SHIP IT Act gets the downvote from Teamsters
Good morning! We hope you had a restful weekend and are ready to tackle another week of moving mountains and changing the game. With so many moving pieces, it can feel like herding cats at times, but remember, you're the ones with the superpowers to make it all come together. 💪
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The Safer Highways and Increased Performance for Interstate Trucking (SHIP IT) Act has been introduced in Congress, but not everyone agrees on its benefits. While some have labeled it as a positive overhaul of the nation’s interstate trucking supply chain, others - such as Teamsters - are vocalizing their concerns. Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien reached out to members of Congress to oppose the bill, citing that the bill focuses only on “short-term” solutions to legal and economics issues in the commercial trucking sector.
Check out today’s featured article from The Trucker to read about the opposition to the SHIP IT Act by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. What are the pros and cons of this piece of legislation? ☕️
Featured Article:
Teamsters chief says SHIP IT Act threatens safety of workers, motorists | The Trucker
“Proposed legislation designed to make highways safer and streamline the flow of freight would actually make the nation’s roadways more dangerous, according to a Feb. 1 statement released by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.”
TMS & Artificial Intelligence 🤖
Can TMS systems evolve to better manage autonomous trucks?
Transportation Management Systems (TMS) can monitor autonomous vehicles in the trucking industry by integrating data from various sources and using advanced analytics to provide real-time visibility into the performance and behavior of autonomous vehicles. A TMS can integrate with the vehicle’s onboard telemetry systems to receive real-time data on the vehicle’s speed, location, fuel consumption, and other performance metrics. Additionally, a TMS can use GPS and other tracking technologies to monitor the real-time location and status of autonomous vehicles, providing dispatchers and other stakeholders with real-time visibility into the fleet’s performance.
A TMS can use predictive analytics to analyze large amounts of data and provide insights into the performance and behavior of autonomous vehicles. This can help companies identify trends and patterns and make informed decisions about their fleet. It can also monitor the compliance of autonomous vehicles with relevant regulations and standards, such as HOS regulations, to ensure that they are operating safely and efficiently - even without a human driver calling the shots behind the wheel.
American Politics & Transportation 🚛
DOT Secretary Buttigieg isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, he says
While some have voiced suspicions that the US Department of Transportation Pete Buttigieg may run for Senate in Michigan, the secretary himself is vocalizing his intention to remain in the Biden Administration. In an interview with Punchbowl News, Buttigieg states that the DOT was “in the middle of the action” and had no plans to leave President Biden’s cabinet.
The purpose of the Secretary of DOT is to provide leadership and direction to the Department, set its policies and priorities, and manage its programs and initiatives to achieve its mission of ensuring an efficient, safe, and secure transportation system for the American people. This position is responsible for overseeing the Department's numerous modes of transportation, including aviation, highways, transit, pipelines, and maritime transportation, and ensuring that they are safe, efficient, and environmentally sustainable.
iLevel With You 🏡
More topics for the average American household to consider…
🔋 The electric vehicle transition isn’t all butterflies and rainbows. Electric vehicles are often more expensive than their internal combustion engine counterparts, making them less accessible to the average consumer. Despite advances in battery technology, many electric vehicles still have a limited range, which can make long-distance driving challenging and can also limit the appeal of electric vehicles to consumers. While charging infrastructure is improving, there are still concerns about the availability and accessibility of charging stations, particularly in rural or remote areas. Electric vehicle batteries are large and complex, and the recycling and disposal of these batteries can be a challenge, particularly in countries with limited waste management infrastructure. Overall, the transition to a market of fully electric vehicles is complex and multi-faceted, and there are valid concerns and criticisms that need to be addressed in order to ensure a successful transition.
⚖️ Where there is a new technology, there are lawsuits. The age of Artificial Intelligence may be finally settling upon us, and lawsuits are already being filed against some of the biggest names in the game. ChatGPT has taken the world by a storm - some college students utilizing the app to write term papers and some companies (such as Buzzfeed) admitting they are using the AI bot to write their articles. Fall of 2022, anonymous copyright owners sued Open AI and Microsoft over allegedly infringing upon the rights of Github.
👑 Amazon had a tough year, but its goals are still enormous. Amazon, the “everything store” has become a regular staple in households across the globe. While the company announced a round of 18,000 layoffs recently, it doesn't change the trajectory of the company that wants to eclipse past its reputation of the quickest way to get anything delivered to your home. Amazon is now reaching its tendrils into the businesses involved in its marketplace, and even governments. Regulators should be wary…
Get Smart 🧠
Ramp up that brain power for these advanced topics…
😓 Intermodal freight experienced a difficult year in 2022. In order to increase total intermodal volume, Intermodal freight should focus on ensuring a sufficient number of containers and chassis are readily available at intermodal terminals to meet customer demand. Utilize technology such as real-time tracking to optimize equipment utilization and minimize downtime. Intermodal freight should actively communicate the benefits of intermodal transportation, such as reduced costs, improved environmental sustainability, and increased supply chain efficiency, to increase demand for its services.
👀 Supply chain visibility is the key. With real-time visibility into the status and location of goods in transit, businesses can make informed decisions about inventory management, production planning, and other critical processes. Improved visibility across the supply chain enables better collaboration and communication between suppliers, manufacturers, logistics providers, and customers, leading to more efficient and effective operations. Additionally, by minimizing the uncertainty and inefficiencies that arise from a lack of visibility, businesses can reduce costs associated with excess inventory, stockouts, and other operational issues.
⚖️ Weighing the pros and cons of reshoring. Supply chain Brain tackles this topic with Dan Dreyfus and Bob Bowman - is this shift toward re-shoring for the betterment of the supply chain? Ultimately, the decision to re-shore production will depend on a number of factors, including the costs and benefits of reshoring, the nature of the products being produced, and the company's overall business strategy and goals. Reshoring refers to the process of moving production back to a company's home country from overseas locations.
The Workday Dash is an aggregation of articles regarding the transportation logistics, trucking, and supply chain industries for November 28, 2024, from iLevel Logistics Inc.