Here are five things worth knowing today:
1. GM is looking to mirror Amazon’s shipping efficiency to improve its nationwide factory-to-dealer deliveries, according to a report in Wards Auto. And although Amazon doesn’t distribute products the size of a Silverado pickup, GM believes it can learn some lessons in logistics from Amazon. According to the report, “GM contracts with trucking companies and railroads to transport vehicles from 18 assembly plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico to about 3,500 American dealers.” Dale Sullivan of GM says that backups can occur when auto sales are on pace to reach nearly 17 million units a year, according to the report.
2. 42,000 pounds of cabbage and tomatoes were spread along the pavement and medium on I-81 in Pennsylvania after a tractor-trailer crash, according to WNEP 16 News. State police said the driver lost control of the truck and skidded along a guard rail before it flipped and spilled its cargo, according to the report. Traffic was detoured off Exit 211 while crews tried to clear the area, WNEP said.
3. Texas volumes in the spot refrigerated freight market are on the rise, according to The Packer. The increase is caused by a combination of increased fruit and vegetable production in the Rio Grande Valley, more imports from Mexico, and a shift in demand from California, mainly due to the drought, The Packer said. According to the report, the drought will cost California about $1.8 billion in 2015, or 4% of the state’s agricultural revenue. The Packer has more.
4. Twelve FedEx fleet maintenance technicians will compete at the industry-wide SuperTech competition in September, Harrison Daily reports. The technicians selected were chosen through a company skills contest, and they had the best results of among more than 750 fleet maintenance technicians who participated, the report said.
5. Knight Transportation of the trucking sector closed out the day Monday with a loss of 2.23%, according to Wall Street Scope. According to the report, the company is performing below average with a weekly performance of -6.07%, moving into this week with a quarterly performance of -18.53% and an annual low of 14.34%.
