OTA Dispatch Issue 4, 2020

16 Oregon Trucking Associations, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch SOME OF US remember the special occasion of receiving a package, anxiously awaiting a gift from out-of-town relatives, or getting a box from the mostly now extinct mail-order catalog. But, with the advent of the Internet came a revolution in how people connected, communicated, and—yes—shopped. Now many of us can’t remember a time when a UPS, FedEx or other delivery company didn’t make at least a weekly stop in front of our homes. Author’s note: For the purposes of this article, we’ll avoid tossing in the giant of all giants when it comes to e-commerce—Amazon— even though their impact on consumerism and trucking is being felt. DIRECT DELIVERY As Americans quickly embraced the idea of being able to buy whatever they wanted (within reason), whenever they wanted and having it brought directly to their doorsteps, shipping companies like OTA members UPS and FedEx had to keep pace. Plus, more delivery trucks and vans traveling our neighborhoods equates to national and global impacts, with more cargo traveling via plane, train, and (of course) truck from The Evolution of e-Commerce By Christa Wendland, OTA Communications Consultant point A anywhere in the world to its final point B destination of warehouses, distribution centers, businesses or homes. So needless to say, trucking plays a huge role in getting goods into the hands of consumers, whether it’s at brick-and-mortar stores or via an online retailer. Grocery shopping, finding gifts, buying supplies, and so on no longer requires carving out time in our busy schedules to head to multiple stores. Situated in front of our computers, laptops, tablets, or phones, it’s sometimes as simple as one click to have an item on its way, even at 2:00am. But, how did this evolution impact the way trucking companies operate and what changes are in store now that even more people are shopping online during a global pandemic? THE FINAL MILE BOOM DURING THE PANDEMIC There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent state-wide lockdown have altered how people shop. Those wanting to avoid interacting with others place orders online and arrange for same-day delivery. With several grocery retailers,