Page 14 - Arkanas Trucking Report Volume 22 Issue 5

NEWS IN BRIEF,
Continued from page 13

“Jimmy Haslam and his team
have created an industry leader and a
key enabler of the nation’s economy,”
Buffett said in a statement. “The com-
pany has a smart growth strategy in
place and we look forward to a partner-
ship that supports the trucking industry
for years to come.”

WALMART, HONING SAME-DAY
DELIVERY SKILLS, BUYS NYC’S
PARCEL
Walmart has acquired small, same-
day delivery company, Parcel, from New
York City.
The retailer said the last leg of
delivery is key for all retailers in a
transformed landscape where the ability Parcel already has partnerships with screens, voice commands, writing pads,
to deliver at speed and with low costs several meal kit, grocery and e-com- heads-up displays on windshields and
brings tremendous advantages in fend- merce companies, and has delivered mirrors and 3-D computer-generated
ing off competitors like Amazon. more than 1 million meals in the past images.
Parcel will deliver fresh and frozen two years. Walmart plans to grow that “It’s adding more and more layers
groceries from Walmart and its com- base. of complexity and information at driv-
pany, Jet.com, as well as general mer- ers’ fingertips without often considering
chandise. YOUR CAR IS NEWEST whether it’s a good idea to put it at their
Walmart’s focus on fast, local TECHNOLOGY TO DISTRACT fingertips,” Strayer said. That complex-
delivery shows how priorities have shift- DRIVING ity increases the overall amount of time
ed for major retailers as they travel to The infotainment technology that drivers spend trying to use the systems.
shoppers’ homes, rather than the other automakers are cramming into the The auto industry says the new
way around. dashboard of new vehicles is making systems are better alternatives for driv-
Nate Faust, senior vice president drivers take their eyes off the road and ers than mobile phones and navigation
of Walmart’s U.S. eCommerce supply hands off the wheel for dangerously devices that were not designed to be
chain, said in a company release that long periods of time, an AAA study says. used while driving.
The study is the latest by University
of Utah professor David Strayer, who NEW CAPTAINS SELECTED FOR
has been examining the impact of info- ARKANSAS ROAD TEAM
tainment systems on safety for AAA’s The Arkansas Trucking Association
Foundation for Traffic Safety since is pleased to announce it has added four
2013. Past studies also identified prob- new members to the Arkansas Road
lems, but Strayer said the “explosion of Team, a select group of professional
technology” has made things worse. drivers chosen for their commitment to
Automakers now include more highway safety, communication ability
infotainment options to allow drivers and interest in improving the image of
to use social media, email and text. the trucking industry. This outreach
The technology is also becoming more program of the ATA serves as a public
complicated to use. Cars used to have a service to address highway safety and
few buttons and knobs. Some vehicles to educate the motoring public on safe
now have as many as 50 buttons on driving, especially near large commer-
the steering wheel and dashboard that cial vehicles.
are multi-functional. There are touch
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14 Issue 5 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT