Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

newsworthy

XPO to nearly double last-mile delivery network

Company to operate 85 service hubs by end of 2018.

Transport and logistics giant XPO Logistics Inc. plans to nearly double its current last-mile delivery network to 85 service hubs by the end of next year, the company said yesterday.

The expansion, which is currently underway, will position XPO's last-mile network within approximately 90 percent of the U.S. population, thus further reducing transit times, according to the Greenwich, Conn.-based company. In an interview in May, Chairman and CEO Brad Jacobs said XPO plans to execute last-mile deliveries of heavier consignments in one to two days by the end of the decade. The current benchmark for last-mile deliveries is 5 to 6 days./p>


XPO said it expects to open its next hubs in Birmingham, Ala.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Long Island, N.Y.; Los Angeles; Milwaukee, Wis.; Tulsa, Okla.; and Washington, D.C.

XPO handles nearly 13 million home and commercial deliveries a year, most of which involve the installation and assembly of appliances, large electronics, furniture, and other hard-to-handle items. Consumers are increasingly buying these products online, leading to the rapid growth of last-mile deliveries to the residence.

The Latest

More Stories

Digital truck

How digital twins can transform trucking operations

This story first appeared in the September/October issue of Supply Chain Xchange, a journal of thought leadership for the supply chain management profession and a sister publication to AGiLE Business Media & Events’' DC Velocity.

For the trucking industry, operational costs have become the most urgent issue of 2024, even more so than issues around driver shortages and driver retention. That’s because while demand has dropped and rates have plummeted, costs have risen significantly since 2022.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

Something new for you

Regular online readers of DC Velocity and Supply Chain Xchange have probably noticed something new during the past few weeks. Our team has been working for months to produce shiny new websites that allow you to find the supply chain news and stories you need more easily.

It is always good for a media brand to undergo a refresh every once in a while. We certainly are not alone in retooling our websites; most of you likely go through that rather complex process every few years. But this was more than just your average refresh. We did it to take advantage of the most recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI).

Keep ReadingShow less
FTR trucking conditions chart

In this chart, the red and green bars represent Trucking Conditions Index for 2024. The blue line represents the Trucking Conditions Index for 2023. The index shows that while business conditions for trucking companies improved in August of 2024 versus July of 2024, they are still overall negative.

Image courtesy of FTR

Trucking sector ticked up slightly in August, but still negative

Buoyed by a return to consistent decreases in fuel prices, business conditions in the trucking sector improved slightly in August but remain negative overall, according to a measure from transportation analysis group FTR.

FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index improved in August to -1.39 from the reading of -5.59 in July. The Bloomington, Indiana-based firm forecasts that its TCI readings will remain mostly negative-to-neutral through the beginning of 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less
trucks parked in big lot

OOIDA cheers federal funding for truck parking spots

A coalition of truckers is applauding the latest round of $30 million in federal funding to address what they call a “national truck parking crisis,” created when drivers face an imperative to pull over and stop when they cap out their hours of service, yet can seldom find a safe spot for their vehicle.

The Biden Administration yesterday took steps to address that problem by including parking funds in its $4.2 billion in money from the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) grant program and the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program, both of which are funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Keep ReadingShow less
image of retail worker packing goods in a shopping bag

NRF: Retail sales increased again in September

Retail sales increased again in September as employment grew and inflation and interest rates fell, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF)’s analysisof U.S. Census Bureau data released today.

“While there have been some signs of tightening in consumer spending, September’s numbers show consumers are willing to spend where they see value,” NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said in a release. “September sales come amid the recent trend of payroll gains and other positive economic signs. Clearly, consumers continue to carry the economy, and conditions for the retail sector remain favorable as we move into the holiday season.”

Keep ReadingShow less