💚 Expressing Clean Efficiency



Good morning! Welcome to "The Workday Dash," your source for all things supply chain and logistics! As we celebrate National Miner's Day, we extend our appreciation to the dedicated individuals who work tirelessly beneath the earth's surface to extract the precious resources that keep our industries moving.

So, grab your hard hat and join us on this subterranean journey through the intricate world of logistics, where every day is a race against the clock. ⛏👷🏽

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APM Terminals Unveils 'Clean Truck Express' Lane, a Game-Changer for Port Efficiency and Sustainability

On December 5, APM Terminals is ready to launch its "Clean Truck Express" lane at Pier 400 Los Angeles, exclusively catering to vehicles registered in the Port of Los Angeles "Clean Truck Program." With more than 3,000 trucks entering the terminal's gates daily and a staggering 850,000 truck transactions in the past year, this specialized lane will streamline gate-in procedures, resulting in reduced energy consumption and emissions, all while bolstering operational efficiency. This endeavor is a collaborative venture involving Pier 400, local trucking communities, and industry pioneers, aligning seamlessly with APM Terminals' objective of achieving net-zero emissions by 2040.

Check out today’s featured article from Supply Chain Brain to learn more about this new “Clean Lane” that is opening up at Pier 400 in Los Angeles. Will this be a huge milestone in clean trucking?


Featured Article

'Clean Truck Express' Lane To Open at Pier 400 Los Angeles | Supply Chain Brain

APM Terminals says it will open its “Clean Truck Express” lane at its Pier 400 Los Angeles terminal starting December 5, a dedicated lane exclusively for vehicles registered in the Port of Los Angeles “Clean Truck Program.”


Rail & Network Association

Virginia Secures $59.9 Million Logistics Expansion Project in Norfolk

A subsidiary of Belgium's Katoen Natie, a logistics provider, plans a $59.9 million expansion in Norfolk, Virginia. The expansion includes constructing a 450,000-square-foot warehouse, and a rail yard, and expanding the existing rail spur to meet growing demand.

This facility plays a vital role in handling plastic resin pellets, transported in bulk railcars to the warehouse for packaging and loading onto intermodal containers for international shipments through the Port of Virginia. This expansion is set to create 76 new jobs in the Hampton Roads area, underscoring confidence in Virginia's supply chain and logistics sector.

Read more from TT News ▶


Bankruptcies & Auction

Yellow LTL Closure Spurs Billion-Dollar Auction to Settle Debts

Following the closure of the LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) company and the subsequent layoffs of its workforce, along with the redirection of its freight to competitors, a recent auction has successfully generated over one billion dollars in total real estate proceeds. These funds will be utilized to settle Yellow's debts, including a substantial $700 million COVID-19 relief loan from the federal government. This repayment effectively eliminates any chance of a last-minute rescue attempt by auto carrier Jack Cooper Transport, which would have necessitated an extension of the loan from the Treasury Department, originally due in 2024.

The auction for Yellow's terminals began on November 28 and lasted approximately one week, occurring within a federal bankruptcy court in Wilmington, Delaware. The bankruptcy court had previously authorized auctioneers Ritchie Bros. and Nations Capital to oversee the sale of Yellow's extensive inventory, comprising roughly 60,000 trucks, trailers, and other equipment.

Read more from Trucking Dive ▶


Let’s Get Global 🌎

Checking out the scoop outside of the United States…

📦 UPS Plans to Construct Automated Sorting Hub at Hong Kong Airport. UPS has announced its plans to build a larger package sorting hub at Hong Kong International Airport near the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. The new facility, about four times the size of UPS' current one, will significantly increase processing capacity to handle up to 15,000 packages per hour and is set to be completed by 2028. The automated hub will cover 215,000 square feet and feature advanced technology like six-sided camera bar-code scanning and CT technology x-ray scanners.

🌊 Chaos in Panama as U.S. Diesel Shippers Opt to Bypass Canal. Due to worsening bottlenecks at the drought-affected Panama Canal, a U.S. diesel shipper, Green Sky, is taking an alternative route around South America to reach Chile, marking the first such journey for Gulf Coast diesel since 2020. Instead of using the canal, the vessel is traveling down South America's eastern coast towards the Strait of Magellan, adding approximately a week to its voyage. This route change comes as freight rates reach record highs due to prolonged delays caused by low water levels at the Panama Canal, making it more expensive to transport fuel from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Chile.


iLevel With You 🏡

More topics for the average American household to consider…

🔋 Electric Vehicles Face Challenges Unrelated to Their Electrification. Consumer Reports' annual auto reliability survey reveals that electric vehicles (EVs) tend to have 79% more problems than traditional vehicles, primarily because most EVs are new models. These issues are attributed to the challenges of introducing new technology and features, rather than inherent flaws, with EVs often incorporating advanced technology that can introduce more opportunities for malfunctions.

🚂 Union Pacific's Phoenix Intermodal Terminal Aims to Attract Regional Shippers. Union Pacific is launching a unique intermodal service linking the Los Angeles Basin and Phoenix, aiming to shift truck traffic to rail and potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 25,214 metric tons annually. This service will primarily serve shippers with large items transporting goods from Arizona and the Southeast U.S. to the Los Angeles ports, with initial drayage support provided by Duncan and Son Lines.

🚛 Enhancing Highway Safety: The Role of Speed Limiters and AEB Technology. Following a tragic highway crash in Ohio, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is considering mandates for automatic emergency braking (AEB) and speed limiters on heavy-duty trucks, aiming to enhance road safety. While supporters believe these mandates could prevent accidents and save lives, debates persist due to concerns about the effectiveness, cost, and reported issues with AEB technology, such as "phantom braking," particularly among smaller operators and owner-operators.


Get Smart 🧠

Ramp up that brain power for these advanced topics…

📈 Amazon to Enhance AWS Supply Chain Capabilities for Enhanced Logistics Support. In 2024, Amazon plans to expand its Amazon Web Services (AWS) Supply Chain capabilities by introducing four new features aimed at improving various aspects of the supply chain, such as supplier orders, material forecasts, and sustainability tracking. These additions are intended to streamline communication with suppliers, provide valuable insights, and offer AI-driven decision support to enhance upstream supply chain processes dealing with fluctuating raw material pricing and availability.

👨🏽‍💼 DOT Implements FLOW Initiative to Enhance Freight Connectivity. The Biden administration has established the Office of Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy, launching the Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW) program, a public-private partnership aimed at improving supply chain efficiency. FLOW participants, including motor carriers like C&K, Gulf Winds, NFI Industries, and Werner, use data to inform logistics decisions, reduce bottlenecks, cut lead times, and enhance supply chain resilience, aligning with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's focus on improving supply chain connectivity, particularly during high-demand periods.

🔋 Synop Targets Supply Chain Transformation with EV Drayage Trucks. New York-based company Synop, specializing in charging and energy management software for commercial electric vehicles (EVs), is targeting the logistics sector by focusing on drayage trucks that transport freight from ports to distribution centers. Synop's co-founder Gagan Dhillon believes that drayage trucks are an ideal entry point for commercial EV adoption in the logistics industry. The advancements in battery technology and the increased range of battery-electric trucks make them suitable for operators looking to decarbonize supply chain segments.


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