Freight embargoes, incoming!



Good morning! Happy World Pasta Day. I know how we’re celebrating. 🍝

“Don’t count the days, make the days count.” — Muhammad Ali, American professional boxer

As unexpected seasonal weather picks up on our way into the winter months, freight embargoes are on the horizon. Hurricanes and blizzards can cause carriers to limit their loads and when capacity gets too tight, shippers will find themselves in a bind.

Check out today’s featured article from Supply Chain 24/7 to read about possible freight embargoes due to unpredictable weather events, legal restrictions, and logistics challenges. ☕️


Featured Article:

How Seasonal Changes Impact Freight Embargoes | Supply Chain 24/7

“As unexpected weather-related events become more common, what are the chances that freight embargoes could disrupt a somewhat upbeat outlook?”


Driver Issues & Training 🚛

PA high schoolers participating in DOT-sponsored big rig parking challenge

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) hopes to introduce trucking to high schoolers in the state by promoting a program that focuses on teaching truck parking. In the 6th annual PennDOT Innovations Challenge, students are encouraged to show creative problem-solving skills in a competition among their peers. This year’s challenge is focusing on developing an innovative solution for truck drivers looking to park on one of the busy Pennsylvania interstate corridors.

The winner of the challenge in each region will be selected to participate in presenting these solutions to the PennDOT secretary and a chosen panel of judges. The statewide winning team will win $4,000 in donations from the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors (APC) and the American Council of Engineering Companies of Pennsylvania (ACEC/PA).

Read more from The Trucker ▶


Midterm Elections 🇺🇸

Arizona Senator vows to fix the trucking industry by cutting red tape in new campaign ad | CDL Life

In this article, CDL Life contributor Ashley writes about Arizona Senator Mark Kelley’s latest campaign ad, highlighting trucking industry labor issues.

Biden Highlights Infrastructure in Campaign Message | TT News

In this article, TT News reporter Eugene Mulero writes about President Joe Biden’s campaign tour talks involving the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

What the state of the U.S. economy means for the midterm elections | The Week

In this article, The Week contributor Thera Coleman writes about the upcoming midterm elections coming head-to-head with some serious economic issues.


Electric Vehicles & Shortages 🔋

Toyota predicts missing EV-target by end of the year due to semiconductor chip shortage

Toyota Motor Corporation had big goals to meet by the end of the year, but unfortunately, it’s looking bleak. With an original goal of 9.7 million units assembled, the automaker has announced that they will be suspending operations at several Japan plants due to the supply chain constraint and lack of EV-battery materials. It’s expected that Toyota will further elaborate on its plans at its November 1st earnings call.

Toyota’s stock has already declined 5.6% this year.

Read more from Supply Chain Brain ▶


Let’s Get Global 🌎

An image of Earth with cargo being moved from one location to another.

🇪🇺 Amazon is on a European mission. The retail giant is setting its sights on Europe with plans of investing over 1 billion euros into its electric van delivery fleet in the continent. Currently, more than 3,000 electric vans are delivering packages in Europe and projections show they are assuming there will be over 10,000 vans in service by 2025. The investment will carry a price tag of approximately $981 million.

🇨🇳 China and the United States seem to always be in an arms race. This time, the goal is the top spot in electric vehicle production and China is currently sweeping the board. Chinese automakers produce approximately 60% of the global electric vehicle exports according to Indxx, a financial services firm. China also accounts for more than 60% of rare earth minerals production, which The United States is hoping to become a leader in with the recently passed CHIPS Act. This is particularly notable, considering that Chinese auto brands hold virtually no presence in the U.S. market.

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia wants there Persian Gulf to have its shot. The kingdom is injecting $2.7 billion - or 10 billion riyals - to entice logistics firms to collaborate. Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman announced the funding and Saudi Arabia’s Global Supply Chain Resilience Initiative over the weekend. The goal of the initiative is to gain about 40 billion riyals of logistics investments into the kingdom.


iLevel With You

More topics for the average American household to consider…

✈️ Let’s go, guys. We’re flying to Hawaii. If you plan on flying Hawaiian Airlines anytime soon, know that Amazon is now playing a part in that flight. Amazon.com Inc. is purchasing a stake in Hawaiian Holdings Inc. as part of an effort of the retailer’s goals to expand cargo-hauling capacity. Due to the cash infusion, Hawaiian Airlines’ shares jumped as much as 15%, the highest jump in almost two years. Hawaiian Airlines now carries passengers and freight between Hawaii, North America’s mainland, Asia, and Oceania.

🩺 Medications, MRI machines, and saline bags will all soon be depending on 3PLs. Third-party logistics providers will provide places like hospitals with the benefits of reduced costs, shorter delivery times, and improved customer experience. Specialists can provide healthcare facilities with the tools they need to provide care in the quickest and safest way.

🛰 Digital companies are racing to connect smartphones to their satellites. Apple, Iridium, SpaceX, T-Mobile, and AT&T to name a few are launching initiatives to connect smartphones directly to space. The satellite industry is still very niche, but there is untapped potential and they’re all scrambling for the biggest piece of the pie that can obtain.


GET SMART

Ramp up that brain power for these advanced topics…

☁️ Oracle CloudWorld had a lot to offer in Las Vegas last week. In its first in-person event in three years, the company invited attendants to get better aquatinted with what Oracle’s technology has to offer. One of the top presenters was 1-800-Flowers, who discussed the implementation process of Oracle’s warehouse management and transportation management systems in the cloud.

🍇 A new cold-storage facility is on the books! FlexCold, a leader in cold storage warehousing, has unveiled its first facility in Jacksonville, Florida. The building is more than 150,000 square feet and is only three miles from the port, providing a centralized location for the product that needs to be refrigerated or frozen.

💵 Looking for a better way to fund your company and expand your network? Companies have been expanding their payment terms with suppliers since covid-19 lockdowns and economic uncertainty is forcing many companies to reevaluate those terms again. A popular option is third-party financing.


Sales 🧾

Fastenal doubles down on digital footprint as e-commerce sales grow | Supply Chain Dive

In this article, Editor Kate Magill writes about the Q3 sales reported by Fastenal, a company focusing on inventory management and online fulfillment in order to build capacity.


Artificial Intelligence 🤖

Advancements in Transportation and Autonomous Trucking | More Than Shipping

In this article, More Than Shipping contributor Gamze Keceloglu writes about the advancements occurring in self-driving trucks and whether they could help with the truck driver shortage.


Maritime 🚢

FMC initiates chassis overhaul study, part of Ocean Shipping Reform Act | Transport Dive

In this article, Transport Dive associate editor Alejandra Salgado writes about the Ocean Shipping Reform Act and why the National Academies of Science is conducting a $500,000 review of a chassis overhaul study.

As California’s port congestion improves, overseas shipping prices are dropping | CNBC

CNBC released the above video discussion between Flexport’s co-CEO Ryan Petersen and the hosts at ‘TechCheck’ to discuss the decline price to move containers across the Pacific Ocean.


Network Association 🤝

Grammer diversifies with LMR acquisition | Bulk Transporter

In this article, Bulk Transporter contributor Jason McDaniel writes about the purchase of Logistics Management Resources by Grammar Logistics.

Customer Relations 🤝

How to analyze third-party risks in the supply chain | Supply Chain Digital

In this article, Supply Chain Digital contributor Sri Rangachary writes about cybersecurity and financial risks a company takes by building a partnership with a third-party and what risk is or isn’t necessary to take.


Industry Forecast 📊

ATA: Truck Tonnage Rose Less Than 1% in September | Trucking Info

Trucking Info Staff writes about the very small climb on the For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index over the month of September.

Why investors aren’t going green | CNN

CNN contributor Nicole Goodkind writes about the struggle to implement ESG initiatives with stock markets falling and a recession on the horizon.


Electric Vehicles 🔋

EV Battery Production Boosted by $2.8 Billion Federal Grant to 20 Companies | TT News

In this article, Staff Reporter Noel Fletcher writes about the twenty companies that were granted a combination of $2.8 billion for the federal government to assist in building and boosting the production of electric vehicle batteries domestically.


Human Resources 💻

Hiring reaches a turning point: Should bosses hire now or see if a recession hits the economy? | USA Today

USA Today contributor Paul Davidson writes about the teetering economy and the question many bosses are asking themselves: should they continue to hire now, or wait for the worst that is yet to come?



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Fuel prices, labor shortage, truck parking… oh my!

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Faster, cheaper, better, stronger: e-commerce retailers rush to meet customer delivery demands