Analyst says AI hype in trucking is justified after Trimble panel
Lee Klaskow, senior analyst for logistics at Bloomberg, said AI hype in trucking is justified, citing his 20‑odd years of industry experience during the Trimble Insight conference in San Diego. He pointed to C.H. Robinson’s rising revenue and profitability even as it cuts headcount substantially as proof of AI’s payoff. Craig Fuller, CEO of FreightWaves, said brokers act like day traders, eager to adopt tech that expands margins or increases load volume.
Formoso of Polyglass said shippers ignore generic broker blasts but notice when a broker references specific lane frequency, such as eight or nine loads per week from Texas to Florida.
“It’s the first technology hype that’s actually worth the hype,” Lee Klaskow, senior analyst for logistics at Bloomberg said.
“effectively these guys are the day traders of the industry,” Craig Fuller, CEO of FreightWaves said.
Klaskow said autonomous vehicle and blockchain hype have largely faded after years of promotion.
What we know
San Diego–Lee Klaskow, the senior analyst for logistics at Bloomberg, has seen a lot of hyped technology in his years covering the industry.
“I’ve been covering this space for some 20-odd years,” Klaskow said.
In a morning session on day of the Trimble Insight (NASDAQ: TRMB) conference here, after leading executives at Trimble had spoken of AI much of the morning, Klaskow appeared on a panel with Craig Fuller, the CEO of FreightWaves, and Alex Formoso, the executive vice president for procurement and supply chain at Polyglass U.S.A., which manufacturers roofing products.
He cited the experience of C.H. Robinson (NASDAQ: CHRW) whose proof of its AI success is evident in its rising revenue and profitability even as it cuts headcount substantially.