As both consumers and folks who rely on freight transportation, we're all aware of skyrocketing fuel prices. But you have to ask, why are we even in this predicament?
Mitch Mac Donald has more than 30 years of experience in both the newspaper and magazine businesses. He has covered the logistics and supply chain fields since 1988. Twice named one of the Top 10 Business Journalists in the U.S., he has served in a multitude of editorial and publishing roles. The leading force behind the launch of Supply Chain Management Review, he was that brand's founding publisher and editorial director from 1997 to 2000. Additionally, he has served as news editor, chief editor, publisher and editorial director of Logistics Management, as well as publisher of Modern Materials Handling. Mitch is also the president and CEO of Agile Business Media, LLC, the parent company of DC VELOCITY and CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly.
In what's developing into a tradition, my thoughts have again wandered this spring to matters that aren't strictly related to logistics but nonetheless touch all our lives (at least if we're U.S. citizens). Let's start with taxes. Boy, what a mess.
Like many of you, I spent the first decades of my career working for someone else. My taxes were deducted from each paycheck and handed over to Uncle Sam before I could ever miss the money. Before long, I had stopped noticing how deep my "uncle" was reaching into my pocket.
But now that I work for myself, it's impossible not to notice. As a partner in an LLC (limited liability corporation), I'm required to estimate my taxes and send a payment to the IRS every three months. That means instead of enduring a little blood-letting with each paycheck, I basically just open a vein each quarter.
Now that I have to write the IRS a check for several thousand dollars every three months, I can't avoid noticing the size of the tax burden. And, candidly, it is outrageous. But (and excuse the modern-day cliché) where's the outrage? Why are we so willing to hand over 30, 40, even 50 percent of our hard-earned dollars without complaint?
I suspect most of us are unaware of what's happening. And I have a modest proposal for bringing this outrage to the public's attention: Stop automatic withholding. Just eliminate it altogether. Instead, make every American pay his or her fine (er, income taxes) on a quarterly basis. I'd bet nothing would get the public's attention faster than having to write quarterly checks to the government for amounts that are double, triple or quadruple the size of their monthly mortgage payment. Put a system like that in place, and the outrage is sure to boil over sooner rather than later.
And another thing ...
As I sit here fuming over my quarterly tax payments, I'm reminded of another cause for outrage. And in this case, it's our own fault.
As both consumers and folks who rely on freight transportation, we're all aware of skyrocketing fuel prices. The increases have been (sorry) outrageous. But you have to ask, why are we even in this predicament?
Well, we know why. The talking heads on the Sunday morning news programs tell us that the shortages are due to problems in Iran, in Venezuela, and even here in the United States (largely because of hurricane-related damage to drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico).
But this isn't the first time we've found ourselves in this dilemma. Gas shortages date back to the early 1970s. Some of us certainly remember waiting in gas lines for hours. So why haven't we found ways to insulate ourselves from supply fluctuations by now?
It's not that it can't be done. In fact, the folks in Brazil have done it. While Americans simply reverted to their old ways once the spot shortages of the '70s had eased, Brazil got on the stick and put in place a long-term solution. It took 30 years to get there, but as of the beginning of this year, Brazil has declared itself energy independent. Using alternative fuels, most notably ethanol, the nation is able to meet all of its energy needs without having to import oil from anyone.
Think how different our lives would be if we could make foreign policy decisions without weighing the implication to our all-important fossil fuel feeds. Our representatives in Washington should take a closer look at what's been done in Brazil.
Perhaps they need to hear more from us about this issue (and the quarterly tax idea).What do you say, folks, time to spark a little outrage? I think we're long overdue.
Put another way, only 6% of Fortune 500 companies scored an A for their cybersecurity efforts, as companies worldwide hustle to defend against threats caused by the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks, coupled with the expanding attack surface due to cloud adoption, remote work, and complex supply chains.
That assessment comes from a Cybernews Business Digital Index report from the Vilnius, Lithuania-based group, which evaluated risk across seven key areas: software patching, web application security, email security, system reputation, SSL Configuration, system hosting, and data breach history.
Despite those poor results, the category of transportation and logistics companies had the highest share of A-level companies (20%). That was following by technology and IT (18%), healthcare and pharmaceuticals (10%), and construction and engineering (9%), the security experts found.
Waves of change are expected to wash over workplaces in the new year, highlighted by companies’ needs to balance the influx of artificial intelligence (AI) with the skills, capabilities, and perspectives that are uniquely human, according to a study from Top Employers Institute.
According to the Amsterdam-based human resources (HR) consulting firm, 2025 will be the year that the balance between individual and group well-being will evolve, blending personal empowerment with collective goals. The focus will be on creating environments where individual contributions enhance the overall strength of teams and organizations, and where traditional boundaries are softened to allow for greater collaboration and inclusion.
Those were the findings of the group’s report titled "World of work trends 2025: The collective workforce.” The study was based on data drawn from the anonymized responses of 2,175 global participants of the Top Employers Institute’s HR Best Practices Survey for 2025, and 2,200 organizations from its 2024 edition.
To cope with those broad trends, the report found that companies must adopt “systems thinking,” a way of understanding how different parts of a system—whether an organization or a society—are connected and influence each other. Leaders who learn that skill can design holistic strategies that align employee needs with organizational priorities and broader societal challenges, the group said.
Toward that goal, the report highlights five trends that are reshaping and impacting the global workforce for 2025. They include:
Sustainable Workplaces - integrated partnership between society and organizations. In 2025, organizations will face growing pressure to address global challenges ranging from ethical AI use in the workplace to demographic changes like declining birth rates and an aging population. These issues are no longer isolated from business; they demand an integrated partnership between society and organizations. For example, labor shortages driven by demographic changes challenge companies to rethink their workforce strategies for future sustainability; for example, family-friendly offerings have increased substantially over the last year as employers acknowledge the reality that many more people are now responsible for aging relatives as well as young children.
New belonging – networking beyond to connect with various jobs, industries, and networks. Unlike previous generations, today’s employees change jobs and careers with greater fluidity, spanning multiple organizations over relatively short periods. This shift is reshaping the traditional, company-centered sense of belonging into a more dynamic, interconnected experience. Employees no longer expect to build lasting relationships solely within a single organization, but rather they form communities that stretch across various jobs, industries, and networks, sometimes even in public coworking spaces where the people they interact with daily may not even work for the same company. However, this fluidity offers companies a unique advantage: as employees move between organizations and interact with diverse professionals in shared spaces, they bring with them fresh ideas, innovations, and relationships that generate significant value.
Transforming experiences – “new collar” jobs. In 2025, we will see a substantial blurring of the traditional categories of “white collar” jobs—typically clerical, administrative, managerial, and executive roles—and “blue collar” jobs, which are typically found in the agriculture, manufacturing, construction, mining, or maintenance sectors. The nature of jobs once considered blue-collar has changed dramatically, thanks in no small part to advancements in technology, especially AI. Post pandemic, there seems to be a much higher demand in many places around the world for skilled trades and manual labor, coupled with a growing emphasis for needed skills over formal qualifications. This shift, sometimes described as the rise of “new collar” jobs, combines the technical expertise often associated with blue-collar work with the adaptability and digital skills needed in today’s job market.
Neuroinclusion - a competitive advantage. Organizations are also increasingly recognizing the advantages of including neurodivergent individuals in the workplace, hiring people with autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, and ADHD, as well as certain mental health conditions. In addition to bringing bringing unique perspectives and capabilities, these employees are also an important part of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). This practice often requires companies to provide accommodation, adjustments, and support, but 2025 will bring a more radical shift, as neuroinclusivity is evolving from an afterthought to a foundational principle in workplace design, culture, and HR policies.
AI-powered leadership - balance between human intuition and AI’s analytical power.
If 2024 marked AI’s disruption of highly skilled roles like software development and healthcare, 2025 will be the year AI reshapes the highest levels of leadership, bringing a new balance between human intuition and AI’s analytical power. In this evolving landscape, leadership is no longer an individual pursuit, but a collective effort changed by intelligent systems. AI is not just influencing mid-level roles; it is becoming a partner in the C-suite, helping leaders navigate complexity, understand team dynamics, and make strategic decisions that benefit the entire organization.
Transportation leaders, policymakers, administrators, and researchers from government, industry, and academia will gather January 5-9, 2025, in Washington, D.C., for the 104th annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB), sponsored by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
The meeting’s program covers all modes of transportation and features hundreds of sessions and workshops on various transportation-related topics. The theme for this year’s conference is how innovations in technology, business, and processes help support transportation’s role in a thriving society, according to TRB.
Speakers at this year’s event include TRB executives as well as federal, state, and international government leaders and policymakers. Discussions on zero-emissions freight, supply chain shifts, automated vehicles and roadway digital infrastructure, National Transportation Safety Board investigations, and other topics will take place throughout the week, according to TRB. Held every January in Washington, D.C., the TRB Annual Meeting attracts more than 13,000 attendees from throughout the United States and around the world.
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2024 International Foodservice Distributor Association’s (IFDA) National Championship
It’s probably safe to say that no one chooses a career in logistics for the glory. But even those accustomed to toiling in obscurity appreciate a little recognition now and then—particularly when it comes from the people they love best: their kids.
That familial love was on full display at the 2024 International Foodservice Distributor Association’s (IFDA) National Championship, which brings together foodservice distribution professionals to demonstrate their expertise in driving, warehouse operations, safety, and operational efficiency. For the eighth year, the event included a Kids Essay Contest, where children of participants were encouraged to share why they are proud of their parents or guardians and the work they do.
Prizes were handed out in three categories: 3rd–5th grade, 6th–8th grade, and 9th–12th grade. This year’s winners included Elijah Oliver (4th grade, whose parent Justin Oliver drives for Cheney Brothers) and Andrew Aylas (8th grade, whose parent Steve Aylas drives for Performance Food Group).
Top honors in the high-school category went to McKenzie Harden (12th grade, whose parent Marvin Harden drives for Performance Food Group), who wrote: “My dad has not only taught me life skills of not only, ‘what the boys can do,’ but life skills of morals, compassion, respect, and, last but not least, ‘wearing your heart on your sleeve.’”
The logistics tech firm incubator Zebox, a unit of supply chain giant CMA CGM Group, plans to show off 10 of its top startup businesses at the annual technology trade show CES in January, the French company said today.
Founded in 2018, Zebox calls itself an international innovation accelerator expert in the fields of maritime industry, logistics & media. The Marseille, France-based unit is supported by major companies in the sector, such as BNSF Railway, Blume Global, Trac Intermodal, Vinci, CEVA Logistics, Transdev and Port of Virginia.
To participate in that program, Zebox said it chose 10 French and American companies that are working to leverage cutting-edge technologies to address major industrial challenges and drive meaningful transformations:
Aerleum: CO2 capture and conversion technology producing cost-competitive synthetic fuels and chemicals, enabling decarbonization in hard-to-electrify sectors such as maritime and aviation. Akidaia (CES Innovation Award Winner 2024): Offline access control system offering robust cybersecurity, easy deployment, and secure operation, even in remote or mobile sites.
BE ENERGY: Innovative clean energy solutions recognized for their groundbreaking impact on sustainable energy.
Biomitech (CES Innovation Award Winner 2025): Air purification system that transforms atmospheric pollution into oxygen and biomass through photosynthesis.
Flying Ship Technologies, Corp,: Building unmanned, autonomous, and eco-friendly ground-effect vessels for efficient cargo delivery to tens of thousands of destinations.
Gazelle: Next-generation chargers made more compact and efficient by advanced technology developed by Wise Integration.
HawAI.tech: Hardware accelerators designed to enhance probabilistic artificial intelligence, promoting energy efficiency and explainability.
Okular Logistics: AI-powered smart cameras and analytics to automate warehouse operations, ensure real-time inventory accuracy, and reduce costs.
OTRERA NEW ENERGY: Compact modular reactor (SMR) harnessing over 50 years of French expertise to provide cost-effective, decarbonized electricity and heat.
Zadar Labs, Inc.: High-resolution imaging radars for surveillance, autonomous systems, and beyond.