Musk announces Tesla Semi maiden voyages scheduled for Dec 1st
Good morning! Happy Tuesday, folks. Let’s hit the ground running.
“Our lives are defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss.” - Benjamin Button, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Elon Musk seems to always be in the news these days, but as of today, it is to announce the official December launch of the much-anticipated Tesla Semi Class 8. Five years after Musk unveiled the product, the Tesla Semi is scheduled to deliver to the Modesto, CA Frito-Lay plant, and the Sacramento, CA PepsiCo beverage plant on December 1st of this year. Early 2022 was when Tesla began accepting deposits of $20,000 for the Tesla Semi and many feared that production would be pushed back to 2023.
Check out today’s featured article from Trucking News to read about the long-awaited arrival of the Tesla Semi Class 8 and their scheduled maiden voyages this upcoming December. ☕️
Featured Article:
First Tesla Electric Semis to go to PepsiCo, Frito-Lay California Facilities | Trucking Info
“The battery-electric Tesla Semi Class 8 truck looks like it’s finally becoming a reality, five years after Elon Musk’s flashy introduction of the truck, with a scheduled December delivery to PepsiCo.”
Repair & Maintenance 🧰
Tech schools need further support to bolster the technician career path
A growing technician shortage has many scrambling to figure out how to fill spots in repair shops as the previous generation leaves or retires. According to a panel at the Fall 2022 HD Repair Forum, technical schools are the key and these programs should be heavily promoted.
Once students are enrolled in these programs, they need further support. Transitioning students into technicians is no easy task, and encouraging students to cultivate skills like adaptability and critical observation will come in handy when they officially enter the workforce.
Midterm Elections 🇺🇸
Battle for Senate majority remains a nail-biter | Politico
Politico contributor Steven Shepard writes about the upcoming Senate race and the uncertain balance - currently, it’s being polled that both Republicans and Democrats will win 50 seats.
Biden preaches patience to voters spooked by economic tumult | AP News
Economic instability is rocking the U.S. economy, and President Joe Biden is urging voters to “be patient” as they deal with persistent inflation and rising energy prices.
Air Cargo & Funding ✈️
FAA invests $31 million in air cargo infrastructure projects
The Federal Aviation Administration is opening its wallet and sending out $31 million in federal grants for nine different air cargo infrastructure projects at airports across the United States. Some projects receiving the funds include a new taxiway at the Chicago Rockford International Airport and the rehabilitation of 37,400 square yards of pavement at the Bishop International Airport in Flint, Michigan.
What’s being called the Airport Improvement Program is in place to create a more robust airport infrastructure for both passengers and goods. Labor constraints and airport congestion caused a flurry of issues across the United States over the summer of 2022, but the demand has cooled slightly.
Let’s Get Global 🌎
🇨🇳 China is feeling the slump. Covid-19 rules discouraged tourism in China this week during this year’s October Golden Week, sending its domestic spending on a downward trajectory. China’s consumer recovery is already struggling, and lower-than-expected holiday numbers are worrying those who are noticing the growing risks. Bejing’s Covid Zero policy is unlikely to be eased until March of 2023 and a deterioration of the world’s second-biggest economy signals a broader continent-wide economic downtown.
🇺🇸 The Pentagon is a global logistics hub. The United States military has more experience in air and ocean freight operations than many people probably realize. Being the world’s largest consumer of energy, the United States Department of Defense is also the world’s largest logistics organization, employer, and ship owner. In order to maintain nearly three million employees, the Pentagon required a detailed transportation network and the best of the best of their staff.
👗 Don’t worry, the Black Friday retail locations will be full. Regardless of imports hitting their lowest levels since early 2021, the shelves should be well-stocked this holiday season thanks to pre-planning. Retailers acted fast and early, making sure to buy up plenty of merchandise for the end of the year. This seems like it was the right move, considering China’s Zero Covid policy is still affecting manufacturing in the countermand reducing shipping capacity in the Pacific Ocean.
iLevel With You
More topics for the average American household to consider…
⚾️ There’s no crying in baseball. Oakland, California residents look like they may be footing the bill for the newly-proposed Howard Terminal Ballpark Complex, despite Oakland city officials originally promising otherwise. The ballpark and condominium complex to be built in the Port of Oakland’s Howard Terminal was publicly well-received at first, but media scrutiny on the project is growing. The Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA), the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), California Trucking Association, Schnitzer Steel, and the Harbor Trucking Association have filed a lawsuit against the complex.
🧸 Shortages to overages. Shoppers should take advantage of the retail store deals this holiday season as there is now an excessive amount of merchandise waiting to be sold off the shelves. During the peak season of 2021, it was a struggle to find certain items, such as video game consoles and fake Christmas trees. Now, in preparation, retail stores stocked up early and have an inventory glut that they are desperate to get rid of. Industry experts call this the bullwhip effect when the pendulum swings too far in the other direction.
🛢 Things are a little oily up in here. The Saudi Arabia and Russia-led Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) made a decision last week that has been condemned by The White House and President Biden directly. The decision of slashing oil production by two million barrels per day will have consequences and will lead gas prices to hike further as the U.S. midterm election season approaches quickly. This cut of oil production came Ono the heels of the group’s first in-person meeting since March 2020. About 2% of the global oil demand would be eliminated with this cut.
GET SMART
Ramp up that brain power for these advanced topics…
🤖 Walmart is bringing the robotics in-house. Alert Innovation, an Andover, Massachusettes-based start-up that manufactures automated storage and retrieval systems, has been acquired by retail giant Walmart. Terms of the acquisition were not publicly disclosed, but the move is expected to improve Walmart’s fulfillment of online grocery orders and other e-commerce segments. The two companies have been working together since 2019.
♻️ It’s not easy being green. Global supply chains are working to meet lofty net-zero goals, but the largest issue has been sourcing. Low-cost production, which has been the norm for companies across the globe, is now the more unattractive option. China has long held the gauntlet as the dominant manufacturer of consumer goods worldwide - but could that change? There is a growing interest in sustainable materials and promising alternatives to China could be Thailand, Vietnam, and India.
🐄 Ever heard of the “Purple Cow Theory”? Developed by Seth Godin, a marketing expert, the “purple cow theory” focuses on differentiating a company from those that are similar around it. It will always stand out. In the logistics realm, the “purple cow” in the group is one that is tech-orientated, and not stuck in the past.
Trucker’s Lounge 🧢
Autoliv’s Supply Chain Risk Management Journey | Logistics Viewpoints
Logistics Viewpoints contributor Steve Banker writes about the automotive industry’s Autoliv, the world’s largest safety system. The company’s journey to create a supply chain risk management strategy has provided great insight to other companies looking to do the same.
Safety 🦺
What Safety Technologies Appeal to Different Types of Fleets? | Trucking Info
Trucking Info contributor Deborah Lockridge writes about the top ten safety technologies being used by trucking fleets, including speed limiters, adaptive cruise control, and backup cameras.
Industry Forecast 📊
Analyst takes neutral stance on likelihood of 2023 trucking recession | Fleet Owner
Fleet Owner contributor Cristina Commendatore writes about the likelihood of a trucking-based recession as we enter 2023.
Customer Relations 🤝
Compared to what | Seth’s Blog
Seth writes about the perception of comparison and what we can do to modify it.
Inflation 💸
New cars are finally back in stock — but Americans might not be able to afford them | CNBC
CNBC contributor Michael Wayland writes about the return of new cars to the car lots… but with the interest rates raised so high by the Federal Reserve to combat inflation, it looks like not many will be able to afford them.
Company Culture 🎉
Supply Chain Dive contributor writes about the teeter-totter negotiations between the FedEx Express pilots union and Fedex. The union says the talks are going well, but they also refuse to settle.
Rail 🚂
U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes fall in September, reports AAR | Logistics Management
Logistics Management Staff writes about the declining rates of rail and internal volumes over the month of September.
Leadership 🏆
Trip Report: CSCMP Edge 2022 Part 3 | Supply Chain Digest
Supply Chain Digest editor Dan Gilmore writes about the breakout sessions at the CSCMP's annual Edge conference in Nashville several weeks ago.
Procurious educating next-gen procurement professionals | Supply Chain Digital
Supply Chain Digital contributor Sean Ashcroft interviews Tania Seary, the founder of Procurious. Procurious is a business network that is meant to keep supply chain professionals up-to-date on the latest in their industry.
Compliance 📋
Trucking group opposes hair testing, citing faith-based concerns | Land Line
Land Line contributor Ryan Witkowski writes about the Sikh Coalition and the North American Punjabi Trucking Association’s publicly filed comments regarding the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration’s proposal for hair testing to be included in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.
Trade & Border Issues 🗺
China lashes out at latest U.S. export controls on chips | AP News
AP News shares an article about China’s backlash against the United States’ decision to tighten controls over exports of advanced computing chips.
Fuel ⛽️
California governor to call special legislative session over high fuel prices | The Trucker
The Trucker contributor from the Associated Press writes about the still-rising gas prices in California and what California Governor Gavin Newson plans to do in a special legislative session in December.
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.