Technology
Commercial freight transportation businesses rely on data, intelligence, and novel solutions for operational efficiency. Transport Topics technology coverage investigates available technologies, real-world applications of business solutions, and the strategies necessary for advancement. News topics focus on the latest applied science, and issues range from autonomous vehicle and robotics innovations to management software, tracking and transparency, data analytics, blockchain, and the internet of things.
The Future of Freight: What's Your Vision?
How will technology and innovation change the way freight is transported? Tell us what you think the future will be like and we could feature your ideas in an upcoming edition of Transport Topics.
April 2, 2018Best Trucking Management Software Buyer’s Guide
For growing carriers, choosing the right Trucking Management Software (TMS) is vital for the efficiency and growth of your transportation business. As we move into 2024, it's crucial to understand the key features and considerations that make a TMS solution stand out, and which ones play to your unique operation.
States Explore Drone Technologies to Improve Data, Save Time
Drone programs can expand traffic management and bridge inspection opportunities for states, but they can also create savings to benefit other projects, according to one transportation official whose agency has been using the devices for nearly a year.
On-Demand Shipping Firm Shyp Calls It Quits
Shyp, a Silicon Valley packaging and delivery startup that promised to make shipping almost anything anywhere around the world as easy as two taps on a smartphone, has shut down after four years in business.
Uber Crash Sparks Talk of Tighter Rules for Self-Driving Vehicles
U.S. lawmakers have applied a light touch in regulating robot cars. At the national level, the Trump administration has proclaimed that driverless-car guidelines should be “entirely voluntary” for automakers, and bills pending in Congress would clear the way to putting tens of thousands of autonomous cars on the road — orders of magnitude more than the few hundred in the country today — before federal safety regulations are set.
Detroit Area’s Cutting-Edge Center for Self-Driving Vehicles Set to Open
The only engineering facility built expressly to test self-driving vehicles will officially open April 4 at the historic 335-acre Willow Run site just west of Detroit.
Opinion: Uber Restricts Driver Hours; Should Others Follow Suit?
In an effort to combat drowsy driving, Uber announced on Feb. 12 new national rules that restrict drivers to 12-hour shifts with mandatory 6-hour breaks in between. Uber will enforce the rule through a new drive-time function in its driver app, which will first warn drivers and then temporarily cut off their access to the app, which is their only conduit to receive ride requests. The Uber announcement drove a lot of media coverage, almost all of it positive, but it also left open opportunities to do more to improve safety.
Ohio Logistics Firm Buys Property in Anticipation of Autonomous Trucks
Jarrett Cos. has purchased a 53-acre property in Seville, Ohio, that it expects eventually will be used by driverless, autonomous trucks.
April 2, 2018Why Fleets Should Be Looking Beyond ELD
With the ELD Mandate deadline looming, fleets are understandably focused on ensuring they’re compliant. But many fleets are planning to minimally comply – for them, ELDs will always be a cost center. For fleets taking a long-term view, however, ELDs can mean profit.
April 1, 2018Uber Isolated by Partners and Competitors in Aftermath of Crash
Uber Technologies Inc. has found itself isolated a little more than a week after one of its self-driving SUVs hit and killed a pedestrian in Arizona.
Convoy Takes Aim at Driver Detention, Expands Connected Freight Network
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Digital freight broker Convoy is taking action to mitigate a top frustration for truck drivers — excessive wait times at shipper and consignee facilities — as it continues to expand its network of connected carriers and shippers.