Amazon may have started it, but the race to put the first viable package delivery drones into regular operation seems to have evolved into a competition between FedEx and UPS.
A report in Business Insider seems to confirm speculation that Amazon is currently building up its long- and regional-haul capabilities in preparation for launching a proprietary logistics division in the near future.
As part of Amazon’s Last Mile program, the company has created a logistics network that relies on contracted delivery services using undertrained drivers in rented trucks. This creates a wall that protects Amazon from liability in fatal collisions.
The retail giant has made a $440 million fleet order to electric truckmaker. The company says new vehicles will hit roadways as early as 2021.
The “cooler-sized devices” will navigate residential neighborhoods in Irvine, Calif.
FedEx won’t renew its contract with Amazon for ground delivery when it expires at the end of the month, after letting its U.S. air-delivery contract with Amazon run out earlier this summer.
A new wave of delivery robots could transform the way goods are delivered – provided they survive their first contact with the greatest nemesis they’ll ever face: teenagers, says Jack Roberts in his Truck Tech blog.
Amazon unveiled its latest drone design at the company’s re:MARS Conference that is capable of delivering packages to customers in less than 30 minutes, though it's not certain exactly when they will be deployed in the real world.
Amazon announced it will take an active role in helping interested employees launch their own package delivery businesses, expanding its Delivery Service Partner program with some additional incentives to help those employees make the transition.
Two new developments from Amazon will affect the trucking and logistics market: Moving to one-day Prime shipping and launching its own freight-matching platform.