Freight stocks fall as Amazon announces less-than-truckload offering for outside businesses
Amazon is escalating its attack on legacy logistics companies by opening less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping to outside businesses as part of its Supply Chain Services business announced last month.
Previously, businesses could largely only use Amazon’s LTL fleet to send bulk goods inbound to Amazon’s own facilities. Now, companies can use Amazon to ship partial truckloads anywhere in the US, including to rival third-party warehouses or direct to their own retail partners.
That means legacy carriers must now compete against Amazon’s 80,000 trailers, 24,000 containers, and its highly automated network.
“The feedback from Amazon selling partners using our LTL service was clear: the technology, visibility, and reliability were exactly what they needed—and they wanted to use it more broadly,” Jim Ruiz, director of Amazon Freight, said in the press release.
Industry heavyweights like Old Dominion Freight, XPO, and Saia all fell on the news. FedEx, which recently spun off FedEx Freight, is also down.
That means legacy carriers must now compete against Amazon’s 80,000 trailers, 24,000 containers, and its highly automated network.
“The feedback from Amazon selling partners using our LTL service was clear: the technology, visibility, and reliability were exactly what they needed—and they wanted to use it more broadly,” Jim Ruiz, director of Amazon Freight, said in the press release.
Industry heavyweights like Old Dominion Freight, XPO, and Saia all fell on the news. FedEx, which recently spun off FedEx Freight, is also down.