Frontline warehouse workers need up-to-date mobile devices
Good morning! Happy Tuesday. Start the day off right…
“When I hear somebody sigh, Life is hard, I am always tempted to ask, ‘Compared to what?’”
– Sydney Harris, American journalist
Mobile device failure costs frontline workers huge amounts of productivity - so why should outdated walkie-talkies still be the norm? Warehousing and distribution sectors should be incorporating data visualization, starting with providing large tablets to workers who need information provided up and down their lines quickly and effectively. Finding the correct devices to be used on the floor is imperative to a supply chain business’ success, now more than ever.
Check out today’s featured article from Supply Chain Brain to read about why supply chain firms should be thinking about upgrading tech from the ‘smallest levels’, starting with communication devices between workers running the day-to-day operations. ☕️
Featured Article:
Rugged Devices Can Spell the Difference Between Logistical Success and Failure | Supply Chain Brain
“The pressure on supply chains shows little sign of letting up, and choosing the right mobile device can help ensure the survivability of a business and provide the visibility it needs to stay on top of the game.”
Owner Operations & Regulations 🚚
OOIDA joins CTA’s CA lawsuit against AB5 law
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is joining the California Trucking Association’s fight against AB5 - the controversial California law that deeply affects the owner-operators in the Golden State.
Representing small-business truckers, The OOIDA filed its motion to serve as an intervenor in April 2021. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California’s Judge Roger T. Benitez granted the OOIDA permission to act as an intervenor in the lawsuit several months later on September 21st.
Electric Vehicles 🔋
Texas encouraged to adopt EVs by DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited the Texas Tribune Festival last week to enough Texans to purchase electric vehicles. Due to a lack of at-home charging, many in the cities haven’t considered the option - however, those in rural Texas in single-family homes seem to be the highlight of Buttigieg’s encouragement.
After a February 2021 winter storm shut down most of Texas’ power grid, many are worried about buying an electric vehicle. Pete Buttigieg advised that some electric vehicles can also act as a generator.
Currently, Texas offers a $2,500 rebate for purchasing an electric vehicle.
Let’s Get Global 🌎
⚡️ Thank you for buying an electric car, but that isn’t enough. “Net-zero by 2050” is a likely scenario judging by the current sales of electric vehicles, but the International Energy Agency (IEA) says that there is much more that needs to be done. In 2021, global sales of electric vehicles made up 9% of the market, doubling the previous year’s numbers. It is expected that 2022 will report that 13% of the sales were electric vehicles. (CNBC)
💉 And after all that… Canada is doing away with the vaccine mandate at the border. The mandate, which spurred a slew of protests earlier this year after many truckers felt fed up after years of what they classified as years of mistreatment from the government, is set to end on September 30th. Canada previously required all foreign nationals to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, or otherwise tested and placed into a mandatory 14-day quarantine if unvaccinated. (TT News)
🔋 Swap this! Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) is considering launching in overseas markets. Currently, the battery-swapping company resides in China and is regularly used for Tesla and Ford. By swapping a battery, cars will no longer need to stop at charging stations and sit for long periods of time while charging up. (CNBC)
iLevel With You
More topics for the average American household to consider…
💰 FedEx is increasing freight rates while cutting its internal output. President and CEO Raj Subramaniam and other management team members gave a dismal report of its profits over the past quarter and it is expected that lots of cost-cutting measures are underway. You can expect that these costs will make their way to the bottom-line customers. (Fleet Owner)
💸 Knock it off, Fed! 1.2 million jobs are at stake - that’s at least what CNN Business is advising after analyzing the Fed’s latest economic projections and their rampant interest rate hikes. The central bank is currently projecting that the country’s unemployment rate is likely to grow to 4.4% by 2023 and could reach as high as 5% shortly thereafter. Businesses are likely to be more cautious than ever when hiring. (CNN)
🤫 Not going above and beyond at work? You’re probably “quiet-quitting”. And though the term is all the rage on news headlines and TikTok, experts are saying the behavior is actually a poor strategy for the long-term health of your career. Burnout, however, is a much more dangerous avenue to take, so regularly communicating with your boss and giving yourself time to recharge is important as well. (U.S. News)
GET SMART
Ramp up that brain power for these advanced topics…
🚛 Zero-emissions is the mission. “Green Trucking” is the term being coined for the future of the industry, and internal combustion truck engines powered with alternative fuel engine technology on ethanol are an alternative to electric batteries. Currently, ethanol is the only other fuel besides gasoline that has the infrastructure to be immediately adapted at a wide scale, according to ClearFlame CEO and co-founder B.J. Johnson. (Trucking Info)
🚨 The FMCSA insists… so do it. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is urging truckers to obtain an RFID license plate. This way, there will be no need for any interactions between truck drivers and police because an RFID license plate can provide logs and exhaust gas composition straight to the government agencies at the federal and state levels. (Back The Truck Up)
🔋 Let’s go, partner. General Motors is entering into a partnership with Lithion Recycling, a Canada-based commercial recycling plant set to open next year. GM Ventures, GM’s investment branch, is facilitating the partnership as the opening date of the plant approaches. GM plans to use the firm to validate and verify recovered battery materials for new production lines while manufacturing automobiles. (Supply Chain Dive)
Leadership 🏆
Hutcheson Confirmed as FMCSA Administrator | Trucking Info
Trucking Info contributor Deborah Lockridge shares an article confirming that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is welcoming Robin Hutcheson as administrator, appointed by the U.S. Senate via vote. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation conducted hearings earlier this summer after being nominated by Joe Biden in the spring.
Tech 📟
Product Showcase: Computers, Diagnostics & Repair Info & Training | Fleet Maintenance
Fleet Maintenance contributor Tyler Fussner writes about the computers, diagnostics, repair info, and training products that are set to be displayed in the annual Fleet Maintenance Product Showcase.
Marketing Approach 🤳
The chief hype officer | Seth’s blog
Seth writes about the importance of marketing in a big company and why it shouldn’t be neglected.
Fuel ⛽️
Fox Business contributor Louis Casiano writes about California seeking to ban the sale of diesel commercial trucks and require all new vehicles to run fully on electricity by 2035.
After 90 years, German bakery to close as energy costs soar | AP News
AP News contributor Daniel Niemann writes about a German bakery on the verge of being a century-old being forced to close due to the sky-rocketing energy costs associated with running a business in Europe during the energy crisis.
Safety 🦺
Testing Mack’s new steering-assist system | Fleet Owner
Fleet Owner contributor Scott Keith writes about Mack Truck’s newest internal venture, Mack's Command Steer technology, meant to steer-assist their vehicles and increase safety protocols.
Industry Forecast 📊
New research reflects ‘loose trucking market’ with supply and demand balance rising | The Trucker
The Trucker News Staff writes about the recent ACT’s For-Hire Trucking Index report which showed that August volume had lower levels of productivity than expected.
Business Strategy 💡
Ford to restructure supply chain following $1 billion in unexpected quarterly costs | CNBC
CNBC’s contributor Michael Wayland writes about Ford Motor’s plans to rearrange its supply chain strategy on a global scale after increased supplier costs.
Sales 🧾
Banning of Direct Electric Vehicle Sales Only Helps Car Dealers | RealClearMarkets
Real Clear Markets contributor Danny Kenny writes an opinion piece on why car dealerships are the only ones who will benefit from banning direct electric vehicle sales from the manufacturer.
Inflation 💸
FedEx to hike rates by 6.9% ‘given the inflationary backdrop’ | Supply Chain Dive
Supply Chain Dive reporter Max Garland explores why FedEx is increasing its rates by almost 7% after cost-cutting measures have been put in place by the company.
The Workday Dash is an aggregation of articles regarding the transportation logistics, trucking, and supply chain industries for July 31, 2025, from iLevel Logistics Inc.