Equipment & Tech

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Torc Robotics, a pioneer in commercializing self-driving vehicle technology, has announced that Penske Truck Leasing will serve as the truck maintenance service provider for Torc’s autonomous test fleet. “Penske Truck Leasing’s expertise and impressive track record in the global trucking industry will play a significant role in getting our trucks on the road and strengthening our goal of safe operations,” Michael Fleming, Torc founder and CEO, said. “Our objective is to integrate our trucks into the existing freight industry, and we are confident that a current industry leader, like Penske, will provide crucial support in doing just that.” This agreement is part of Torc’s ongoing commercialization of autonomous trucks for long-haul applications, a news release stated. Torc recently announced the Torc Autonomous Advisory Council (TAAC) in support of its goal to be the first scalable, profitable, commercialized Level 4 truck automation. With Level 4 autonomy, drivers can shift safety-critical functions to the vehicle, which operates only if all required conditions are met. Whereas, no driver is required for Level 5 autonomy, Penske Truck Leasing, along with key freight industry leaders, will provide guidance to Torc as it integrates with the freight network and tackles challenges beyond highway driving, the news release stated. “We are very pleased to support Torc’s fleet uptime with our best-in-class truck maintenance program,” Paul Rosa, senior vice president of procurement and fleet planning at Penske Truck Leasing, said. “This arrangement serves as a great complement to our work on the Torc Autonomous Advisory Council.”  

GOTHENBURG, Sweden –Berg Insight  has released a new market study covering the video telematics market. The integration of cameras to enable various video-based solutions in commercial vehicle environments is a rising trend in the fleet telematics sector. Berg Insight’s definition of video telematics includes a broad range of camera-based solutions deployed in commercial vehicle fleets either as standalone applications or as an added feature set to conventional fleet telematics, according to a news release. The frontrunning North American video telematics market is three times the size of the European, which is so far largely dominated by activities in the UK. Berg Insight estimates that the installed base of active video telematics systems in North America reached 2.9 million units in 2021. Growing at a compound annual growth rate of 16.5 percent, the active installed base is forecasted to reach almost 6.3 million units in North America by 2026. In Europe, the installed base of active video telematics systems is estimated to over 0.9 million units in 2021. The active installed base in the region is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 17.9 percent to reach 2.1 million video telematics systems in 2026. The video telematics market is served by a number of different types of players, ranging from specialists focused specifically on video telematics solutions, to general fleet telematics players which have introduced video offerings, and hardware-focused suppliers offering mobile digital video recorders and vehicle cameras used for video telematics. “Berg Insight ranks Streamax, Lytx and Samsara as the leading video telematics players in their respective categories,” Rickard Andersson, principal analyst at Berg Insight, said. He adds that Streamax is the leading hardware provider, having more than 2.1 million mobile DVRs installed in vehicles worldwide to date, and the company also offers software dashboards which are widely used together with its devices. “Lytx has the largest number of video telematics subscriptions, while Samsara stands out among the general fleet telematics players with a significant number of camera units deployed across its subscriber base,” Andersson said. Additional sizeable players in this space include the video telematics company SmartWitness (owned by Sensata), the fleet management player Motive (formerly KeepTruckin), the commercial vehicle telematics pioneer Omnitracs (owned by Solera) including the acquired video safety specialist SmartDrive, the hardware-focused video telematics company Howen and the vision-based safety platform provider Netradyne. Other noteworthy players competing in the video telematics space include video-focused solution providers such as Nauto, VisionTrack, Bendix (SafetyDirect by Bendix CVS), SureCam, LightMetrics, Idrive, Seeing Machines, CameraMatics, Exeros Technologies, Waylens and Vision Techniques; fleet telematics players including Trimble, Matrix Telematics, Radius Telematics, MiX Telematics, Azuga, Microlise, Forward Thinking Systems, ISAAC Instruments, Trakm8 and AddSecure Smart Transport; as well as the hardware-focused supplier Pittasoft (BlackVue). “These players have all reached estimated installed bases in the tens of thousands,” Andersson said.  

FORT WAYNE, Indiana — The North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) released Thursday the third of four market segment reports — Electric Trucks Have Arrived: The Use Case For Heavy-Duty Regional Haul Tractors — based on findings from last year’s Run on Less – Electric (RoL-E) freight efficiency demonstration. The top level finding from the report is that 50% of this Class 8 market segment is ready for electrification now. “Heavy-duty Class 8 tractors are the most challenging of all the truck segments considered for electrification,” Rick Mihelic, lead author and director of emerging technologies at NACFE, said. “Battery electric vehicles cannot replace all diesels, but they can replace a significant share of regional-haul ones, where the driver and truck return to base each day, where loads are usually cubed out, or in the case of beverage deliveries, the daily distances are not very long.” Four fleet-OEM pairs in RoL-E operated heavy-duty, regional-haul tractors: Anheuser-Busch with a BYD 8TT tractor; Biagi Bros. with a Peterbilt Model 579EV; NFI with a Volvo VNR Electric; and Penske with a Freightliner eCascadia. As Run on Less – Electric concluded in September 2021, NACFE predicted that 70% of this market segment was electrifiable. Given the more detailed analysis, interviews with industry experts and further research for this report, we now consider this market segment to be 50% electrifiable with lower average daily miles, which results in the avoidance of nearly 29.4 million metric tons of CO2e annually (e equals carbon dioxide equivalent). NACFE estimates the entire CO2e to be eliminated by this segment at an average of 250 miles per day to be 97.8 million metric tons. “Peterbilt’s strategy is to identify those niches where the technology is most ready and the financial benefits for our customers are there and build our way up from that point,” Matt Wetta, national accounts manager of EV at Peterbilt, said.

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Volvo Trucks North America is set to debut its next generation Volvo VNR Electric 6×2 tractor in its booth (No. 1736) during the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California, May 9-12. Volvo Trucks’ ACT Expo booth will for the first time also feature a long-haul VNL model, integrated with the Aurora Driver from Volvo Autonomous Solutions, and an ECR25 Electric excavator from Volvo Construction Equipment. “The next generation Volvo VNR Electric is in production since Q2 2022 and will be on display in our booth, delivering on the promises that we made at ACT Expo 2021 just nine months ago to lead the industry toward more sustainable transportation. Our electromobility solutions are on the road now and we continue to develop and deliver innovative technology to drive sustainable freight transport forward,” Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America, said. “Volvo Trucks’ booth at ACT Expo will showcase the success of our industry-leading electromobility solutions and allow attendees to see firsthand the latest technological advancements and how fleets can successfully adopt and adapt to the rapid change in the transportation industry.” Voorhoeve is scheduled to speak on the ACT Expo main stage on Tuesday, May 10, during an Executive Roundtable: The Future of Clean Fleets has Arrived. During the panel, which will spotlight the rapidly changing transportation landscape, Voorhoeve will share insights gained over the past several years as the Volvo VNR Electric model transitioned from demonstration to commercialization and scaling real world customer operations, according to a news release. The discussion will include key lessons learned through the innovative Volvo LIGHTS project, which helped identify best practices for fleets transitioning to battery-electric trucks, as well as create a roadmap for the support network needed to accelerate commercial deployments of the Volvo VNR Electric truck. The Volvo Trucks Certified Electric Vehicle Dealer program was developed to provide support to customers throughout the entire implementation process to successfully integrate electromobility into a fleet. The Volvo VNR Electric model was designed as a zero tailpipe transportation solution for fleet operators supporting local and regional distribution, pickup and delivery, and food and beverage distribution. In January 2022, Volvo Trucks announced production plans for its next generation VNR Electric model with an operational range of up to 275 miles. The enhanced Volvo VNR Electric, which is now in production, comes with state-of-the-art 250kW charging capability, enabling an 80% charge in 90 minutes for the six-battery package and 60 minutes for the four-battery version. During the Volvo Trucks press conference in its ACT Expo booth at 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on Monday, May 9, Voorhoeve will spotlight sustainable freight transport updates, including new electromobility partnerships, customer orders, charging infrastructure advancements and insights in autonomous transport solutions. In addition to showcasing Volvo Trucks’ electromobility solutions, Volvo Autonomous Solutions will spotlight the progress that has been made through their partnership with Aurora to jointly develop on-highway autonomous trucks in the U.S. The Volvo Trucks booth will showcase a Volvo Autonomous Solutions VNL 760 with an integrated Aurora Driver for future hub-to-hub operations, representing an important step towards launching fully autonomous Class 8 trucks commercially in North America. Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) is also hosted in the booth and will showcase its ECR25 Electric compact excavator to demonstrate how battery-electric construction equipment can be a viable alternative to diesel equipment. The all-electric ECR25, part of a growing electric offering from Volvo CE, will enable fleets to reduce their carbon footprint and is anticipated to accelerate the deployment of zero-emission solutions in this segment. To learn more about Volvo Trucks North America and the Volvo VNR Electric, visit the company website.  

SAN DIEGO — TuSimple, a global self-driving technology company based in San Diego, has announced a partnership with Werner Enterprises to provide roadside service and support to customers operating Level 4 autonomous mode tractors on the TuSimple Autonomous Freight Network. The network is operational from Arizona to Florida, with more than 11,200 mapped miles and will be expanding to include major logistic routes in its next phase of development, according to a news release. This integration is part of the TuConnect platform, a major component of the company’s Autonomous Freight Network (AFN). SAE Level 4 vehicles can intervene if things go wrong or there is a system failure. In this sense, these vehicles do not require human interaction in most circumstances; however, a human still has the option to manually override. “TuSimple created a (Level 4) self-driving truck that is capable of seeing, processing and reacting faster than a human driver,” said Jim Mullen, chief administrative and legal officer at TuSimple. “Uncompromised safety and unparalleled service are prerequisites for driver-out operations along the TuSimple autonomous freight network. Our service alignment with Werner Enterprises assures our fleet partners of expedited, safe and efficient service and support.” Carriers will have their choice of service and support providers, including their preferred dealership, aftermarket service provider, or a Werner Enterprises authorized service center, the news release stated. “Werner Enterprises’ nationwide network of 24/7 support will play a fundamental role in providing nationwide support to all TuSimple vehicles in operation alongside the rapidly expanding AFN,” the news release stated. “TuSimple is committed to supporting its customers as they develop plans to adopt, integrate and scale AV trucks in their fleets.” TuSimple will be utilizing Werner Enterprises’ roadside assistance services along the TuSimple AFN to support commercialization in the Texas Triangle during events that require immediate roadside service or maintenance. The Texas Triangle is a region of Texas that contains the state’s five largest cities and is home to the majority of the state’s population. The triangle is formed by the state’s four main urban centers, Austin, Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio, connected by Interstate 45, Interstate 10 and Interstate 35 “Werner Enterprises delivers world-class supply chain solutions predicated on transporting our customers’ freight in a timely, responsible and safe manner,” Derek Leathers, CEO, Werner Enterprises, said. “TuSimple is advancing the industry and redefining the way freight moves along the TuSimple autonomous freight network. Our alliance will enable TuSimple customers to receive benchmark service and support in the event of a service issue.” TuSimple will continue to expand its range of service providers to ensure carriers receive a superior level of service and support to meet the unique needs of each individual carrier operating on the TuSimple AFN.    

SAN FRANCISCO — Embark Trucks, Inc., a developer of autonomous technology for the trucking industry, announced on April 29 the release of its inaugural Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2021. The publication highlights ESG initiatives the company has undertaken in 2021, including a key focus area review that will serve as a baseline for future projects, according to a news release. Embark is touting progress across each of the three ESG pillars: Environmental Initiatives Embark is working with fleet partners to help them comply with emissions standards like those announced in the EPA’s Clean Trucks Plan. In one study within the autonomous trucking industry to reduce emissions, Embark is running an electric vehicle drayage pilot with HP, Inc., which can reduce HP’s diesel emissions network-wide and create a more sustainable supply chain from end to end for shippers. Social Initiatives A primary focus of the company’s ESG mission is to spearhead increased safety on public roads. Already, Embark-powered trucks have driven 1 million real world miles without a Department of Transportation reportable safety incident. Embark’s collaboration with the Arizona Department of Transportation to improve highway work zone safety is targeted at reducing the 102,000 work zone related crashes reported in the U.S. in 2020, of which large trucks were responsible for 26% of fatal crashes. Governance Initiatives Embark has taken steps to create strong organizational accountability through the establishment of Independent Board Committees. The board is composed of highly experienced independent directors and has issued a robust Code of Business Ethics, among other initiatives. The company also re-emphasized its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), establishing a Company-level Objective & Key Result to prioritize DEI and promote diversity throughout the organization. “The trucking industry is contending with a real need for change,” Alex Rodrigues, CEO of Embark, said. “Safety challenges, diesel emissions, and a persistent truck driver shortage caused by poor quality of life continue to add significant pressure to an already stressed industry. Making ESG a priority reinforces both Embark’s robust business strategy, and a more resilient trucking industry that is made safer, more sustainable, and better for workers. We believe our focus on the sustainability benefits of autonomous trucks will appeal to the significant and growing interest in ESG amongst the investment community.” The 2021 ESG Report is Embark’s first published report of its kind and is designed to provide shareholders and stakeholders with a clear tool to track the company’s progress as it continues to achieve its ESG-related goals. The report has been reviewed and approved by the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Embark Board of Directors. To read the report and learn more about Embark’s approach to ESG, visit investors.embarktrucks.com/esg.  

INDIANAPOLIS – Allison Transmission has announced that one of the largest private fleets in North America, and a major wholesale restaurant food distributor, has selected the award-winning Allison 3414 Regional Haul SeriesTM transmission for its fleet. The 3414 RHS will be integrated into Navistar’s RHTM Series trucks. “When evaluating vehicle options for our customer’s regional food distribution fleet, we felt the Allison 3414 RHS transmission combined with Navistar’s RH truck would best meet their needs and provide a truly differentiated offering that addressed their operational challenges,” Layth Gaston, national account Manager of Kyrish International Trucks of Houston, said. “The faster acceleration, increased torque capability and elimination of the power interrupted shifts made possible by the Allison transmission provide unmatched benefits to the drivers who operate these vehicles every day.” The fleet will buy up to 450 trucks annually equipped with the 3414 RHS, an uprated variant of Allison’s proven 3000 SeriesTM fully automatic transmission. The 3414 RHS offers up to 8% fuel economy improvement over the Allison 3000 Highway Series transmission and provides 25% faster acceleration when compared to competitive automated manual transmissions, according to a news release. The 3414 RHS is also the lightest transmission in the segment. “Allison is proud of the ability of the 3414 RHS to deliver faster acceleration, seamless shifting and increased maneuverability to our fleet customers,” Rohan Barua, vice president of North America sales at global channel and aftermarket for Allison Transmission, said. “The 3414 RHS was designed to deliver the reliability and durability that Allison is known for, combined with improved performance and fuel economy. This latest partnership is an example of the value Allison places in voice of customer feedback and our commitment to delivering innovative solutions that meet the needs of the markets we serve.” The fleet is expected to put the Allison 3414 Regional Haul Series transmission paired with the Navistar A26 engine into service in late April. For more information on Allison’s 3414 Regional Haul Series, please visit allisontransmission.com/3414.  

DES MOINES, Iowa and KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Integrated supply chain solutions company Ruan Transportation Management Systems recently announced the deployment of an Orange EV pure electric terminal truck at an operations facility in St. Joseph, Missouri. With the addition of this fully electric unit, Ruan is expanding its heavy-duty electric vehicle fleet and further supporting a sustainable, energy efficient supply chain, according to a news release. “Ruan has kept pace with clean fuel advancements, implementing a variety of alternative fuels including compressed natural gas (CNG), renewable natural gas (RNG), biodiesel blends and renewable hydrocarbon diesel,” the news release stated. “These changes have eliminated hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). Moving to zero-emission electric yard trucks was a logical next step in Ruan’s continuing drive toward a cleaner future.” Ruan Vice President of Fleet Services Brad Gehring said, “To provide clean, efficient solutions for our customers, Ruan tests and invests in the latest technologies. We recently marked the 18-month anniversary of deploying our first Orange EV truck to a 24/7 Minnesota operation, and the reliability has been unparalleled, exceeding up-time expectations.” Ruan plans to continue all-electric yard truck deployments in operations across the country where feasible. “We are excited to have another Orange EV customer scale up deployments after experiencing first-hand how well our trucks do the job,” said Zack Ruderman, Orange EV vice president of sales and marketing. “Orange EV deployments are a win-win, delivering solutions that are both economically and environmentally sustainable.” The St. Joseph project is partially funded with a Diesel Emission Reduction Act grant awarded through the Kansas City based Metropolitan Energy Center.        

PHOENIX and LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Trucker Path, a load/dispatch mobile app for North American truckers, has announced a new service for drivers called Trucker Path DISPATCH. Chris Oliver, an executive with Trucker Path, said that the company handles “all the back-office work so drivers can just concentrate on driving. The personalized approach lets drivers determine their lane and commodity preferences, and then we find the loads they want to haul at profitable rates, eliminate forced dispatches, handle the check calls, and also help with finding parking and the best places to shut down at the end of a shift.” Trucker Path CEO said that the trucking industry has received tens of billions of venture and private equity investment in the past decade with very little supporting the individual driver. “Smaller carriers and owner operators often don’t get the same competitive advantages achieved through technology that larger carriers and brokers get,” he said. “Trucker Path DISPATCH is a tech-enhanced, highly-efficient, full-service dispatch service designed specifically to serve the back-office needs of the hundreds of thousands of small carriers and owner-operators who rely on the suite of driver-focused features Trucker Path provides.” Trucker Path DISPATCH features include: Load Sourcing & Negotiation Truck Navigation Status Reporting Compliance Monitoring Digital Paperwork “With over a million users on our app we have the unique advantage of directly contacting our drivers to ask them what they like and want,” Oliver said. “The features in this initial launch of DISPATCH were the top selections. Just like we do with all our offerings, we will continue to ask our community of drivers and continue to build this service until it has all the features they want and need.” To get started with Trucker Path DISPATCH, drivers must submit their Motor Carrier Authority, certificate of insurance and W-9 tax forms, sign a service level agreement and begin sharing their load and lane preferences with a personal dispatcher. The only cost to drivers is 5% per booked load.  

IRVING, Texas — FleetPride, Inc., the nation’s largest distributor of truck and trailer parts and service in the independent heavy duty aftermarket, has acquired the assets of Murray’s Diesel Repair of Shreveport, Louisiana, giving the company more than 300 locations across the nation, according to a news release. Founded in 2016 by Travis and Stephanie Murray, Murray’s Diesel Repair provides a full line of services to drivers and fleets throughout the Ark-La-Tex region. Separately, the Murrays will continue to operate Murray’s Auto Repair in Shreveport., which focuses on the repair of light duty vehicles. “This is a momentous acquisition for FleetPride,” FleetPride CEO Mike Duffy said. “Not only are we excited to welcome the entire Murray’s Diesel Repair team to our company, but this acquisition also pushes FleetPride to over 300 locations across the country. It is fitting that a strong, talented and dedicated team like the one at Murray’s Diesel Repair is the one that helped us get there.” Travis Murray said, “We’re very proud of this entire team for everything they have done to build a thriving heavy-duty repair business. With the backing of FleetPride’s nationwide support network and commitment to developing talent, we know they will be in good hands now and in the future.” Mike Harris, senior vice president of sales and operations for FleetPride, talked about the company’s growth. “To grow a nationwide heavy-duty parts and service network like ours, it takes a committed team that is passionate about serving customers,” Harris said. “I want to personally thank our FleetPride team members for all their hard work and determination as we pass the 300-plus location milestone. In addition to great acquisitions, I’m proud of our teams for executing on our strategic initiatives that pave the way for long-term growth as we evolve from a parts distributor to a technology-focused, full-scale solutions provider.”

COLUMBUS, Ind – For the first two months of 2022, U.S. and Canadian Class 8 natural gas truck retail sales rose 21% year-to-date against comparisons of the same time period in 2021, as published in the quarterly report (AFQ: Alternative Fuels Quarterly) recently released by ACT Research. The ACT Alternative Fuels Quarterly (AFQ) details such adoption considerations as fuel prices, fuel/charging infrastructure development, equipment prices/products/technological developments and regulatory changes. Natural gas truck sales data and a forecast for new natural gas adoption are included. “Sales of natural gas-powered vehicles as reported by the six major truck OEMs, who account for approximately 60% of the heavy-duty natural gas market, were mixed in the December to February time period, with December and January experiencing strong year-over-year gains, but February lagging considerably,” said Steve Tam, vice president at ACT Research. “In the near term, December’s sales easily outshone January and February’s activity, which paled in comparison. Combined, sales in the three-month period extended and increased (year-to-date) gains meaningfully, a relatively new development.” Tam added, “Besides sales, the Alternative Fuels Quarterly analyzes the change in existing and planned alternative fuel/power infrastructure and equipment developments. We’re seeing an overall increase in electric charging stations, both existing and planned, but a continuing decline of total natural gas stations, particularly those planned for the future. That said, we still see articles about natural gas use in transportation, as well as discussions about hydrogen fuel cells and investments, but the overwhelming amount of trade-industry headlines continues to focus on electric commercial vehicle development.”

TULSA, Okla.  —  W Energy Software has announced that Gasa Logistics has signed software licenses for its transportation management system (TMS) Equipped with W Energy Software’s cloud-based suite of back-office applications purpose built for carriers and mobile app for drivers, Gasa “gains new capabilities to optimize its fleet of trucks in real time, automatically manage logistics and accelerate transportation of fuel to onsite storage locations for customers across California,” according to a news release. “W Energy Software’s TMS aligned with our mission to provide customers with a seamless and nearly invisible service so they can spend more time delivering products by avoiding costly time at a crowded fuel island,” Jack Saryan, CEO of Gasa, said. “With automated dispatch and adaptive route optimization, the TMS software and mobile app will work very similar to Uber where drivers automatically receive orders and are guided along the most efficient path to delivery locations, providing us with unique insights into driver utilization and elevating customer experience to new levels.” Headquartered in Los Angeles, Gasa touts itself as a “leader in Mobile On-site fueling, delivering ultra-low sulfur diesel, renewable diesel and biodiesel directly to fleets and construction site equipment,” the news release stated. “As Gasa’s onsite mobile fueling operations grew, the service provider recognized the value of cloud-based transportation management systems, which offer automation and real-time logistics capabilities to match its operational needs. Gasa selected W Energy Software’s TMS to manage fleet logistics, automate dispatch and ensure the most efficient delivery of fuel to its customers.” Mark Hill, CEO of W Energy Software, said, “We are honored to have been selected by Gasa to empower their back-office team and drivers with next generation solutions to track shipments in real time, optimizing logistics and costs at every moment. W Energy Software has become the go-to transportation management system for digital innovators like Gasa who are increasingly embracing the many advantages of our SaaS TMS that offers superior price, fleet management and real time mobile capabilities as well as W Energy Software’s standout customer service and relentless innovation.”  

LISLE, Ill. — Navistar announced on April 20 plans to build an integrated powertrain at its recently expanded Huntsville Powertrain Manufacturing Plant in Huntsville, Alabama. Navistar broke ground on a 110,000 square-foot expansion of the Huntsville plant in February 2020 with an initial $125 million investment. An additional $65 million has since been contributed for a total capital investment of more than $190 million in the plant to accommodate increased manufacturing capabilities and to support Navistar’s future growth. Navistar is positioned to introduce an all-new integrated powertrain to the North American market. This TRATON Group collaborative development program will be a global demonstration of the group’s common modular system for trucks and buses, a news release stated. A group-wide modular system enables efficient cross-brand development and production, while still allowing for regional adaptation and validation of the integrated powertrain for the North American market. “Navistar has worked to meet customer demand by accelerating time to market of this integrated powertrain through a modular approach and collaboration with the TRATON Group’s global truck brands,” Michael Grahe, executive vice president of operations, said. “We will set a new standard of efficiency for our customers with this integrated powertrain, contributing to our path to sustainable transportation.” Navistar collaborated with group brands for more than five years on the development of the integrated powertrain. “Additionally, Navistar has committed thousands of hours of research and development, and test miles to the validation of the integrated powertrain for the North American market,” according to the news release. “In preparation for the North American market introduction, Navistar will utilize fleet evaluation units to collect data and real-world input with direct customer feedback from U.S. and Canadian customers. For more information regarding the expansion of the Huntsville Powertrain Plant, visit www.navistar.com/locations/manufacturing.  

WATERLOO, Ontario — Descartes Systems Group announced Thursday that it has acquired Foxtrot. Foxtrot’s advanced machine learning algorithms leverage millions of data points collected from vehicles in the field, helping customers reduce last-mile costs, improve customer service and learn service factors that improve route efficiency and on-time performance. The company’s technology complements existing route planning and execution solutions. “Descartes has been a leader in using advanced technology to extend its world-class route planning and execution solutions for more than 20 years,” said Ken Wood, executive vice president of product management at Descartes. “Advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning are making it possible for us to leverage increasing amounts of ‘real world data’ to better inform our route planning and execution solutions. By combining with Foxtrot, we’re adding a team with deep domain expertise and proven technology that will help accelerate our efforts in this area.” “Foxtrot enhances our recent investment in GreenMile, as both companies have extensive experience in the retail food and beverage distribution vertical,” Edward J Ryan, Descartes’ CEO, said. “We also see an immediate opportunity to leverage Foxtrot’s capabilities across our wider route planning and execution solution suite. We’re thrilled to welcome the Foxtrot employees, customers and partners into the Descartes family.” Foxtrot is headquartered in San Francisco. Descartes acquired Foxtrot for approximately $US 4.0 million, satisfied from cash on hand.  

WASHINGTON — General Motors (GM), in collaboration with Federal Express (FedEx), recently set a Guinness World Record for greatest distance traveled by an electric delivery vehicle on a single charge. While nowhere near the size of a Class 8 rig, the recent achievement by the electric van is seen by some in the trucking industry as a step in the right direction for larger electric freight movers. BrightDrop Zevo 600 driver Stephen Marlin set the record after driving from New York City to Washington, D.C. — nearly 300 miles — on a single charge. GM started BrightDrop last year. It offers two commercial electric delivery vehicles — built at GM’s CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersol, Canada — and other technological solutions for the delivery industry such as the EP1, a propulsion-assisted electric pallet to move goods over short distances, including from the delivery truck to a front door. It also offers mobile asset management for the EP1 to allow for location monitoring, battery status and other remote commands. Driving the Zevo 600, formerly known as the BrightDrop EV600, Marlin completed the near 260-mile trip on a single charge in conjunction with Earth Day 2022. The Zevo 600 stopped at a couple of iconic destinations along the route, including landmarks in Philadelphia and Baltimore. “Since the beginning, the Zevo 600 has been a record-setting vehicle. Now we’re seeing firsthand what BrightDrop can do by pairing our zero-operating-emissions technology with FedEx, a leader in the transportation and delivery industry,” said Travis Katz, BrightDrop president and CEO. “Having a long battery range with reliable power is critical to electrifying delivery fleets everywhere. This special delivery highlights our products’ advanced capabilities and our mission to decarbonize deliveries.” BrightDrop delivered its first electric light commercial vehicles to FedEx in December after completing its first production builds of the Zevo 600 in just 20 months, making it the fastest vehicle to market in GM’s history. Combining the focus and agility of a startup with the manufacturing might and expertise of GM enabled BrightDrop’s speed to market, while putting it in position to help some of the world’s largest companies tackle some of the biggest climate and emissions-related challenges our world faces today. “FedEx is proud to be a part of this record-setting moment as we work toward our goal of achieving carbon-neutral operations by 2040. Electrifying our entire parcel pickup and delivery fleet is a crucial component of that goal and we’re thrilled BrightDrop is bringing real solutions to the market that can help us get there,” said Mitch Jackson, chief sustainability officer, FedEx. “I’ve long said sustainability is a team sport. Today’s milestone is a perfect example of how businesses can lead the charge in ushering in a more sustainable future for customers, our communities and our planet through collaboration.” As part of the journey, the Zevo 600 transported a shipment of Full Circle sustainable cleaning products from its headquarters in New York City to a MOM’s Organic Market location in Washington, D.C., a Mid-Atlantic chain of family-owned and operated organic grocery stores. Full Circle is a brand of sustainable home care products, and a small business customer of FedEx. “We started Full Circle Brands to reinvent cleaning and make home care products that are better for the world,” said Tal Chitayat, co-founder and CEO, Full Circle Brands. “We are thrilled to further that mission with our friends at FedEx as part of this world-changing milestone in sustainable deliveries with BrightDrop.” Similar to GM, FedEx targets carbon neutral operations by 2040. “Congratulations to Stephen Marlin, BrightDrop and FedEx on achieving the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS ® title for the greatest distance traveled by an electric van on a single charge,” said Andy Glass, adjudicator, GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS ®. “This accomplishment is a perfect example of the extraordinary efforts taken to make a difference for the environment and a fitting way to commemorate Earth Day 2022. We welcome them into the family of GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS ® title holders.” According to a news release from BrightDrop, the “Zevo 600 combines the best attributes of a traditional and a step-in van into one vehicle.” The Zevo 600 also features automatic emergency braking, front and rear park assist and forward collision Alert. Built on the Ultium platform, the Zevo 600 offers more than 600 cubic feet of cargo area and an available 2,200 pounds of estimated payload capacity, “which results in superior range without compromising space,” according to the news release. BrightDrop has secured more than 25,000 EV production reservations, including 2,500 from FedEx, in just 12 months. The Zevo 600 is currently in production.