers at some Pilot truckstops to support Tesla Semi

After Tesla recently shared plans to ramp up for volume production of its Tesla Semi battery electric truck in 2026, the company has now announced a deal to install specialized battery charging stations at certain locations of the Pilot Travel Centers truck stop network.To keep those new electric trucks running, Tesla said it would provide Semi Chargers to facilitate heavy-duty electric vehicle truck charging. Expected to open in Summer 2026, the...

Jennifer Johnson in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-06-21 18:08

Chicago I-294/I-290 Interchange Tops 2026 List of Worst U.S. Truck Bottlenecks

Chicago’s Interstates 294 and 290/88 junction west of downtown has overtaken Fort Lee, New Jersey, as the nation’s slowest freight corridor, according to the American Transportation Research Institute’s 2026 bottleneck rankings released February 24.Chicago Interchange Now Ranked Worst Freight BottleneckThe Hillside interchange climbed from second to first in ATRI’s 15-year tally after 2025 data showed trucks averaging 25.4 mph at rush hour—barely...

Jane Davis in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-06-18 11:55

10 Warehousing & Distribution Trends Reshaping Operations in 2026

Warehousing Transforms Into Strategic Growth Engine Distribution centers have moved from cost centers to customer-facing profit drivers, forcing firms to re-engineer every workflow for speed, accuracy, and transparency. Analytics Replace Instinct in Daily Operations Warehouse managers who once relied on clipboards and gut calls now start each shift reviewing forecast-confidence scores, labor-heat maps, and dynamic slotting suggestions. Facilities...

Amelia Rhodes in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-06-17 11:29

Private equity-backed CargoSprint adds Dray Dog to its quiver

The private equity-backed freight payment platform provider CargoSprint has acquired Dray Dog, a port drayage software platform, saying the move expands its landside execution capabilities and deepens its commitment to motor carriers.Founded in 2012, Atlanta-based CargoSprint says it enhances efficiency in cargo operations, with a focus on the “middle mile.” It offers its flagship products—SprintPay, SprintPass, and eModal—to users such as freigh...

John Johnson in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-06-16 18:16

DAT: Spot market rates showed welcome increase in January

Truckload freight volumes declined in January following the holiday shipping season, while spot market rates continued to build on December gains, reported DAT Freight & Analytics.That change was measured by the firm’s DAT Truckload Volume Index (TVI), which measures demand for truckload services. The index declined month over month for van and refrigerated (“reefer”) loads, reflecting a post-holiday slowdown in retail and food shipments: Van...

Jennifer Johnson in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-06-15 18:26

FedEx firms up plan to spin off LTL division on June 1

FedEx has taken two steps closer to its goal of spinning off its FedEx Freight division, saying when the new company launches on June 1, it will instantly become the country’s largest less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier.First announced 12 months ago, the plan has met with approval from financial analysts and from stock market investors.To reach that goal, FedEx said Friday it had filed a Form 10 registration statement with the U.S. Securities and E...

Sarah Williams in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-06-14 18:50

Order Picking Labor Shortage: Warehouse Ergonomics & Automation Solutions

Order picking has become the toughest role to staff in U.S. distribution centers, with 20% of warehouse operators telling industry surveyors they cannot keep the positions filled and annual turnover topping 25%. Order picking now drives 55% of warehouse budgets Pick-and-pack labor swallows more than half of a typical facility’s operating budget, a share that keeps rising as same-day shipping windows shrink. A single picker can walk 8-12 miles per...

Joseph Osborne in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-06-13 18:32

PlusAI and Traton Expand $25M Partnership for Autonomous Trucking

Traton to Invest $25 Million in PlusAI for Level-4 Truck AutonomyTraton Group will pump up to $25 million into Silicon-Valley software house PlusAI so that Scania, MAN, and International lorries can leave the factory with Level-4 highway autonomy already built in, the companies said Tuesday, extending a two-year collaboration.Traton Ups R&D Spend to $25 MillionThe capital—released in quarterly tranches tied to hardware validation, code delivery, ...

Jane Davis in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-06-12 11:29

Truck Freight Market Q4 2025: Shipments Up 1.5%, Spending Rises 4.6%

U.S. truck freight ended 2025 with its first quarter-over-quarter shipment gain since mid-2022, yet freight volumes remain 15% below pre-recession levels, according to the U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index released this week.Q4 Truck Shipments Rise 1.5% Despite Prolonged SlumpThe seasonally adjusted data show 1.5% more loads moved nationally in October-December than in Q3, the first sequential uptick in ten quarters. While modest, the improvement b...

John Davis in Warehousing & Distribution 2026-06-12 18:42