°®¶¹´«Ã½

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Rail and intermodal providers said they are increasing speed and efficiency to become more competitive, and technology is helping them improve operations.

A $20 billion investment spree detailed by UPS CEO David Abney last year, a plan that initially rattled Wall Street, is bearing fruit. Profit margins are improving even as 112-year-old Big Brown copes with swelling volume from voracious online shoppers, who are typically less lucrative to serve than business customers.

LONG BEACH, Calif. — A panel representing the shipping industry spoke about the looming International Maritime Organization mandate that will require cargo vessels to burn low-sulfur diesel, and shippers and carriers said the requirements could lead to price increases or the rerouting of freight.

Startup autonomous truck company TuSimple announced commitments from investors for an additional $120 million. These funds are part of an extended Series D round that was oversubscribed and reached a total of $215 million.

HOUSTON — Trimble introduced a broad range of new software features and product enhancements designed to help fleets gain more insights from the data in their systems and collaborate more closely with their shipper customers.

Digital freight broker Convoy on Sept. 16 launched Convoy Now, a program that gives shippers and other logistics companies access to Convoy’s automated, real-time pricing and capacity for both live and drop-and-hook loads.

CHICAGO — Chicago’s long history as a transportation and logistics hub is one of the reasons DHL North America selected the city for its third Innovation Center worldwide. The Americas Innovation Center, which opened Sept. 12, showcases technologies that already have provided significant productivity increases.

Drone companies are stepping up their plans to make final-mile delivery a regular part of freight movement by 2020.

Officials aiming to facilitate the flow of freight amid advancements in autonomous vehicle technologies need policies designed to reduce the frequency of freight trips while enhancing safety, a new report by the National Association of City Transportation Officials concluded.

Shopify Inc.’s initiative to spend $1 billion to set up a network of fulfillment centers in the U.S. has gained momentum after it announced the acquisition of 6 River Systems Inc., analysts said.