BNSF Railway Co. says it has seen the future, and it is electric—or at least hybrid-electric. The Fort Worth, Texas-based railroad will soon "electrify" a number of its vehicles, including cranes, trucks, loaders, and trains, as part of an upcoming clean technology pilot in California. About half the cost of the $45 million project will be covered by a $22.6 million "Zero and Near Zero Emission Freight Facilities" grant from the California Air Resources Board.
Among the clean vehicles to be used in the pilot are a Taylor all-electric side loader, a BYD all-electric drayage truck, and two hybrid rubber-tire gantry cranes from Mi-Jack, which have the ability to reduce emissions by 70 percent compared with diesel versions.
BNSF will also partner with GE Transportation on a battery-electric locomotive that will be paired with diesel locomotives to power a freight train traveling from Stockton, Calif., to Barstow. This battery-electric locomotive will generate 2,400 kilowatt-hours of power and could potentially reduce a freight train's total fuel consumption by at least 10 to 15 percent, according to GE.
"Battery-powered or hybrid locomotives are promising technologies for the rail industry, with the potential to reduce operating costs and emissions," Dominique Malenfant, vice president for global technology at GE Transportation, said in a release. "This project will give us tremendous insight into the capabilities of battery power and the best operational methods of leveraging the technology."
These clean technology initiatives will build on BNSF's existing investments in sustainable technologies, including idle control, electric wide-span cranes, electric hostlers, automated gates at its intermodal facilities, and Tier 4 locomotives.
Ashwin Rao will serve as the company’s principal AI architect, after a career in which he served from 2016 to 2022 as the head of AI for Target Corp., where he led a team that developed mathematical models for pricing, merchandising, customer experience, supply chain logistics, and other functions. Previous to that role, he worked in the finance sector on Wall Street, and is currently an adjunct professor of applied mathematics at Stanford University.
“The opportunities to use AI to transform the building products distribution industry are endless,” Rao said in a release. “I’m excited to get started on dozens of AI workstreams that, combined with advantages of scale, will help QXO increase efficiency, optimize supply chains and add value for our customers.”
He joins QXO as the company is preparing to target tens of billions of dollars of annual revenue over the next decade through accretive acquisitions and organic growth, the company says. According to Jacobs, who is the company’s chairman and CEO, AI will play an important role in that approach. “Artificial intelligence will permeate everything we do at QXO, including demand forecasting, inventory management, and e-commerce,” Jacobs said. “Ashwin is recognized as one of the brightest minds in enterprise AI. He will be instrumental in making QXO the most tech-forward company in the industry.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Aptean said the move will add new capabilities to its warehouse management and supply chain management offerings for manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, and 3PLs. Aptean currently provides enterprise resource planning (ERP), transportation management systems (TMS), and product lifecycle management (PLM) platforms.
Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Durham, U.K., Indigo Software provides software designed for mid-market organizations, giving users real-time visibility and management from the initial receipt of stock all the way through to final dispatch of the finished product. That enables organizations to optimize an array of warehouse operations including receiving, storage, picking, packing, and shipping, the firm says.
Specific sectors served by Indigo Software include the food and beverage, fashion and apparel, fast moving consumer goods, automotive, manufacturing, 3PL, chemicals, and wholesale / distribution verticals.
Online merchants should consider seven key factors about American consumers in order to optimize their sales and operations this holiday season, according to a report from DHL eCommerce.
First, many of the most powerful sales platforms are marketplaces. With nearly universal appeal, 99% of U.S. shoppers buy from marketplaces, ranked in popularity from Amazon (92%) to Walmart (68%), eBay (47%), Temu (32%), Etsy (28%), and Shein (21%).
Second, they use them often, with 61% of American shoppers buying online at least once a week. Among the most popular items are online clothing and footwear (63%), followed by consumer electronics (33%) and health supplements (30%).
Third, delivery is a crucial aspect of making the sale. Fully 94% of U.S. shoppers say delivery options influence where they shop online, and 45% of consumers abandon their baskets if their preferred delivery option is not offered.
That finding meshes with another report released this week, as a white paper from FedEx Corp. and Morning Consult said that 75% of consumers prioritize free shipping over fast shipping. Over half of those surveyed (57%) prioritize free shipping when making an online purchase, even more than finding the best prices (54%). In fact, 81% of shoppers are willing to increase their spending to meet a retailer’s free shipping threshold, FedEx said.
In additional findings from DHL, the Weston, Florida-based company found:
43% of Americans have an online shopping subscription, with pet food subscriptions being particularly popular (44% compared to 25% globally). Social Media Influence:
61% of shoppers use social media for shopping inspiration, and 26% have made a purchase directly on a social platform.
37% of Americans buy from online retailers in other countries, with 70% doing so at least once a month. Of the 49% of Americans who buy from abroad, most shop from China (64%), followed by the U.K. (29%), France (23%), Canada (15%), and Germany (13%).
While 58% of shoppers say sustainability is important, they are not necessarily willing to pay more for sustainable delivery options.
Schneider says its FreightPower platform now offers owner-operators significantly more access to Schneider’s range of freight options. That can help drivers to generate revenue and strengthen their business through: increased access to freight, high drop and hook rates of over 95% of loads, and a trip planning feature that calculates road miles.
“Collaborating with owner-operators is an important component in the success of our business and the reliable service we can provide customers, which is why the network has grown tremendously in the last 25 years,” Schneider Senior Vice President and General Manager of Truckload and Mexico John Bozec said in a release. "We want to invest in tools that support owner-operators in running and growing their businesses. With Schneider FreightPower, they gain access to better load management, increasing their productivity and revenue potential.”
Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, but Mode Global said it will now assume Jillamy's comprehensive logistics and freight management solutions, while Jillamy's warehousing, packaging and fulfillment services remain unchanged. Under the agreement, Mode Global will gain more than 200 employees and add facilities in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Florida, Texas, Illinois, South Carolina, Maryland, and Ontario to its existing national footprint.
Chalfont, Pennsylvania-based Jillamy calls itself a 3PL provider with expertise in international freight, intermodal, less than truckload (LTL), consolidation, over the road truckload, partials, expedited, and air freight.
"We are excited to welcome the Jillamy freight team into the Mode Global family," Lance Malesh, Mode’s president and CEO, said in a release. "This acquisition represents a significant step forward in our growth strategy and aligns perfectly with Mode's strategic vision to expand our footprint, ensuring we remain at the forefront of the logistics industry. Joining forces with Jillamy enhances our service portfolio and provides our clients with more comprehensive and efficient logistics solutions."