Sent Items #210: Sunday, November 16, 2025

We were in Phoenix last week and of course I had to give Waymo a try. Here’s a video of my first ride ever. I must say, there have been very few moments in my almost 40 years where I have been at a near loss for words with technology. Riding in a driverless vehicle is not only a technological marvel, but it felt safer and more reliable than having a human in the driver seat. To watch a Waymo pull up to you in front of our hotel, navigate city traffic, slowing for speed bumps and cyclists, and finally dropping us off at the curb at the airport is simply incredible. I am so bullish on Waymo (a Google company, of course) and excited that they are launching in Nashville next year.

We also climbed Camelback Mountain and this was my favorite view:

Scottsdale has quickly risen on my list of beautiful places.

Before we get into this week's headlines, a couple quick notes:

My friends at Manifest have given me the ability to offer Brands complimentary passes to their annual event at the Venetian in Vegas (Feb 9-11). Tickets are $2,795 so free is good. Many of you attend this event, but for those who haven’t, Manifest is the premier event covering innovation, strategy and collaboration across the end-to-end supply chain. I’ll be there!

If you're interested in a complimentary ticket (and are a brand) - or if you are a supplier and want a discounted ticket - reply here and I will connect you to their team.

Our November edition of Matt’s Chats is happening this Wednesday Nov 19, at 12 pm ET (you can register here).

Thom Campbell (Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer at Capacity)

Alex Yancher (Co-Founder & CEO of Passport)

Lauren Ferguson, CLTD (VP of Operations at r.e.m. beauty by Ariana Grande). 

A great slate of guests lined up to discuss the latest news in e-commerce and logistics and we’ll be chatting about how brands, warehouses, and carriers can successfully navigate holiday peak season. You don’t want to miss out on this discussion!

Register here

Now onto some news...

Harbinger Motors raised $160 million and secured an order from FedEx as the company ramps up production of its medium-duty electric vehicles (WSJ)

The funding round was led by FedEx, along with recreational-vehicle manufacturer Thor Industries and Capricorn Investment Group’s technology impact fund. FedEx placed an initial order for 53 trucks as part of its investment.

Harbinger declined to disclose its current valuation, but said it has raised $358 million since its 2021 founding. The California company designs and makes stripped chassis, which retail for about $110,000 each. These are delivered to companies that incorporate them into customized vehicles, such as delivery-truck makers Morgan Olson and Utilimaster and RV-maker Thor.

Harbinger has made about 400 vehicles since it started manufacturing in January and expects to produce about 3,000 next year. It is increasing production even amid a broader slowdown in the trucking market as carriers grapple with a years-long slump in freight demand.

In related news, autonomous trucking company Einride to go public via $1.8B SPAC deal (TechCrunch). Swedish electric and autonomous truck startup Einride plans to go public via a merger with SPAC Legato Merger Corp., valuing the company at $1.8 billion in pre-money equity, just six weeks after raising $100 million from investors. Einride reported a contracted annual recurring revenue base of $65 million and over $800 million in potential long-term ARR, operating a fleet of 200 heavy-duty electric trucks for companies like Heineken, PepsiCo, Carlsberg and GE Appliances.

GXO eyes expansion as tariffs bolster demand for foreign trade zones (WSJ). GXO's new CEO Patrick Kelleher said that despite concerns about the macroeconomic environment, tariffs create an opportunity for supply chain efficiency, which is good for GXO because it drives potential customers to the business. Foreign trade zones enable U.S. importers and manufacturers to store imports of finished goods for an indefinite amount of time without paying trade duties, with the deferment of duties, taxes and fees normally applicable upon importation significantly enhancing a company's financial position by providing cost savings, operational flexibility, and improved cash flow. The National Association of Foreign Trade-Zones says membership is at an all-time high, with registrations continuing to pour in as companies look for FTZ storage space in order to defer duties.

Waymo's driverless cars are headed to the highways (MarketWatch). Speak of the devil! Waymo will begin offering freeway trips in San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles markets "when a freeway route is meaningfully faster," marking the first time the company will take payment from public riders to go on freeways with higher speed limits. Waymo CEO said "Freeway driving is one of those things that's very easy to learn, but very hard to master when we're talking about full autonomy without a human driver as a backup, and at scale. It took time to do it properly." Waymo vehicles will generally travel up to a freeway's maximum posted speed limit, which is 65 mph in many cases. This is a huge milestone for the autonomous vehicle industry and positions Waymo well ahead of Tesla and other competitors.

Postal Service plans to 'open up the last mile' for more shippers (SupplyChainDive). Postmaster General David Steiner said the U.S. Postal Service aims to "better utilize and monetize" its first-mile and last-mile capabilities through expanded services for both small and large shippers. Steiner said ongoing negotiations with UPS to assist with Ground Saver deliveries is an example of this push, and the Postal Service is "also in talks with similarly situated companies for expanded last-mile service." The agency wants to "open up the last mile" for same-day and next-day delivery services for retailers, with Steiner noting "We've begun discussions with a number of retailers, and the desire for fast, reliable and affordable delivery is certainly strong among all retailers."

Uber Freight takes stake in Better Trucks to expand last-mile (SupplyChainDive). Uber Freight has taken a minority ownership stake in delivery provider Better Trucks as the two companies expand their commercial partnership to attract more shippers. Through the arrangement, Uber Freight can hand off volume to Better Trucks and vice versa to benefit both companies' delivery coverage for customers, while also utilizing seven sortation centers and technology from Better Trucks. Uber Freight's network now covers approximately 68% of the U.S. population with the addition of Better Trucks' capacity, with the company aiming to cover about 85% by the end of 2026.

Finally, the betting markets are predicting a 76% chance that Trump’s tariffs will be overturned. Who knows what this will actually mean (e.g. no more tariffs? tariff refunds? neither? … I bet Alex Yancher from Passport Global will share his perspective on Wednesday’s webinar)

Have a great week!

- Matt

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