OTA Dispatch Issue 4, 2020

17 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2020 including Fred Meyer and Walmart, now offering free delivery, consumers are taking advantage. Although some sectors of the trucking industry have struggled with the pandemic and adjusted business models or developed relationships with new suppliers to diversify their services, some businesses have been booming. FedEx, UPS, and others have all seen a dramatic upshift in deliveries, and it’s because of that “final mile.” According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of trucking jobs across the U.S. rose by 10,000 in August to 1.45 million. Around 8,000 courier and messenger jobs were also added in August, bringing the total to 923,000. E-commerce sales across the United States are projected to grow 18% to $709.8 billion in 2020, according to a recent report from market research firm eMarket. UPS has experienced peak-like volumes throughout much of 2020, with about 70% of its deliveries to residences, compared with about 50% during the rest of the year— and now they are preparing for a record peak season as people head to online outlets to complete their holiday shopping. The company has expanded weekend operations and expects to hire more than 100,000 seasonal employees to help deliver the anticipated rush. FedEx is offering similar services with deliveries seven days a week, year-round, investing in facilities to handle more volume, hiring 70,000+ seasonal workers across the country, and partnering with retailers to deliver to more rural areas. They also launched a new e-commerce solution for shipping heavy and bulky items business-to-business and direct-to-customer, including deliveries inside the home. From an e-commerce company perspective, using technology for increased visibility into the supply chain is important to understand and address weaknesses or even prevent issues in the first place. ANTICIPATING NEEDS, STAYING FLEXIBLE, AND MEETING EXPECTATIONS The concept of “Black Friday” has been extended to weeks and months in 2020. Operating in an uncertain environment means that flexibility is key. With an increase in online shopping, some organizations have been inventing new ways to deliver to