Self-driving cars are all the rage these days, with everyone from Hyundai to General Motors getting in on the action. The technology represents big business, with Intel and Strategy Analytics reporting that the autonomous vehicles could add $7 trillion to the global economy by 2050.

Last year, I moved into a house that is more than 100 years old. While I hope to eventually turn it into my dream home, saying it's a fixer-upper would be a massive understatement.

The home needs a lot of work, so I spend most of my weekends covered in paint and sawdust, working on projects to upgrade and customize the home to my liking. I'm a fairly handy guy, and I face a difficult decision with each new project: Do I tackle it myself, or should I hire someone who can offer expertise on the job at hand?

Businesses face a similar decision when they're ready to implement a transportation management solution (TMS). Do they place the burden of implementing a TMS on their internal team? Or do they partner with a logistics service provider (LSP) that has years of industry knowledge and experience?

The holiday season always brings a sense of urgency to the shipping industry, but this year’s normal rush has been exacerbated by the impending Dec. 18 deadline for mandatory electronic logging devices.

Fleets and trucks found to be skirting the law will face fines through April 2018, but they eventually will be forced to adhere to the regulations or cease operations. Without a doubt, the fate of shippers is linked directly to the trucks and trucking companies that serve them. Consequently, they have more skin in the game than it might seem at first blush.

Sheer Logistics announced today that they have joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA). 

BiTA (www.bita.studio) believes blockchain is one of the most significant developments for the logistics industry since the creation of the internet. By providing more clarity and standards around blockchain through education and promotion of the technology, BiTA intends to be the leading blockchain voice for the industry.

The creation of even simple products involves huge numbers of participants who don't know each other. Leonard Read's classic essay, “I, Pencil,” illustrates this point eloquently, showing that nobody in the world knows everything about making the pencil you buy in a store. He notes the “absence of a master mind” in its creation. People who live far away from each other and don't know each other play roles in the supply chain.